The waterfall Loop of Mt Diablo is categorized as moderate 8 mile hike. I would say that's pretty…read moreaccurate. Park at the visitor center and get a paper map if you don't have a digital map. Fairly easy to follow all the markers. I wish they were all marked by numbers but they're not. The scenery is nice and lots of shade throughout the hike. Many of the roads are narrow and slippery. Hiking poles and good hiking boots are important. The waterfall was mini in beginning of December 2025 but there was a steady stream. Entire hike takes about 4-4-.5 hours to finish. Some steep inclines but not too grueling. Pay parking via QR code and a cc.

I really enjoyed this hike, it had views, wildflowers, streams with running water, and was a good…read moreworkout. I followed the All Trails version of the trail which took around 4 hours and was 8 miles. The hike was moderate to hard because there were some steep parts and parts that were rocky and easy to slip. I'd recommend hiking boots. To see the waterfalls I think the best time to go is Jan-early May but that's even pushing it. By May there are still wildflowers, but the brush is starting to turn brownish, and the water is drying up quick. Probably the most ideal picturesque time for this hike would be early March after a rain. I'd avoid it in the summertime unless you live in the desert and are used to hiking in high temperatures.

This has been on my want to hike list for a long time and I finally got to do it on a perfect day…read more The weather was great, overcast and cool. We hiked it so fast and the views were spectacular. I can't wait to hike this in the spring with all the flowers in bloom. There are so many surrounding trails and I want to do them all! Lots of bathrooms throughout the trail. There is a visitor center at the top which you can drive to also. Please come and creat your own adventure.

My God-father lives nearby, and he thought this would be a nice little distraction from the…read morebustling cities below. He was right. The drive up was intense. It's been a while since I drove roads similar to this, so it wasn't too bad, up. Hopefully down is OK too. There is a small entry fee (per car), but also a senior discount. So we only had time for the Summit. There are more Yelp! listings for other parts of the park. OK, so I was not prepared for the breathtaking views! It was a slightly hazy, or was it smoggy, day... But the views were still fantastic! If the views were not enough, there is a visitors' center in the light tower at the summit. Inside is lots of information, a Rangers' Station, and several informative and/or interactive displays. And there is camping in Mt Diablo too! To make things even more interesting, we took a different route down. I don't like backtracking, so this was a bonus... And i wasn't too bad.

I've spent so much time on my couch lately, I left a permenant indentation in one of the cushions…read more I decided to get some exercise and tackled York Trail. It was a beautiful, shady hike, with a nice view from the top. The path winds it's way along a creek, and over some old wooden foot bridges. It's a very picturesque location. It wasn't very difficult, but there is some elevation, so I was sweating. I brought two bottles of water and only had a little left at the end. There were some friendly people on the trail enjoying the sights and walking their dogs. It was fairly easy to navigate even without a map, but I don't recommend it. I just like to live dangerously.

Nice park just make sure to wear good shoes & clothes ,and just make sure to be careful when…read morewalking back down

My favorite hike in the Bay Area (so far)! The grand loop consists of the Juniper Trail, Summit…read moreTrail, North Peak Trail, Bald Ridge Trail, Meridian Ridge, and finally Deer Flat Road. 6.8 miles with a total elevation change of 1,800 feet sounds like a lot, and it is (especially if you're used to flat trails). Definitely bring water and snacks for energy. Driving to Mt. Diablo is easy enough. Entering via South Gate, there is a $10 vehicle entrance fee. Going up the mountain itself can take up to 30 min, with avoiding bikers going both up and down the roads. I managed to find one of the last spots at the massive turnaround at Juniper Campground at 11am. I definitely recommend coming early just to find a spot. There's also bathrooms at the campground. Since the "trail" is a loop you can either start on the Juniper Trail and go clockwise or start on Deer Flat Road and go the opposite way. We chose to go clockwise and ascend ~700 ft up to the peak. There's a cool info center at the top detailing the mountain's history and wildlife of the area. The rest of the hike was descending 1,800 feet down and re-ascending 1,000 feet to make it back to our car. Honestly, I don't know if one direction would be easier than the other, but if you want pics at the top you might want to start at Juniper Trail first so you're not too sweaty at the top. The weather was nice for the first half of the hike, no clouds and barely any wind. But the second half was around the other side of the mountain so winds picked up. Definitely bring layers!

I haven't been to Mt. Diablo since I was a kid, so it was a blast from the past coming back! You…read morecan drive all the way to the summit, so my friend and I decided to hike the "grand loop," which covers ~7 miles and goes around the whole mountain. We were fortunate enough to have a very clear day, and you can see for miles and miles all the way around the mountain. Views were amazing. It was an eighteen hundred foot elevation gain, so no joke, but only about 400-500 per mile for the 3.5 miles that went uphill. Definitely was steep at points but very doable, even for those who aren't in the best hiking shape. Not sure I agree with my dad, who claims the views from the summit are some of the best in the world, but it was definitely well worth a visit, and I really enjoyed getting the 360 degree view throughout the course of the hike! A few tips: set your GPS for the juniper campground to get you to the nearest parking lot. I recommend going clockwise so you can end on a high with the summit (and a downhill!). The trail is hot always the best marked, so I recommend downloading a free app such as AllTrails to make sure you don't lose your way!

In the past few years, I've explored many different entrances to this open space. Surprisingly,…read moremany of the entrances are close to or even on private land, with an easement. For example, the entrances nearby Walnut Avenue are often interspersed among largest estates. Generally, the trails are well marked. But not always. And sometimes trails do not show up on the official Park map. Having said that, this is a delightful Park with tons of interesting trails. In most areas there are no facilities or water, so keep that in mind.

Was in the area and looking for a place to take my dog for an off leash walk and this was it. It…read morewas after some rains, so lots of muddy spots on trails. We did a nice mile and a half loop, perfect length for my small dog. I got parking, but there are not many spots, so that could be an issue. I also didn't see any bathrooms, forcing me to figure out alternatives. Rolling hills, but nothing too bad. Some native plant restoration work was being done and everybody I passed by was polite and pleasant. The trails are very exposed, so I would limit my hiking here to days with more mild weather, but it wasn't busy a really nice change of scenery for me.

What a lovely trail! Big fan of the work done by the JMLT and I decided to do this hike with my…read moretoddler. It is perfect for littles. Flat trail, full of native plants, bugs and birds. You can see big cargo ships leaving the refineries and you may get a nice breeze as well. Side note, no shaded trails. So don't do this on a hot day.

Pacheco Marsh is a John Muir Land Trust project. My husband…read moreis a bird watcher and boy does he enjoy this walk! It is a 2 1/2 mile loop. Very flat loop through some gorgeous views of nature. There is a kayak launch, users get a relaxing 2 mile loop through the marsh. No dogs for obvious reasons. There is a ton of wildlife here. Our last walk here a coyote and I locked eyes and shared a moment together. I am happy to have this new area close to home and part of our love where you live rotation;)

I was surprised to find these redwood hiking trails a mere 20 minutes from my house. Plenty of…read moreparking lots, clean restrooms and picnic tables throughout the park. Parking was free when we went on a Monday morning. There's a variety of trails for everyone, even my preschool age kids. We hiked the stream trail which was a good level for them. They were pleased to stumble upon a playground during the hike. The stream itself was quite low and dry this time of year (summer, August). Perhaps it's livelier in the spring or winter. We did not come across much wildlife other than bugs. They recommend wearing long pants in case of ticks.

Flynn and I spent the day exploring Dr. Aurelia Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park, and it couldn't…read morehave been a more perfect day. The weather was cool, comfortable, and ideal for hiking. One of the things I love most about this park is that it's only about a 15-20 minute drive from downtown Oakland, yet once you're surrounded by the towering coast redwoods, it feels like you've escaped deep into the mountains. It's hard to believe you're still in the middle of the East Bay. The park is home to one of the largest remaining natural coast redwood forests in the East Bay, with many trees reaching around 150 feet tall. The area was heavily logged during the 1800s before being preserved and allowed to recover. In 2019, the park was renamed in honor of Dr. Aurelia Henry Reinhardt, former president of Mills College and one of the original East Bay Regional Park District board members. Parking is easy with several lots throughout the park. The regular parking fee is $5 per vehicle on staffed weekends and holidays, but during this America 250 celebration weekend, parking was free. With nearly 40 miles of interconnected trails, there's something for everyone--from easy family-friendly walks to longer, more challenging hikes. You could visit multiple times and still discover new trails, such as the French Trail, East Ridge Trail, and West Ridge Trail. Whether you're a beginner, trail runner, or experienced hiker, there's something for everyone. Families will enjoy the picnic areas, BBQ grills, playground with swings, open grassy areas, and plenty of tables and benches to relax. There are also water fountains for both people and our paw friends, which Flynn definitely appreciated. I was pleasantly surprised by how clean the restrooms were. They are individual restrooms with flushing toilets, and there are sinks with running water outside for washing up. The park is also popular for mountain biking, horseback riding, birdwatching, photography, and of course hiking. Dogs are welcome on many trails, on leash, making it one of my favorite places to spend time with Flynn. If you're hoping to camp overnight, the park offers primitive group camping by reservation only at designated hike-in campsites. There are no showers and I'd recommend bringing a portable filtered water system like Sawyer. Reservations are required in advance through the East Bay Regional Park District, and fees vary depending on the group campsite. If you're visiting the Bay Area or even if you've lived here for years and haven't explored this hidden gem, I highly recommend adding Dr. Aurelia Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park to your list. Bring comfortable hiking shoes, plenty of water, and your camera--you'll leave wondering how such an incredible redwood forest has been hiding so close to Oakland. Flynn gives it two paws up! A friendly reminder to stay on the designated trails and be aware of your surroundings. Like many natural parks in the Bay Area, ticks, poison oak, and coyotes are present. We stayed on the trail, had no issues, and enjoyed a wonderful hike. After your visit, it's always a good idea to check yourself and your dog for ticks Cheers!

I was able to snag a parking spot at the staging area (there aren't a ton of parking spaces…read more However, people park along the road). I did the self guided tour Volcanic tour. We wanted a more of hike, so after the tour we ended up doing a big loop. For those who might have reactive dogs, there are a ton of off leash dogs.

"Popular Trail in a Spooky Location."…read more The staging area is on Old Tunnel Road in Orinda. There's also an entrance to the Sibley Park close by. There's only a few spaces at the actual staging area, but on the road to the service yard, there's a lot more spaces. I believe the road to the service yard is where the old tunnel used to be, but I think there's nothing to see there. The day that I visited, there was a sign that said the trail was closed--darn I missed it! The trail was actually in good shape--just a portion of the trail was washed out. But don't worry, I didn't go down the hillside. Along the trail, there are no facilities or water, so be sure to bring lots of water. The trail takes you up to Grizzly Peak Boulevard. If you keep going, you will end up at Tilden, near the steam trains. So overall, I'm glad I hiked this trail. At least once, anyway.