Go North!

Hike the North Peak of Mount Diablo in the East Bay

The peak of Mount Diablo is known for its hundred-mile views—but little-visited North Peak is the real summit to scale. Unlike the main mount, which you can get to by car (or bike), the North Peak can only be reached via a 1.8-mile (one-way) moderate hike, with one steep uphill section to really get your new year off to a heart-pumping start! Winter mornings at this 3,557-foot altitude can be chilly, but after rain the views are crisp, clean, and oh-so-refreshing—and even better, you have them all to yourself.

Hike the North Peak of Mount Diablo

The hike traverses a few hundred feet below Diablo’s main summit, climbs a ridge, and, at the very end, rises steeply.

Hike the North Peak of Mount Diablo

Hike the North Peak of Mount Diablo

The view from the top is worth the final push: The land laps like morning tides—rising, cresting, and rolling on out to the Pacific—and San Francisco’s skyscrapers spire on the distant horizon. Savor the scenes and snap a self-portrait, then head back the way you came.

Mount Diablo State Park opens at 8 a.m. Park at the Devil’s Elbow parking turnout (noted by a very small signpost) about 0.7 mile below the summit. Walk the North Peak Trail heading toward Prospectors Gap. At the Prospectors Gap intersection, continue following the North Peak Trail uphill. The last couple hundred feet of fire road are very steep. Wear good hiking shoes and take your time! No dogs.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. 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
  2. Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles

    Light This Way

    Hidden in the bucolic hills of Paso Robles lies one of the greatest light shows on earth. The lighted art exhibition, Sensorio, is as if the rainbow magic of the aurora borealis was plucked from the sky and planted in the fields.

    View
  3. 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
  4. Bucks Up!

    Come on in, the water is beautiful. Whether you like swimming, kayaking, stand-up paddling, or heading out on a bigger boat, Bucks Lake is a high mountain haven that’s easy to access, blissfully uncrowded, and surrounded by sandy beaches, picnic areas, pines, and aspens.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Coming Up Roses

    Looking to spice up your hiking life? Give your partner a rose—Mount Rose! The 10-mile out-and-back peak hike goes up to one of the grandest views in all of Lake Tahoe. Get ready f

    View
  2. Two kayakers on Upper Klamath Basin on tour with Sky Lakes Wilderness Adventures

    Zen & the Art of Kayaking

    It’s the most meditative and relaxing experience you’ll ever have on a kayak. Yes, you read that right, a Zen experience on a kayak. It all happens in beautiful Klamath County when you head out on a guided tour with Sky Lakes Wilderness Adventures.

    View
  3. Lake Nacimiento
    Sponsored

    Savor Summer in Paso Robles

    Ready for the “Great California Road Trip”? Keep it real and rolling in bucolic and beautiful Paso Robles. This down- to-earth destination has everything you need to enjoy the coolest experiences.

    View
  4. A Rose in the Pines

    A crackling fire, a bottle of wine, a bubbling Jacuzzi tub with a waterfall … now the big question: Marvin Gaye tunes or not? In the morning (ahem) it's breakfast in bed and a leis

    View