Location: County: Contra Costa. Nearest City:
Clayton.
Campsites, facilities: There are 60 sites for tents
or RVs up to 24 feet long (in three campgrounds). There are four
group sites. Piped water, vault or flush toilets, fire grills,
and tables are provided. Leashed pets are permitted.
Reservations, fees: Reserve by phoning 1-800-444-PARK/7275
($7.50 reservation fee); $15 per night, $1 pet fee. Call for
group site fee information.
Contact: Phone Mount Diablo State Park at 1-510-837-2525
or 1-415-330-6300;
Web site: www.mdia.org
Mt. Diablo SP
96 Mitchell Canyon Rd.
Clayton CA 94517
Operating hours, seasons: The park is open from 8 a.m.
to sunset. Stormy conditions or extreme fire danger may result
in park closures. Visitors should call ahead. Open all year round.
Directions: From Danville on Interstate 680, take the
Diablo Road exit. Follow Diablo Road for 1.5 miles to Mount Diablo
Scenic Boulevard. Turn left (it eventually becomes Blackhawk
Road) and drive to South Gate Road. Turn left and drive four
miles to the park entrance.
Weather, clothing: Moderate climate. Summers are
generally hot and dry, so some visitors prefer spring and fall.
Warm days in the summer, with cool evenings. Visitors in
the winter occasionally experience a snowfall on the mountain
peak. During the winter temps can be much cooler, with 2 or 3
light snow storms per year. The rainy season is generally
from November through mid-March.
Trip notes: Mount Diablo, elevation 3,849 feet, provides
one of the most all-encompassing lookouts anywhere in America.
On crystal clear days, you can see the Sierra Nevada and its
white, snowbound crest, and visitors can see 35 of California's
58 counties. With binoculars, some claim to have seen Half Dome
in Yosemite. The drive to the summit is a must-do trip, and the
interpretive center right on top of the mountain is one of the
best in the Bay Area. The camps at Mount Diablo are set in foothill/oak
grassland country, with some shaded sites. Winter and spring
are good times to visit, when the weather is still cool enough
for good hiking trips. Most of the trails require long hikes,
often including significant elevation gains and losses. The park
features excellent hiking and rock climbing opportunities. The
mountain was formed when a mass of underlying rock was gradually
forced up through the earth's surface so, unlike other mountains,
older and older rocks are encountered as you climb t mountain.
The mountain was regarded as sacred to Native Americans. In late
summer, the park is sometimes closed to camping due to fire danger.
No alcohol is permitted in the park.
© 2001, Miwok Lodge 439, Order of the
Arrow, Santa Clara County Council Inc., BSA
Revision 1.2
