Mt. Diablo

At the eastern fringe of the San Francisco Bay Region, Mount Diablo, elevation 3,849 feet, stands alone on the edge of California’s great Central Valley. At this point, the Coast Range consists only of low hills, none high enough to block the view from the upper slopes of the mountain. As a result, the view is spectacular.

The View From the Top — Many visitors to Mount Diablo head straight for the summit to enjoy the famous view. Summer days are sometimes hazy, and the best viewing is often on the day after a winter storm. Then, you can look to the west, beyond the Golden Gate Bridge, to the Farallon Islands; southeast to the James Lick Observatory on Mount Hamilton at 4,213 feet elevation; south to Mount Loma Prieta in the Santa Cruz Mountains at 3,791 feet elevation; north to Mount Saint Helena in the Coast Range at 4,344 feet, and still farther north to Mount Lassen in the Cascades at 10,466 feet. North and east of Mount Diablo, the San Joaquin and Sacramento Rivers meet to form the twisting waterways of the Delta. To the east beyond California's great Central Valley, the crest of the Sierra Nevada seems to float in space. With binoculars, you may even be able to pick out Half Dome in Yosemite National Park.

Mount Diablo is a sacred mountain to California Indian people. Just about every California Indian community who viewed Mount Diablo would, at one time or another, make a pilgrimage to the summit area for ceremonies. The reason Mount Diablo is so sacred to the California Indian people is that it was the creation point for the Miwok people or genesis for some California Indian people.



As a founding sponsor, Visit California is pleased to be a part of the 2013 Amgen Tour of California. For insider trip ideas, cruise over to visitcalifornia.com.

MOUNT DIABLO / STAGE 7 Finish, May 18

• From it’s peak, Mount Diablo offers views for hundreds of miles, include Lassen Peak, high points in Yosemite National Park, and the Farallon Islands off the California coast.
• Mount Diablo is part of the 19,000-acre/7,689-hectare Mount Diablo State Park.
• Rising far above the surrounding hills and the Central Valley to the east, Mount Diablo stands out among Northern California peaks.
• Not up for the all-out push to the top? Simply drive up then hike the 1mi/1.6km Juniper Trail to the summit, or follow the 6mi/10km round-trip Summit Trail.
• Mount Diablo makes an outstanding destination for cycling. The Mount Diablo Interpretive Association offers a list of suggested mountain rides in the park. For road riders, there is that unforgettable climb up Summit Road—just go as high as you want, then turn around and zoom back down.

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