Day Trip to Mount Diablo State Park

Formed when a mass of underlying rock was forced up through the earth’s surface, Mount Diablo towers 3,849 feet over San Francisco Bay. On a clear day, from the summit of this California ecological treasure, it is said that visitors can see 35 of California’s 58 counties.

While many visitors to Mount Diablo head straight for the summit to enjoy the well-known view, there is a lot more to see and explore on the way up the 11-mile loop that leads to the top of the park. The park features hiking, biking, horseback riding, rock climbing, and camping opportunities along the way, with its many remote trails leading to and from and around the summit.

The best adventure begins with a stop at the Mitchell Canyon Interpretive Center inside Mount Diablo State Park at the south end of Mitchell Canyon Road in Clayton, California.

Staffed by park volunteers, the center provides visitors with information to enjoy the park and its many natural wonders. There is also a gift shop and various displays about various aspects of the park, such as geology, wildlife, trails, and plant life.

With a bottle of water and a trail map, visitors can choose between several trailheads, including the Mary Bowerman Trail, which makes it trek below the summit.

Other areas worth exploring are Rock City, with its extensive sandstone formations and small caves, and nearby Boy Scout Rocks and Sentinel Rock, both known for their excellent rock climbing.

Explorers will also find evidence of previous park residents embedded in rocks at Fossil Ridge while observing the park’s inhabitants at Deer Flat near Juniper Camp — one of the park’s three primitive camping areas.

Of course, the biggest draw to the park is the impressive views from Mount Diablo’s highest peak, which is also home to the Summit Visitor Center.

Constructed during the late 1930s of sandstone blocks quarried in the park, this historic stone building houses many unique displays that highlight the cultural and natural history of the park. A gift shop is also located in the building.

Outside the visitor center is the observation deck, equipped with a bevy of telescopes to help visitors enjoy one of the finest views in the world. There is also a dome topped with a beacon, which is historically significant to aviators and is now lit once a year on Dec. 7 in memory of those who lost their lives at Pearl Harbor.

Mount Diablo State Park Camping

The park has 56 campsites that accept non-site-specific reservations. You can reserve in advance (recommended); however, a ranger will direct you to a site, and you can not pick a specific camping spot. Some campsites will accept campers up to 24 feet in length. However, trailers are not recommended due to road conditions.

Mount Diablo State Park Tips Before You Go

Summers are generally hot and dry; winter can be cold and rainy from November through mid-March. Visitors in the winter may occasionally experience snowfall on the mountain peak, so the best time to visit is in the spring.

Dogs are allowed only in picnic sites, campgrounds, and paved roads; trails are off-limits for our four-legged friends. One more note: poison oak can be found throughout the park, so avoid this plant.

Mount Diablo State Park hours are 8 a.m. to sunset daily. Gates close at dusk and are locked at night. To avoid being locked in, begin exiting the park before sunset.

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