On a
beautiful fall day, my folks, husband, and I made a day trip up Mount Diablo
in the Mount Diablo State Park. The mountain is 3,850 feet above sea
level, and dominates the skyline from all directions.
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| On the way up Mount Diablo in Mount Diablo State Park |
We entered near Walnut Creek, from the Ygnacio Valley and North
Gate roads, through the leafy, mixed oak forest, past horse trails, and up the
winding road through iconic California scenery. We shared the road with
bicyclists pedaling up or whizzing down, motor cycles, joggers, and a few other
cars.
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| Mixed oak forest at the base of Mount Diablo |
We stopped periodically to look at the grand view. The
skyline was a little murky with haze in the distance on the day we visited, but
many San Francisco Bay Area landmarks were still recognizable. At the Diablo
Valley Overlook signage helped us identify many of these landmarks from our
elevated perspective.
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| Livermore Valley Overlook |
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| Diablo Valley Overlook |
At the top, we were treated to a 360-degree view of Northern
California from the Summit Visitor Center. On a clear day, you can see the
Sierra Nevada mountains to the east, the Farallon Islands to the west, and
everything in between. Our view was a little hazier, but we could make out
primary landmarks.
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| Mount Diablo Summit Visitor Center |
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| Mount Diablo Beacon |
We also enjoyed the museum housed in the Summit Building
built by the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) from 1933 – 1942. We learned all
about the early native populations that inhabited the area for over 5,000
years, and about how Mount Diablo was important in early land surveys done of
Northern California and Nevada in the 1800s.
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| Fantastic 360-degree view from the summit |
After our adventure, we headed for Scott's Seafood in Walnut Creek for a delicious dinner, and great conversation. We definitely want to
return to drink in the view, and explore the surrounding area.
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