This by far was one of the hardest trails I've ever hiked. The incline is insane! The entire trail was uphill, I was breathless. But the views the entire time made me just as choked up. It costs $10 to get into the park, gates open at 8AM. There's a 12 mile hike, loops the site. And an 8 mile hike to the Summit (round trip). At the top there's a museum inside which has an exhibit and gift shop. I got a cute T-shirt for $18, they also had a showing of the history behind the summit and how it came to be. We saw a couple deers, baby coyote, various species of birds, lizards, and butterflies. During this time of year, majority of the trail was dead. I rarely saw any hikers, mostly bikers! Most visitors drove up to the summit for pictures and views. The hardest part was definitely going up to the summit! We cut our time by half on the way back down. It was steep, so we temple ran our way down. Really fun! I highly recommend going early in the morning or later in the afternoon to avoid the heat. Not a beginner friendly hike! Challenging. Trails not shaded. Park rangers are very friendly. Maps are also provided at entrance. read more

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The Mary Bowerman Trail near the summit of Mount Diablo is a short .20 mile accessible trail. There is one accessible parking spot right at the start of the trail. The trail is paved and has a short incline. read more

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What an experience! I have always ventured around Mt. D via Danville or WC. But I just discovered there is also an entry via Clayton. What a wonderful experience!! read more

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We absolutely love hiking this magnificent mountain and the surrounding areas as much as we can. There are several trails to trek. I'm not going to lie, most if not all are pretty challenging especially the Mitchell Creek to Diablo Summit. That is a 14 mile hike and it will kick your butt for sure. I must be crazy because I love getting my butt kicked by this mountain LOL. We keep coming back for more. The elevation is no joke as there are numerous inclines and declines. Theres hardly any shade so make sure you sublnscreen up and stay hydrated. The views are absolutely stunning. Strenuous hike but the views are worth every ache and pain. Enjoy the views. There is parking but there's a $6 dollar fee (not bad). Parking lot is open at 8am until sunset. There are bathrooms. The ladies room is clean for the most part. As clean as it's gonna get at a park. I absolutely recommend this mountain if you are looking for some challenging trails to hike. read more

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When my roommate from Stanford Business school invited me to his parents ash release ceremony on Mt Diablo .... I did not hesitate. To be honest I am a 5th generation San Franciscan and have been all over the state but never visited Diablo. Compared to Colorado it is sort of nothing special except for the vistas to the east bay, Marin, and good ol San Fran Crisco. A good hike if you live here....camping does not look appealing. Agro bicyclists ( like what else is new in the Bay Area?). Visit once and done! Beautiful ceremony though read more

Mount Diablo State Park - Looking back ti SF - Parks Near Me - Clayton, California

Hiking to Mount Diablo. We were on our way back from Sacramento to Millbrae and my husband, knowing how much I love hiking, made a turn and took me to this place. A beautiful view, very green after a long period of rain. We climbed higher and higher and the view became more and more amazing and enchanting. I loved the cows walking peacefully through the hills, loved the green stone and the long history of Mount Diablo, related to the formation of the volcano and the Spanish conquistadors who gave it the name "The Devil's Thicket". So, if you're into nature, this is a good place to visit. However, you should know that you'll pay $10 if you go by car, which, frankly, is worth the money! read more

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Mt Diablo I barely go but because it used to be very dry. But the last time I went recently because of the recent snowfall and so when I reached the top, there was active snowfall. The views were amazing on the way back down from eagle point to the Mitchell rock parking lot. It is a great place but get there early for sure read more

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One of the best state parks in the country. Amazing hiking. I've never camped here but it looks like it would be fun. There is a very good chance you will see rattlesnakes or mountain lions. The Mount Olympia loop is a great trail as are all the trails on Mount Diablo. read more

Beautiful park to go hiking. I went to the north entrance on Mitchell road and took the red rock trail. You can see The Valley from the top. Didn't see any tarantulas or snakes this time. I'll definitely go back. The volunteers are very friendly and helpful. Make sure you bring cash for parking it is all self serve. You fill out a form and deposit the money in an envelope. $6 per car. read more

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First timers BEWARE! Bikers! $10 vehicle fee. But knowing this coming to the park made it a better experience. I was not annoyed but actually in awe by all these bikers going up! Jeez! What athletes!! Wonderful little hike and the incline is pretty strenuous. Bring lots of water and hiking poles! A plethora of picnic areas. Views of the valley are nice, but if you're looking for an extravagant view you won't find it here. Only comes for the challenges of the trails. read more

Mount Diablo State Park - Parks Near Me - Clayton, California

Beauteful and very convenient place for BBQ! many bees, but it's wild world I recommend it, not very hot, fresh air, clean places read more

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Really a great spot to get out and just do your nature Walker nature hike. There are trails that start anywhere from three hours and go all the way up to a full eight hour. Definitely get there as soon as they open if you're gonna do anything longer than three hours, especially get the full effects and benefits of what the trails have to offer and possibly making it to the top. There is so much life and beautiful visions on the trails. I even found a yellow mustard plant. Then we came across snake skin shed. Definitely always make sure to bring yourself water and snacks for the trail, there are a couple of picnic tables at the entrance behind the visitor center. During this time of the year the location is, a moderate fire season. There is an entrance fee based off of de use. The visitor center has a lot of interesting artifacts with what lives around the area or what used to live around the area. Walking these trails we seen a lot of spider holes or traps as you would call them. Lots of birds chirping a few creeks, even saw a succulent plant, popping out of a rock in the area. Also tarantula and tick season so be very careful when utilizing these trails read more

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A great place to get away and meditate and see the many counties at the top of the mountain rock city is a powerful place you can see and feel the power of the past read more

Mount Diablo State Park - PHOTO BY GENO T APPROX 2010 - Parks Near Me - Clayton, California

Mount Diablo - 03.07.21 - Conquered. Hahaha... I've been wanting to hiked Mount Diablo since I heard about it from my former manager/crush during our hike at Mission Peak last year. Even though that didn't go anywhere, I did finally hike Mount Diablo yesterday with my two guy friends with one of them being fellow Yelper, Johnny W.! We all met up and parked at Rock City lot and hiked from there. The hike was fun with some shaded areas all through the hike unlike Mission Peak where there is no shade whatsoever. I truly do appreciate the shaded areas at this park. We climbed the Devil's Pulpit, and honestly, I was very scared, but I'm glad that I did it with the encouragement of my friends. Climbing down was alot scarier than climbing up for sure, but just be careful. The only restrooms there were Port-a-Potties which is pretty gross, but when you gotta go--you just gotta go. The park entrance fee is $10 which is okay. I'm a fan of free parking so I'm not a fan of having to pay, but it is what it is. I suppose people can park outside the pay station, but it's definitely a longer walk plus it's more dangerous walking with the cars driving. During the hike, I was feeling good. The only pain I felt was from the rocks because my sneakers doesn't have too much cushion so I definitely felt the rocks which were annoying. It took us 5 hours and 30 minutes to hike to and from with burning a total of 2,167 calories! Whoo hoo hell yes! I finally felt sore after getting out from sitting in my car when I got home. Ooh it was pretty painful because my knees, back, legs, and booty were hurting. But you know what... sore is sexy, babyyy. Hehe.. Would I do this hike again? Maybe if someone wants to go, I would do it again. But for now, once is enough for me. Haha.. going to find other parks to try out! :D read more

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2/21/2021: HB to me, HB to me, HB to meeeeee~HB to ME~Yay! CA State Parks began allowing people making campground reservations as of MY BIRTHDAY, February 21, 2021! Seriously, I'm so stoked, so elated: I CAN ACTUALLY LEAVE MY HOUSE AND GO CAMPING NOW! Whoa~I was literally house-bound throughout 2020 except, leaving a few times during Fall 2020 visiting the American River. Now, I can legally go camping without feeling as if, I'm a criminal breaking CA STATE LAWS! Oh, happy day especially, when 2/21/2021 is my HB Present from me to me~I get to go camping for my birthday-YAY!!!! I discovered my campsite is in complete solitude . . . Campsite J26 is adjacent to the bathrooms but, the interior bathrooms and showers were locked, inaccessible to ALL CAMPERS; however, the CA State Park provided outhouses and portable sinks for washing your hands which is cool . . . BUT, nobody can use the showers, toilets or sinks inside the building due to the "H2O Shortage"~WAAAAAAAAH: What an egregious disappointment but, still-it's a cool birthday present, nonetheless. read more

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Everything about Mount Diablo State Park is beautiful! The trails, the views, Mother Nature at her finest! read more

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Tarantula hike was amazing. Knowledge tour guides who shared not just information on the tarantulas but trees, plants, local history, birds and scorpions ! Highly recommend! read more

Mount Diablo State Park - Male tarantula! - Parks Near Me - Clayton, California

Hiking here can be very challenging if you are not ready. I have not hiked extensively here, but I have now hiked in different seasons. Summertime here is brutal and I recommend getting out early. On this recent hike my guy and I did the waterfall trail. I had done it a few summers ago mistakeningly in the middle of the day and nearly fainted from heatstroke. Not this time! We started at 9:30 am and ended at 1:30. 8.5 miles, yikes, amazingly beautiful and unique single lane trails. The waterfall trail is very challenging and fun at the same time. We went backwards, according to my hiking partner, and thus experienced most of the uphill first. There was a bit of water this time from the recent rains and snow on the top of Mt. Diablo, but, no excessive heat. The area was very green and a decent amount of flowers. Is it Spring yet? Upon exiting the waterfall trail we headed up to take the Back Creek trail down. Wear good shoes, bring water, and a charged camera to take photos. Lots of poison oak on surrounding the trail too, be careful. Parking was $6.00 on the day we went, although I notice the ohter reviews are stating $10.00, not sure why the discrepancy. I suppose it would be best to be prepared for the higher cost. Cheers and happy hiking. read more

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Folks the park does charge for parking. Please bring $6 in cash and bring a pen. They have an honor system for parking. I did not have a pen or cash to put into the envelope that they provide for parking. Fortunately my friend did and helped me out. This park is so beautiful. Make sure you pay attention to signs for guest parking. Before you enter the trails, there are beautiful picnic tables for you to grab a quick bite. There are convenient bathrooms located near the parking lot as well. Also warning signs before entering the trails to inform you of rattle snakes n such. Please leave your pets at home they are not allowed. I hiked about a 2 miles in and was stunned by the views. I mean my camera did the view no justice. I will be back again. I have lived in the east bay all of these years and had no idea this gem was in my backyard. read more

Mount Diablo State Park - Parks Near Me - Clayton, California

A must for us to hike up the summit ( 14/15 miles RT) to burn some calories and enjoy the gorgerous view ! We come up here from sacramento to hike up Diablo summit about 3-4 times a year' read more

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Mount Diablo State Park is a magnificent park that targets walkers and bicyclists. Since I was a walker for this trip, I walked on two different trails. One of them took me to the top of the mountain. The scenery left me speechless. It was just that incredible! I came on here on a Wednesday. Thankfully, the park wasn't congested with other individuals at all. It also offered many tables/picnic areas, free water fountains to quench thirst and clean bathroom stalls. Overall, Mount Diablo State Park has intrigued me. I would not hesitate to come back! read more

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Mount Diablo State Park, drove to the summit, our son was a summer park ranger there and I used to drive him to and from the main gate station every day, one summer. Got to know the route well, driving from Oakland to Walnut Creek twice a day. But it was fun and it's an interesting drive, saw big tarantulas! I've been on much higher mountains (the Himalayas) but this is a singular high point with nothing else around, so the panoramic views from the top are really something. You don't get this perspective anywhere else in the Bay Area except maybe Coit Tower. I love national and state parks like this, the history, the emptiness that comes with it being a large park. Very quiet, could see the Suisun estruary clearly, though San Francisco was fogged over the day we were here. Also the early architecture, design and construction, to think people hauled all this stuff up here in old cars and trucks makes you wonder what it was like living there in the early days. read more

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Such a beautiful hike. It is currently pretty cold but not windy up there, and all the recent snow has melted. The photos speak for themselves, I highly recommend this hike. Parking is 10 bucks and you can pay by card. Restrooms are available. read more

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This park is lovely in the winter! The trails are relatively steep but I love the rolling green hills. In the summer, it can be VERY hot over here so make sure to bring lots of water if you visit. When you enter the park, there is a $5 entrance fee that you place into a box, but there is no one monitoring it. There are also a bunch of picnic tables if you want to have lunch or a snack with family, trash cans, and a restroom. I personally really enjoy the walk to the park itself because you can see the beautiful landscape and avoid walking uphill haha read more

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Always amazing. I grew up about 5 minutes away and missed this place whenever living away from it. Whether it's hiking, an impromptu camping trip, taking a mountain bike on the trails, having a picnic in the ground level areas... I've never been disappointed. You aren't bothered by overzealous park rangers or excessive monitoring. You immediately leave the suburbs and enter a beautiful nature space that varies with each season. To even have Mt. Diablo as the view you see from your home is unendingly beautiful. I'm almost afraid to give it such a glowing review, lest the world discover my favorite escape. But, I'm reluctantly willing to share it. ;) read more

The most amazing view in the East Bay! The cost to enter the park at the base of the mountain is $10 if you are in a car. If you are on foot or bike, it is free. I recommend bringing a car unless you plan on an intense uphill ride/hike. There are two entrances... one on the Pleasant Hill side and the other in Danville. The drive from the Pleasant Hill entrance to the summit takes about 29 minutes. Its a long windy drive with many curves. Watch out for bikers around the blind turns! You should NOT attempt to pass on the turns. If you have passengers, you may want to consider a stop along the way on the drive to the summit. The passengers in our car got a little sea sick from all the turns. There's a lot of picnic areas and camp grounds along the way. Once you reach the summit there is a large busy parking lot. Parking can be challenging to find at peak times. Plan to patiently wait for a space on a weekend afternoon when there is nice weather. At the summit you are at 3800 feet. The panoramic views are out of this world! read more

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Awesome trails and unforgettable sights. You can see clearly for about 100 miles from the top. You can even see sanfrancisco skyline. Great trail if you want to hike and a small gifts hop for souvenirs. You can also camp overnight for a larger cost. Will return and bbq next time read more

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My parents and I enjoyed exploring Rock City Park of Mt. Diablo on a Sunday late morning in mid-Dec. The temperature and atmosphere was comfortable at low 60's and sunny day (it must be unbearably hot in the summer/fall). You enter through the South entrance in Danville and the roads up the mountain is narrow and shared with bikers, which is a tad nerve wracking. Day-pass cost is $10, which is reasonable (or $9 for seniors). Credit Cards are accepted. The trails marks are not frequently labelled throughout the park but with common sense you can see there are multiple trail paths that take you to the same place, Sentinel Rock at Mt Diablo. The views on the trail was breathtaking and the huge porous rocks along the trail are fun to climb and take pictures. The paths are narrow and rocky and has lots of branches/plants sticking out that could snag your clothes - so I don't recommend trail running here or wearing expensive clothes. Only bummer is there is no porta potty or bathroom in the park, so be sure to empty your bladder before coming to Rock City! read more

This BEAUTIFUL place... better known as Mount Diablo State Park, is practically located in my backyard. It's a park full of rampant wildlife, magical views, and heart pumping trails. There are several entrances into this park which can be found in the cities of Clayton, Walnut Creek, Alamo, and Blackhawk. With the vast amount of trails available, you are sure to find something to match your skill level. I like to enter this park through the Clayton road entrance. For one, it's probably the least crowded entrance compared to the others. There's also a pretty good amount of parking spaces located right near the entrance. There is an entrance fee of $6 per car ($10 if entering from Walnut Creek or Blackhawk), but you don't have to pay if you visit after hours. The Mitchell staging area is filled with tons of different trails and beautiful views! I started on Mitchell Canyon Road and took the Deer Flat trail to the Black Point trail. The Deer Flat trail is the main trail and has minimal incline. This is a great trail for running or walking. It's a flat dirt trail that connects to many other trails in the park. I ended up connecting to the Black Point trail which has a gradual incline with a pretty significant elevation gain. Trust me, you will get HIGH up in the mountain, and the views will leave you speechless! About 2 miles in, I was able to see the gorgeous rolling Mount Diablo Hills! In the summer, the heat can be sweltering. If you decide to enter into this park on the Clayton side, please be sure to bring enough water and lather up on that sunscreen! There isn't much shade, but if you come early or an hour or so before sunset, you'll be able to enjoy the views without dying from the heat. One of my favorite things about this park is the wild life! I ran into a family of turkeys on the trail, just chillin'! I will warn that there is tons of horse poop which will attract the flies and bees, but it shouldn't disturb your hike too much. There's a gorgeous creek that runs along the Deer Flat trail! The sounds of the water flowing by will instantly put you at ease. I haven't yet hiked the summit but it's definitely on my to-do list. This park is huge! There are so many undiscovered trails, great camping grounds and wonderful recreation areas. I'm so blessed to have this beautiful park so close by. If you're looking for a beautiful adventure, let Mount Diablo be next on your list! read more

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SECRET! Did you know there are 2 gorgeous stone dams? Here's my journey to find them: https://youtu.be/niPK8VtodgE Yes, it's true, but almost nobody knows about them. It took me 2 hikes to find them, but it's really easy if you know the way. (Message me and I'll tell you how.) I have been to this park many times, and today I decided to start from the Mitchell Canyon staging area. My plan today was to go on the Eagle Peak Trail, which is not one of the more popular trails, and is quite a bit of a more difficult hike. The trails are well-maintained and the signage was fine. Here's the real treat when you finish your height don't miss the native California plant garden right at the staging area. Absolutely a wonderful little garden. read more

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The hike to today was a up n up n up, challenging kick ass trail, I think the only level part was the first half mile from parking. The rest was either zig zagging or just straight up the mountain, luckily for most of the hike you're in trees and brush. Not a trail if poison oak gets you. It's all along it. AllTrails says you're not going to see many people, and it held true. I didn't see anyone till I got to North Peak, a couple had reached it from a different direction. Going back down, passed just a few. Even an early morning start and shade and a cool day for the area, it was hot. Take lots of water and snacks, I used all mine before the end. It maybe only a little over 7 miles, but none of it is easy. Lots of vertical climbs through gravel and scree, one reason I changed trails going back down, those conditions are difficult going up, they can cause injuries going down. When I looped back to Olympic, I went west on the boundary road trail, which brings you close to the falls trail, one of the trails I did earlier this year with a sweet beautiful redhead. It's amazing what a broken heart and lots of exercise can do for weight and physical health. Another recommended hike. So down boundary road to the fire roads, much better the fighting sliding scree! It also gave me the opportunity to see quite a few spotted skinks (lizards) I had not seen this species before, so pretty cool!! They definitely were being evasive. lol lots of butterflies and still quite a few wildflowers. It was fun and challenging, but after hiking yesterday for work, I was done at about 6 miles, but still got through it. One guy I ran into was actually doing all four peaks in one day!! Wow!! It's taken me three separate hikes to do it. Diablo is a beast no matter which trails you take. I ended back on Olympic road trail to finish down hill and the hot paved road to the parking lot. I'm glad to get the hike in and check all Diablo's peaks off. But it is a hard n difficult trail. No dogs no bikes... just hiking. I think, next hike will definitely be closer to the ocean! lol now for some chilling, laundry (yes, boring) and enjoying the crowler of Iron Ox brew. Happy hiking! God bless! Cheers read more

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Just do it. Every step was a beauty to take in. The twisty roads to drive up was a bit topsy turvy. Besides that, opted for the 4 miles. 2 miles up and 2 miles down. It was great. Needed my cardio in, which I haven't done for awhile now on a hike! The summit was wonderful. Along the way, there was a bit of a cloudy overhead on the mountain view side. It looked pleasant. Keep at it. You'll eventually get there. At least one is trying. read more

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Did you know you can take your kids to see the snow right here in the Bay Area? It snows on and near the summit at Mt. Diablo. I didn't know that until one day, we went for a hike and saw snow. Amazing. Rock City is also fantastic for bouldering. Coming from Walnut Creek, it's free to enter, whereas you pay a pricey $10.00 per car coming from the Alamo/Danville area entrance. Excellent hiking trails through foresty areas and wide open panoramic mountainside above the clouds. Yes, you're walking above the clouds, looking down on them, so go on a partly cloudy, partly sunny day for the best views and weather. Also great for strenuous cycling, but be careful, since the road is narrow and windy, and cars might drive very close to you. I've been on both sides, as a cyclist and as a driver. Just be mindful, and everyone will be safe! read more

Everyone in Northern California can usually see Mount Diablo on a clear day, and from the top you can also see everyone in Northern California too. The state park encompasses most of the mountain, but many visitors only see the road and summit visitor center. Parking is limited at the summit, but early visitors should be fine. This facility would normally get five stars, but the challenge of sharing the road with the many bikers struggling up the road makes the long and winding drive much more trusting. Fortunately the sight of said young and fit bikers at the summit helps a lot. Plan on a long and stressful drive to the top. Once at the top, you can visit the small visitors center. On a clear day the views are far more interesting than the exhibits. It can be very windy and chilly at the top, so bring a jacket. The pinnacle of your trip may be the actual summit of Mount Diablo which is inside the building allowing for a very Instagrammable photo. I don't recommend coming here often since the drive is a challenge. Said fit bikers and hikers can take on the added challenge of a 4000 ft climb. The views are truly spectacular on a clear day and are worth the effort in either case. read more

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Mount Diablo is by far the hardest hike I have done in the Bay Area. My fiancee and I hiked from Rock City at the South Entrance to the Summit mid-September. We are both in pretty good shape and this hike killed us! However, the views once you get to the top are so worth it. On a clear day, you are able to see everything for miles on end. Fun fact: You are able to see the most land from the summit of Mount Diablo than from any other state park in the United States. Our hike was around 7 miles round trip and 2200 feet of elevation gain. Make sure you bring plenty of water and snacks. Most of trail is exposed and Mount Diablo can get very hot and dry, so good hydration and fuel are a must if you want to successfully make it to the summit. The summit has some gorgeous views waiting for you! Once there, you can also go to the visitor's center, which has some interesting displays of the history of the mountain and sells snacks/souvenirs. If you do not want to hike up the mountain, you can also drive up. The drive up is very windy and has lots of narrow roads. It costs $10 to enter the park at the South Entrance. I will defiantly be back to conquer this mountain again! read more

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The view is not as expected. Btw the bathroom is full of different types of insects like nobody maintains it. The museum is fine tho.

Love it here, especially this time of the year when Northern California was blessed with enough rain this spring 2019! Everything is blooming, lustres green everywhere! Mustard yellow flowers, poppy and s whole lot more! Despite my crazy allergy problem, it's gorgeous to hike up here! From beginner to advance like my hubby, you can do easy 5 miles like myself or 25 miles and 3,000 ft elevation as you wish! Plenty of place to park if you go early or week days! For weekenders, please plan ahead accordingly! Please bring enough water, hat, sunscreen to protect you! Remember the map or download a off-line Google map just in case you get off trail, to find your way back! Be prepare, stay on trail, take photo of your trails, bring a friend/family, and enjoy the stunning view/work out! read more

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It's hard to rate a State Park. I'm not sure what the criteria is for a good one. But my wife and I hiked the 14 mile Mitchell Canyon trail to the Mount Diablo summit to prepare ourselves for Everest Trek later this year. The trail is not for the faint of heart. Almost the whole trail is a steep incline up to 3800 feet. Then on the descent it's hard on the knees. This in no way is to discourage or deter a person from hiking it. I was proud of myself after the 7 hours of hiking and we treated ourselves to Dunkin Donuts located about 15 minutes away in Walnut Creek. Details of the hike: From the directions on yelp it will take you to Mitchell Canyon. There is a self registration on arrival so bring $6 exactly to put in a small envelope that is provided at the entrance. The beginning of the hike is really easy. A leisurely stroll for the first mile. After Mitchell Canyon gate is Juniper Camp Road. On that area there are plenty of restrooms, running water, and drinking fountains for a short rest. Once Juniper Camp Road is done then it's on to the summit trail which is steep and probably the most difficult part of the trail. We took a total of about 20 minutes break at the summit, so our total hike time was 7 hours. From 8:40am to 3:40pm. There are other trails including shorter easier trials that I plan to do before taking this one again. But a good way to start our training. read more

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It's a Sunday and we were looking for some fun activity to do preferably in our area, and lo and behold there turned out to be this park in Concord called Mt. Diablo State Park, which seems pretty well known as apparently it's listed in several travel guides! This state park is not free, though; but its entrance fee was not expensive ($10 per car, as of June 2022). Here at this park, people could opt for hiking all the way up to the top, or driving all the way to the summit. The elevation at the summit is 3,848 feet!!! When we got there it was pretty foggy unfortunately, so we could not really see a lot, but the fog felt really cool, breezy, and nice. Furthermore, at the summit there was a museum where visitors could go to learn about nature and check out a park-related exhibit. Overall it took us about 30 minutes to drive from the entrance gate up to the summit. Be mindful that the roads could get super windy and be pretty narrow. And they were some seriously sharp and blind corners/turns, where drivers should be extra careful, especially because there was a lot of bicyclists and hikers as well on the road. read more

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Absolutely beautiful park - don't get me wrong there. This place is a hidden gem featuring caves, fun boulders to climb up, and spectacular views. I'm a nature lover - and this place surely captures the true beauty of Mother Nature. I consider it the prettiest hike of the east bay. The maps given by the rangers at the gate are completely useless. There is no topography, and it's impossible to navigate a trail with the maps that are provided. The trails are not marked with physical posts. It's hard to tell which one you are on. I strongly suggest purchasing a map of the area or downloading the map to your phone before visiting. The trails are all very skinny and intertwine a lot. It's impossible to know if you are on the same trail the whole time you're there. I consider myself a well-traveled and experienced hiker. I've gone on multi-day backpacking trips without a problem. One of the "trails" lead me to the base of a giant boulder with no way to go. I found myself lost. I say "trail" because they're so skinny, that a rain run-off can easily look like a trail and mislead you. It surely mislead me. I thankfully found my way back to the trail after rummaging through dense brush for about 30 minutes. Looking back, I was in an incredibly scary scenario. The sun was setting and I was completely lost in the middle of the dense brush. No one could hear me from where I was. On my walk back, I heard terrible screams from one of the boulders by Rock City. A young boy had fallen. The park grew silent, and you could hear the screams of his friends calling out his name. Within 10 minutes, there were helicopters above us. I tried my best to scurry back the way I came from, following the awful map to get a general idea of the direction to head in. Thankfully, I saw the lights of the first responders. One of the boy's friends heard me and went out of his way with a flashlight to come and actually rescue me. He pointed me in the right direction. If it wasn't for the boy falling, I wouldn't have found the correct trail to take back to my car. Firefighters found the boy and thankfully, he survived the fall. Out of respect, I did not stand by to watch the entire situation unravel with the first responders. I wanted to give him his privacy. I left the park extremely shaken up. You would think that the $10 you pay at the entrance can contribute to a useful map, and maybe a few more guard rails off of the steep drop offs on the cliffs. read more