Mount Diablo State Park

Mount Diablo is a mountain in the Diablo range, in the Contra Costa county of the eastern San Francisco Bay area of northern California. It’s south of Clayton and northeast of Danville.

It is an isolated altitude of 3,849 feet (1,173 meters), visible from most of the San Francisco Bay Area. From many angles, Mount Diablo appears to be a double pyramid and has many subsidiary peaks, the largest and nearest of which is the other half of the double pyramid, North Peak, almost as high at 3,557 feet (1,084 m) and about a mile northeast of the main summit.

Whether you’re calling the Tri-Valley your home or just visiting, you ‘re likely to catch a glimpse of Mt. Diablo State Park, a 20,000-acre public space that preserves not only the striking Diablo Mountain Range, but also its sprawling foothills, waterfalls, and wildlife. Despite the relatively low altitude of the mountain, the rocky 3.849 ft peak boasts some of the best visibility in the western United States. On clear days, visitors can spot San Francisco to the west, Yosemite to the east, and even Let Peak 181 miles north of State Park.

Apart from its stunning views, there is more to this enchanting beauty than to the eye. Mt. Diablo ‘s ancient aquatic fossils and unique rock formations have been mystified by native Americans, western settlers, and tourists for centuries. We decided to drive up to the Mt. Diablo Summit Visitor Center to find out more about Tri-Valley ‘s most beguiling background.

A few disclaimers before you embark on this adventure: the road to Mt. Diablo is windy.  For those who get a car sick easily, it would be wise to take some motion sickness medicine at a local pharmacy.

Also, the early bird really gets the worm out here. Mt. Diablo is a popular spot on weekends for bikers, hikers, campers, equestrians and visitors alike – so start your trip early and drive carefully as there are a few blind turns on your way up. Good news: these roads are super smooth and very well maintained; they even include a few “bike turnouts” so you don’t end up stuck behind a cohort of bikers for miles.

Pack a snack and lots of water (CA Parks & Recreation suggests about a quarter for every two hours of activity.) Even if your snack is a selection of fruit and vegetables from downtown Danville’s Saturday morning Farmer’s Market or a little pear sandwich, you’ll want to have some fun at any of the park ‘s scenic picnic spots.