Well Rounded

Hike the Grand Loop at Mount Diablo in the East Bay

05.02.2019

{APRIL 6, 2023 UPDATE: Due to recent storms, before going to the park, please check ahead for weather forecasts, along with trail status and conditions; trails can be muddy and have debris or unexpected hazards; exercise good judgement and caution.}

Epic views, fields of flowers, and ridgeline thrills offering one of the biggest views in the West: Hiking the Grand Loop at Mount Diablo State Park in spring is eye-candy, with reams of poppies and more than 200 miles of California landscape rolling to the snowcapped Sierra.

Head out on a challenging 8.5-mile (round-trip) hike around the East Bay’s tallest peak. The hike is a true thigh-burner with substantial uphill stretches, so be sure to bring lots of energy, and water!

Start at the Juniper Campground parking area on the wildflower-laced Deer Flat Road. Enjoy panoramas from San Francisco to the Farallons, 30 miles offshore.

Descend the trail and make a right on Meridian Ridge to begin the first steep ascent, to the signed spur trail of Eagle Peak. This less-traveled trail is a great adventure on a cool spring day—scuttling and scrambling to the summit, where views burst in all directions—from the Delta and Suisun Bay to Diablo’s North Peak. Return the way you came and continue your loop on Prospector’s Gap Trail. The good news: Parts of Prospector are delightfully shaded. The not so good news: Prospector can kick your butt! It’s a tough haul to the top, but it leads to a grand finale.

The North Peak Trail is one of the most spectacular stretches in the Bay Area, cutting along the mountainside with poppies currently on parade and views sweeping from the far-off Sierra to San Francisco Bay. Hulking boulders en route make good perches for taking it all in. Finish by heading up Summit Trail and across Summit Parking Area to follow Juniper Trail back to your car. Loop du jour!

Note: Several parts of this trail are exposed and get firecracker hot in summer, so we recommend hiking it in spring and getting an early start. The trail gets steep in parts, so wear good shoes. Park at Juniper Campground off Summit Rd. There are two paved roads; walk down the one on the right to Deer Flat Rd. Continue on Deer Flat Rd. for 1.5 miles until Deer Flat. Go right on Meridian Ridge Rd. Continue for a mile to the Eagle Peak sign. After the side-trip, continue on to Prospector’s Gap Trail. Go right, up the North Peak Trail, then hike up Summit Trail, cross the Summit Parking Area, and take Juniper Trail back to your car. No dogs.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories

  1. Afternoon on the Island

    What is it about tiny islands in the middle of lakes? There’s something that just draws you in. It’s even more fun when getting there is half the adventure because you have to reach it by canoe, kayak, paddleboat, or a ranger-guided boat tour!

    View
  2. Hiker in the forest at Mount Sutro in San Francisco

    San Francisco's Middle Earth

    No need to travel to New Zealand to visit Middle Earth. San Francisco’s Mount Sutro Open Space is practically Hobbiton—a hidden “shire” in the middle of the city. Okay, maybe not quite as magical, but still an incredible place to take a hike in city limits.

    View
  3. A group of people clamored around the summit marker at Mission Peak in the Bay Area

    Your Mission Is Less Crowded

    Mission Peak is one of the Bay Area’s most popular mountains, with many hikers climbing every weekend. Skip the crowds with this 6-mile loop up the less-traveled southern route.

    View
  4. Hike top Angel Island Mount Livermore San Francisco Bay

    Good Heavens

    The 4-mile hike to the top of Angel Island offers Bay-mazing scenery. Some people claim you get a five-bridge view: Richmond-San Rafael, Bay, Golden Gate, San Mateo-Hayward, and Dumbarton bridges.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories

  1. Locals' Feature: Jim Litchfield, Owner of Reno Fly Shop

    If there's a river, you're likely to find Jim Litchfield there. As the owner of Reno Fly Shop, Nevada's premier fly fishing outfitter and shop, Jim's passion for rivers knows no bounds: he's fished in places near and far, including Alaska, Bolivia and Christmas Island. But home is beautiful Reno, where he has been running Reno Fly Shop and leading tailored river float and fly fishing adventures (including beginner-friendly options) for over a decade.

    View

  2. Bear Hug

    This 5.5-mile loop through Coyote Lake-Harvey Bear Ranch County Park explores one of the newest segments of the acclaimed Bay Area Ridge Trail, one redolent with trees ranging from madrone and manzanita to buckeye and blue elderberry (with a bubbly post-hike bonus).

    View

  3. Easiest Best Hike in the World

    Choose the easiest and most view-rewarding hike in Yosemite. Okay, we’ll go first: the combination of hiking to Sentinel Dome and Taft Point. Both of these lookouts are within a couple miles of each other on Glacier Point Road

    View
  4. Bikers and walkers on the Bay Area Ridge Trail with the Golden Gate Bridge behind them

    National Park City Walk

    See San Francisco the way locals do by hiking the Presidio, a national park right in the city! Wooded trails, secluded beaches, and epic views of the Golden Gate Bridge feature on this 5.5-mile out-and-back on the Bay Area Ridge Trail. It’s a lovely slice of the City by the Bay.

    View