Mitchell Canyon Visitor Center

Some people might be slowly hiking up the trail that starts at Mitchell Canyon, poles in hand and plenty of time on their hands. However, I came to this area for a half marathon that led me straight to the Mt. Diablo summit and back - I'm a madman, I know.This is certainly one of the best ways to do it - the trail is flat for about two miles, and then gets steep for another five to six miles before you get to the summit. It's a steep 4,000 foot climb, but the views are incredible.Just be sure to bring exact change - it'll cost you $6 to park!

My husband and I ended up at the Mitchell Canyon entrance at Mount Diablo after we found out that both the north and south gates of Mount Diablo were closed due to a bike race. This entrance of the park is well hidden and it also costs $6 to park here. We talked to the ranger working in the visitor center here to get some trail recommendations since we were pretty unfamiliar with this side of the park. The ranger was a very friendly man, gave us some great trail recommendations for both moderate and hard hikes. We even bought the big trail map of Mount Diablo for $6.We ended up taking a nice hike through Mitchell Canyon on the Mitchell Canyon trail. This trail is pretty moderate, but gets to be pretty challenging at around the 3 mile mark, which is where we decided to turn around and head back to the parking lot. This trail has both shade and exposed sun at times. It was pretty hot out, so make sure you bring a lot of water because there is no water in the park due to the California drought. I brought 1.5 liters with me and ended up drinking all of it on our 6 mile hike. There are several other trails at this entrance. You are also able to get to the summit from here in a 13 mile round trip hike. The hike to Eagles Peak is another popular trail as well. Definantly recommend this entrance as it is less crowded than the other entrances of the park, but still has plenty to offer.

The folks who work here are really friendly and helpful. They have a ton of resources that will make your stay in the state park more enjoyable. My favorite item is the laminated hiking map that they sell. It's a heck of a deal at $6.This location is also a great staging area for some hikes in to the park. Keep in mind that the parking is not free. It's $6 as of this date. You can pay with cash or a check and put it in a little envelope at the entrance.Inside the little Visitor Center, the folks are really helpful. Besides some exhibits of animals and minerals, they have some great things to buy like a special map as well as some clothing and hats.

Eagle Peak Loop from Mitchell Canyon visitors centerMitchell Canyon Rd-Meridian Ridge Rd-Eagle Peak Rd-Mitchell Rock Trail-Oak RoadGreat trail if you're looking for a rough hike on Mt Diablo that does not go all the way to the summit of Mt Diablo. This is a tough hike but saw people of all ages out on the trails. Photos- Lots of photo opportunities on Eagle Peak Trail Suggestion Route - This is subjective and depends what your preferences are for hiking trails. Most people prefer to start the loop by making a left and going up Oak Rd to Mitchell Rock Trail to Eagle Peak. This is a steeper incline with tight trails and loose gravel at the top but easier on the knees when you are heading downhill on the open Mitchell Canyon Rd fire trail. Elevations - You will hike up approx 2,198 feet up on this trail and goes almost 3/4 of the way up the mountain to an elevation of 2,369. Terrain-The terrain on the Mitchell Canyon fire road and Meridian Ridge is packed dirt and with some loose gravel. You probably do not need hiking poles for this portion of the trail. Eagle Peak is a skinny trail with steep drop offs and loose gravel. A set of hiking poles would be helpful but not necessary. Mitchell Rock trail is a tight trail with packed dirt. Parking - The Mitchell Canyon park entrance is a suggested place to park. This can be a busy lot on the weekends but they do provide a few options for parking. Make sure that you bring exactly $6.00 for parking fees. Bathrooms and water are available at the visitor center but not on the trails. You'd have to hike 3/4 way up the mountain up to the Juniper Trail campground or the Summit if you need water or to use the restrooms. TipsLook out for the poison ivy and poison oak!Bring at least 2 liters of water and sunscreen!

Yes you can hit the actual summit of Mt. DIABLO from here. No it is not a short hike. Probably around 13 to 14 miles round trip.If you get thrown off like Google did with us and end up here, make sure you have a random 6 dollars cash for parking and go hike eagle peak which, is NOT mount diablo but a good alternate when you show up here and not prepared for a 13 or 14 mile hike. To eagle peak it's like 5 or 6 miles round trip. Good view.

Really a wonderful place to hike . It's got some unique trails. The views are stunning