Hiking trails
Northgate area is home to some of best trails in Northern California
With stunning scenery and plenty of wildlife, the greater Mt. Diablo area is a destination for hikers of all ages and skill levels. Here are some of the trails within minutes from Northgate recommended by experts. Most of the listings provide individual trail maps and essential information.
Best trails on Mt. Diablo from AllTrails.com
Best trails around Walnut Creek from AllTrails.co
12 recommended hikes around Walnut Creek from Komoot.com
Best trails at Shell Ridge from AllTrails.com
Eight popular hikes on Mt. Diablo from Mt. Diablo Interpretive Association
Save Mt. Diablo offers guided tours on a regular basis
Rock City at Mt. Diablo State Park / photo by Save Mt. Diablo
There are trails for those whose passion is observing the abundant wildflowers that grace the forests and hillsides, some of them found only here.
Wind Poppy on Mt. Diablo / photo by Tom Hilman, Wikimedia Commons
Birdwatchers can track some of the more than 200 species on Mt. Diablo. Mt. Diablo Interpretive Association has an online guide to where to go, what to see and when to see it. Mt. Diablo Audubon Society has a gallery of known species.
Anna's Hummingbird / photo by Save Mt. Diablo
For those who study the heavens, there are guided programs throughout the year sponsored by the Mt. Diablo Astronomical Society. The Mt. Diablo Interpretive Association also provides information on local stargazing.
Milky Way from Mt. Diablo / photo by Mt. Diablo Astronomical Society
Kids scanning the skies above Mt. Diablo / photo by Mt. Diablo Astronomical Society
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Mt. Diablo at sunset / photo by Scott Hein, Save Mt. Diablo
Mt. Diablo Interpretive Association provides information on hikes for people of all ages and skill, complete with maps and descriptions to help you gauge which hikes are right for you. And if you'd like to help with upkeep on our trails, the association has plenty of volunteer opportunities, as does Save Mt. Diablo. You can sign up online.
Volunteers cleaning up a trail / photo by Save Mt. Diablo
AllTrails.com also provides a list of great hikes for kids.
East Bay Regional Parks map (above) map of Diablo Foothills
Walnut Creek Open Space's interactive map of local trails is below. The tabs at the top link to maps of Shell Ridge, Lime Ridge, etc. Click here or on the map below to try it.
The Mount Diablo Interpretive Association has an online store with maps, hiker's guides, books on birds, wildflowers, trees and Mt. Diablo lore. MDIA also has a guide to the geology of Mt. Diablo which highlights areas to see geologic phenomena. The Northern California Geological Society has recently published a geologic map of Mt. Diablo accompanying a book, Mount Diablo, California: Its Tectonic Evolution on the North America Plate Boundary. United States Geologicv Survey has also published a book recently: Geologic framework of Mount Diablo, California.
At the end of the 11-mile Summit Trail at the top of Mt. Diablo is an interpretive center and historic beacon / photo by Save Mt. Diablo
The Mount Diablo Beacon was originally lit by Charles Lindbergh in 1928 to assist in the early days of commercial aviation. The Beacon shone from the summit of Mount Diablo each night until December 8, 1941, the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor. It was not re-lit until December 7, 1964, when Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz, Commander in Chief of Pacific Forces during World War II, attended a ceremony on Mount Diablo’s summit in commemoration of the survivors of Pearl Harbor. He suggested that the Beacon be lit every December 7th to honor those who served and sacrificed.