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California hasn’t opened a new state park since 2009. A confluence of budget deficits, political choices and failed ballot measures is to blame. But with a state budget surplus and a new governor, parks advocates are hoping for a turnaround. Read more.

Check out this new article in the East Bay Times, featuring Save Mount Diablo’s Four Days Diablo group camping trip this past April. | Montclarions Steve and Carolyn Balling have hiked all over the world. So has Oakland’s Shirley Langlois. But there’s a place in their own backyard that keeps calling them back — Mount Diablo. “A lot of people think of it in a spiritual way,” says Steve Balling, but hikers know it as a spectacular playground that dominates the Bay Area landscape.” For Steve, Carolyn and Shirley, Mount Diablo is more than just a prominent part of the landscape. They’ve found world-class hiking in one of the most diverse ecosystems in California. “Our philosophy is ‘You can’t protect something you don’t love,’ ” says Steve. “People need to learn to love Mount Diablo … learn to love the outdoors.”

Preserving the Environment While Hiking By Molly C., Contributing Author Photograph by Al Johnson   Hiking is one of the best ways to enjoy the outdoors and enjoy nature. While…

I grew up in Marin County thinking Mount Tamalpais was the greatest mountain ever. When I moved to Contra Costa County in the early 1990’s, Mt. Tam was still the…

The first time I saw Mount Diablo I was a student at Berkeley, helping deliver furniture to a home in Lafayette. It was 1970. As we traveled Highway 24 and…