Feather in Your Cap!

Hike to Eagle Peak on Mount Diablo in the East Bay

Sure, the main summit of Mount Diablo offers one of the best views in the state, but if you’d rather hike than drive to a summit, lace up your boots for the mountain’s spectacular—and less-traveled—Eagle Peak. At 2,369 feet, it’s not as high as Diablo’s main peak (3,849 feet), but the 3-mile (one-way) journey to it is much more enticing.

Two hikers walk a hiking trail to Eagle Peak at Mount Diablo State Park

Two hikers are taking in the view of mountains and green rolling hills on a trail at Mount Diablo State Park

Begin on Deer Flat Road leaving from Juniper Campground; Diablo’s largest campground couldn’t be sweeter—set at 3,000 feet, it's got huge views of the Diablo Valley and Bay Area. Follow the trail while enjoying panoramas from San Francisco all the way to the sawtoothed Farallon Islands, 30 miles offshore. Wind down an exposed path and make a right on Meridian Ridge Road. Notice that burn in your thighs? The trail climbs at a fairly steep pitch for a few minutes, but the reward is getting closer.

The spur trail leading to Eagle Peak slips, scuttles, and scrambles across narrow Bald Ridge—a knife’s-edge thriller with drop-offs on either side (don’t worry, it’s very doable; just don’t wear flip-flops). This adventurous and fun part of the hike quickly reaches the summit with views bursting in all directions: the Delta, Suisun Bay, and Mount Diablo’s North Peak. Take it in as you take a breather. The Eagle has landed.

A woman sits the summit of Eagle Peak in Mount Diablo State Park

Park at Juniper Campground and start hiking northwest on Deer Flat Rd. After a half-mile, bear right at the first junction to stay on Deer Flat Rd. After another mile, you’ll reach the Deer Flat area; make a right onto Meridian Ridge Rd. and hike 0.75 mile. Turn left onto the signed spur trail for Eagle Peak; it’s another 0.75 mile to the summit. Return the way you came. No dogs on trails, but Juniper Campground is dog-friendly!

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