Diablo Foothills Regional Park — Attraction in Alamo

I entered the park from the Livorna Staging Area (which I had to myself!) January 30th, 2016. The trail starts off nice and flat alongside a gated neighborhood, then forks through a small boggy area. If you fork right you end up in the neighborhood on Serafix Rd. Its a short distance, so when you realize you're going the wrong way you can come right back to the trail and fork left to continue! Once I started uphill it became a little muddier with a small washout area down the center of the trail, but a good pair of hiking shoes aided in the climb.

Unfortunately, I didn't realize how much of a challenge it would be to get back down the now steep, muddy hill. I made it up to the cattle gate, where the land seems to level off and dry out but could not find stable enough footing to open the gate and walk through.

I absolutely want to come back here and finish the hike I barely started, but strongly advise waiting until the ground is more firm...

Spring rains carpet the rolling foothills of Northern California's Diablo Range in emerald green this time of year. Just past the sprawling suburbs of the East Bay region, the Diablo foothills become a sylvan playground for horseback riding, hiking, bicycling, and simply escaping into nature. Grasslands and oak savannahs cover the low ridges that gradually rise into the higher peaks of the range, and at the crests of the foothills, a visitor is granted panoramic views of the ridgeline to the east. Aside from the green grasses, springtime brings a profusion of wildflowers to the area, including poppies, daffodils, and lupine. It's also a nesting season for the many birds of the region, like the peregrine falcons that build nests high in the vertical rock formations here known as...

Diablo Foothills is a part of a larger network of trails and parks all of which lead to and from Mt. Diablo SP. As is usually the case with many of these areas in and around MDSP, the trails are usually best in the spring time. The type of clay-based dirt is no fun to hike in the winter months, and the lack of shade and intense East Bay heat make summer hikes less fun. But in spring, these trails are absolutely gorgeous! One can easily tailor a hike to a set distance or time, as there are so many options to extend or shorten a hike. The sweeping views of Mt. Diablo and interesting geology make this area extra special. You can't go wrong with many of the trails in this, and other nearby parks, provided the weather is nice and...