Many visitors to Mount Diablo head straight for the Summit to enjoy the famous view. As mountains go, Mount Diablo isn't particularly tall - only 3,849 feet. However, it is surrounded by low, rolling hills and broad, flat valleys, so the view from the Summit is remarkable. When conditions are best, you can see almost 200 miles. Summer days are sometimes hazy, and the best viewing is often on the day after a winter storm. Then, you can look to the west, beyond the Golden Gate Bridge, to the Farallon Islands; southeast to the James Lick Observatory on Mount Hamilton at 4,213 feet elevation; south to Mount Loma Prieta in the Santa Cruz Mountains at 3,791 feet elevation, north to Mount Saint Helena in the Coast Range at 4,344 feet elevation, and still farther north to Lassen Peak in the Cascades at 10,466 feet. North and east of Mount Diablo the San Joaquin and Sacramento Rivers meet to form the twisting waterways of the Delta. To the east beyond California's great central valley, the crest of the Sierra Nevada seems to float in space. All in all, you can see over 8,539 square miles and parts of 40 of California's 58 counties from the Summit of Mount Diablo!
TO LOG THIS VIRTUAL:
You will need to visit the observation deck of the Summit Visitor Center and take a picture, which you can send to me or post with your log. The picture MUST include yourself, or something with your geocaching handle written on it. Include whatever vista most captured your fancy on your visit! If you're socked in by clouds, use the navigation beacon tower as your backdrop.
PLAN YOUR VISIT! Access times are limited and seasonal road closures, while rare, can occur. Consult the official state park website for current information: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=517
References:
California Department of Parks and Recreation's official site: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=517
Wikipedia (can't have a reference section without citing Wikipedia!): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Diablo
Virtual Rewards 4.0 - 2024-2025
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between January 17, 2024 and January 17, 2025. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 4.0 on the Geocaching Blog.