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Distance: 6.3 miles

Elevation gain: 1,794 feet

Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous

Hiking time: Three to six hours

Trail surface: Unpaved trails, fire roads, paved

Best season: Winter or spring

Hours: 8 AM to sunset

Managing agency: California State Parks

Trailhead location: Juniper Campground parking lot

If recent storms have you feeling cabin fever, but you don’t want to walk around on some muddy trail, the higher parts of Mount Diablo State Park may be a haven.

Thank its well-draining geology above the foothills, which lack much of that clay and dirt, and instead feature more rocky soil that shouldn’t cling like cake batter to your boots.

If you’re also looking for a good workout with even better views, the “Grand Loop,” at 6.2 miles, might be the winter hike you’ve been seeking.

On clear winter days, you can see some amazing 360-degree scenery.

This route starts at the parking lot for the popular Juniper Campground near the Mount Diablo Summit. Getting there will be a short journey toward the top no matter the entrance.

Once you’ve arrived, head northwest to begin on the route past the Juniper Campground down to Deer Flat along the road that bears its name.

This section is a good way downhill and features switchbacks surrounded by dense chaparral, woodland, and the plethora of critters living there.

In the springtime, you might see lots of beautiful wildflowers.

Stay to the right and Deer Flat Road will turn into Meridian Ridge Road, and as you continue onward, you’ll see Bald Ridge opening up above and to your right.

The marker for the Bald Ridge Trail can be difficult to spot, but as you crest the hill and a view opens to your north, you’ll head up the single-track trail to the right.

The route through here can be difficult to follow in some areas, so be well-prepared with GPS, maps, or both for this entirely uphill section.

Once you’ve reached Prospector’s Gap, you’ll be faced with a number of roads to venture on, but you’ll instead bear right onto the North Peak Trail toward the lower parts of Devil’s Pulpit below the summit.

Just before you hit the Devil’s Elbow, it’s best to continue towards the summit on the Summit Trail before dropping back down to the lower summit parking lot.

From there you’ll head west until you get to the Juniper Trail, which will take you all the way back to the Juniper parking lot.

For more information, check out Audible Mount Diablo’s trail guide to the Grand Loop.

We hope you enjoy this hike! Please check out our new sixth edition of our regional trail map to find more great places to hike close to home.