Mount Diablo

Bay Area Challenge Overview > The Peaks > Mount Diablo

On the way up Mount Diablo

Mount Diablo provides some of the best views in the Bay Area. On a clear day, you can see the Golden Gate Bridge and even the Farallon Islands beyond. To the east, you can see the Sierra Nevada Range.

There is even (supposedly) a direct line-of-sight with the summit of Half Dome in Yosemite.

Did you know?

The actual summit of Mount Diablo is inside the visitor center on the second floor! You actually have to enter the building to see the top of “the rock” that is Mount Diablo.

Mount Diablo Basics

  • Summit elevation: 3,849′ (1,173 m)
  • Vertical gain: 3,529′
  • Hiking mileage: 13.2 miles
  • Location: Mount Diablo State Park

Hiking Mount Diablo from the Mitchell Canyon Staging Area

Mount Diablo can be reached by car, but there's no challenge in that. You could start at any number of trailheads higher up the mountain. Again, not enough of a challenge. Starting at the Mitchell Canyon Staging Area not only makes this a double-digit mileage hike with serious vertical gain, but takes you up some other peaks along the way, on single-track trail that feels more wild than most of the park.

Trail Guides

Here are detailed trail guides to give you the information you need about each route:

Travel Time

  • Drive time from San Francisco: 1 hour (34 miles)
  • Drive time from Oakland: 38 minutes (26 miles)
  • Drive time from San Jose: 1 hour, 22 minutes (59 miles)
  • Get turn-by-turn directions on Google Maps

Local Tips

  • There is a $6 vehicle entry fee at the staging area.
  • The gate to the staging area officially opens at 8am.
  • Toast your hike with a beer from Calicraft Brewery in Walnut Creek.

Latest Mount Diablo Trip Reports

These hike logs will give you a feel for what the current conditions are, and the experience from other Six-Pack of Peaks challengers.

courtskiks33

Top of the Devil Hike

Great day with friends enjoying the beauty of Mt. Diablo. Trails were clear except for a few muddy spots. Cool at the top but had

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Clcampos

Top of the Devile

Had a great hike climbing to the top of Mt Diablo. It’s a challenging climb but doable. Glad it was cool! Breezy at the top

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mrsummers

Top of the Devil

Started at 8:15 am at the Summit Trail Head from the South Gate (just past Athenian School). Trail was somewhat muddy in  parts but over

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EllenJ

Devil’s Hike

Comfortable temperatures in the mid-50’s, but windy and cooler at the top. Clouds and some fog, but for the most part beautiful views of the

Read More »
Weladd2603

Diablo

Up up and more up.  Sttep and rocky going up single track.  Return on a nice gravel access road.

Read More »

The Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge

This hike is part of the San Francisco Bay Area Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge, a series of challenging hikes up six, diverse and scenic Bay Area mountains. Sign-up to take the challenge today! 

 

Got a link, tip or favorite aprés-hike restaurant we should add to this page? Let us know!

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