Diablo Foothills

This was our first hike for the 2010 Trail Challenge.  We need to try 5 trails from the list of 30 featured trails or do 26.2 miles.  I imagine we'll do both since we are going for a hike 2-3 times a month.

Having never been to Diablo Foothills, we got lost. Apparently there is a Walnut Blvd and a Walnut Ave exit from Ygnacio Valley Road.  Who knew?  I do...now.  That mistake wont happen again. 

We got a late start to the day and it was nearly an hour away.  We didnt arrive until about noon and it was already about 80 degrees.  This place will probably be too hot to hike in the summer.  We may have to make this a fall/winter hiking spot.  We had a nice breeze, but you had to be in just the right spots to feel it.  I imagine this place will tend to be stuffy in the middle of summer.

The terrain is nice.  Lots of meadows and oak clusters with some rocky areas.  There is a very small stream that runs through the park.  It'll probably be gone in the height of summer. We were on the lower part of the Castle Rock and Stage Road trails.  There was minimal elevation changes. They were both fire roads, so they were nice and wide and relatively flat.  We shared the road with a number of horses and bike riders as well as hikers. There is no water or bathrooms along the trails, but there is a recreational area next to the Castle Rock trail that has plenty of full service bathrooms and water fountains.

Brad's allergies were really bad here.  Not sure if it was because he had skipped a few days of his allergy meds or if there is something there he's really allergic to.  We'd like to try this park again, and make our way into Mt. Diablo State Park and up to see Castle Rock.