*Click on image for full-sized view.

I was quite fortunate to live in California for a year, some time ago. My brother and I settled down in San Francisco’s East Bay, in the triangle of towns known as Concord, Pleasant Hill, and Walnut Creek, located in Contra Costa County. Coming from New York, I was excited about the quieter, slower lifestyle, the friendly people, and the natural beauty all around. One beautiful site was basically in my backyard, this Mt. Diablo State Park.

The centerpiece of the Mount Diablo State Park is the namesake peak, Mt. Diablo. At the highest point, it is 3,864 feet (1,178 m) tall, allowing it to be visible from throughout the entire San Francisco Bay Area, and beyond even. One late summer/early autumn day, my brother and I decided to drive over and check it out.

The views from the top on a clear day (which I was lucky enough to catch) are amazing. You can see far, far into the distance. The drive up is quite fun, too. The tiny roads wind in and out of the mountains, slowly elevating us while teasing us with quick glimpses of the panorama below.

If you’re ever in San Francisco or the Bay Area, please check it out! Here are a couple more:

Check out the California Department of Parks and Recreation’s page on Mt. Diablo HERE for more information.