I wrote most of this, but never finished it, during the pandemic shutdown of 2020. It took me a long time to find the "Seventh Gate" to Diablo (through Lime Ridge), and even longer to write the Lime Ridge trip report that was the final piece of the puzzle. By the time I actually finished the "Seven Gates" article, Mount Diablo State Park had long ago re-opened to cars, and my information was basically useless. But here's the entire guide as it was originally meant to appear. And it's still fun to walk into MDSP from any of these access points! -HMM 5/21/2022
Mount Diablo State Park remains closed to vehicular access, but that doesn't mean you can't get in... you'll just have to walk a little bit. During the Covid-19 lockdown, I've spent a good amount of time exploring the ways to enter Mount Diablo State Park on foot. Just in time for it to get REALLY HOT out there, here is a list of the points I have used to gain access. Once inside the park, you have the ideal situation for social distancing, because barely anyone is there! I would almost say these "seven gates" lead to seven different worlds, because Mount Diablo has so many mirco-climates and micro-regions! Try a few different ones! There are other ways to enter Mount Diablo on foot, but many are within the private gated communities which surround the park on most of the West and South sides. These are the seven entrances that I have personally used.
On New Years Day, before the dreaded plague of Covid-19 was known, I used this entrance because it was closest way to get to Mount Olympia, a sub peak on the north side of the park. There is a small turnout on the south side of Marsh Creek Road, with with room for a few cars. It is about 2.3 miles from the intersection with Clayton Road if you're heading east, and before the Three Springs Staging Area. From this turnout you go through a gate and enter the park on Sharkey Road. From here you can reach many destinations on the north side of the park, or go all the way up to the top if you're feeling so inclined. I reached Mount Olympia that day, and continued on to the North and South summits later, which you can read about in the trip report HERE.
The Regency and Rialto Gates to Mount Diablo have been known since antiquity to cheapskates who want to avoid paying the entrance fee at the Mitchell Canyon entrance. The residents of the neighborhood, naturally got fed up with this, so beware, there is a two hour parking restriction for non residents on weekends. If you park here, respect the neighbors, don't litter, don't be an asshole. From this entrance, you have easy access to such locations on the north side as Donner Creek, Wild Oat Canyon and Eagle Peak. After the pandemic had begun, I used the Rialto Drive gate as entry point to go see the waterfalls of Wild Oat Canyon, which you can read about HERE.
•REGENCY GATE LOCATION
•RIALTO GATE LOCATION
This one was one of the most inventive and challenging approaches to the park. For those looking for a bit of effort and adventure. You begin at the Blackhawk Soccer Field, on Blackhawk Road. It has a parking lot, but it's gated and closed (due to Covid-19 or always, I don't know). The roads along these exclusive country club communities in that area are uniformly "NO PARKING ANY TIME," and you can't park in the neighborhoods, because they're gated and private. So what to do? Park at Blackhawk Plaza shopping center, and from there, walk or bike (or take an Uber! Whatever!) two miles gently uphill to the soccer field. From there, an old ranch track called Black Sage Road winds it's way up the hill behind the field. This takes you north to the Mount Diablo State Park boundary, goes over a hill, and dumps you at a dirt cul-de-sac at the base of Fossil Ridge. From there, you must scramble up a very brushy hillside which has kind of a trail in it, if you can find it. In a few minutes, you burst from the shrubbery onto South Gate Road, right by the South Gate Main Entrance to the park. From here, you are free to explore one of the most interesting areas of Mount Diablo. Read how I used this entrance to reach Rock City HERE.
•SOCCER FIELD LOCATION
•BLACKHAWK PLAZA LOCATION
4. HOWE HOMESTEAD: ACCESS FROM WALNUT CREEKThis is by far the most preposterous of all my methods of walking into mount Diablo, with about a 4.5 mile walk from Howe Homestead Park in Walnut Creek to the Mount Diablo State Park boundary. It's a quality walk, let me assure you. You are entirely in parkland the whole way, and pass through four other parks before Diablo. The reason that Howe Homestead Park was even on my radar as an approach to Mount Diablo is because it is 1.5 miles from Walnut Creek BART station. I was formulating a carless hike in which I would take BART to Walnut Creek, bike to Howe Homestead, and walk into Diablo from there. You could still use BART for this hike if you want. But there is a free parking lot at Howe which is open from sunrise to sunset. Read about how I used this trailhead to do an epic hike that took me almost 18 miles through the parklands HERE.
•HOWE HOMESTEAD PARK LOCATION
During normal times, access to Rock City via Wall Point Road, on Mount Diablo State Park's southwestern edge is easily achieved through the Macedo Ranch Staging Area. But because all vehicular access to Mount Diablo is closed during the Covid-19 pandemic, this is not an option. An alternative? Enter through the Green Valley Trail, an inconceivable right of way that was somehow carved out of the exclusive residential neighborhoods that surround it. As far as I can tell, outsiders are not permitted to park in the upscale enclave near the trailhead. The closest unregulated parking that I could find is on Stone Valley Road, by Monte Vista High School. You then have about a half mile to the trailhead, which you can walk or bike (or take a Lyft! Whatever!). Check out this report about a loop I made from Green Valley, up to Rock City, and back out of the park via Wall Point Road and Emmons Canyon HERE.
•TRAILHEAD LOCATION
•PARKING LOCATION
6. FINLEY ROAD: SOUTHEAST ACCESS
Finley Road, at the north end of Tassajara, can be used as a back door to Mount Diablo State Park or Morgan Territory Regional Preserve. Finley Road ends at a gate, at a private property line, so you have to park about a half mile down the road on a dirt shoulder and walk back to it. Once beyond the gate you can continue on "Old" Finley Road towards Morgan Territory, or hang a left on the Oyster Point Trail, which will lead you into the Black Hills region of Mount Diablo SP. While far from the summit, this secluded corner of the park has charms of it's own: myriad rock outcroppings, oak shaded ravines, and even an inexplicable pine forest! Read the report HERE.
•TRAILHEAD LOCATION
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