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Wildflower Mount Diablo Sticky Cinquefoil Scientific Name: Drymocallis glandulosa var. wrangelliana Family: Rosaceae (Rose Family) Blooms: Apr - May Color: Yellow-Orange Perennial herb Native Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants Kevin Hintsa

Biking Mount Diablo Mount Diablo State Park is an excellent place to mountain bike. This guide is designed to help off-road cyclists enjoy the park safely without damaging its sensitive environment. Mountain bicyclists share the backcountry with hikers and horseback riders. It's important to be considerate of other recreational users. The following information is taken from the State Park biking guide dated January 1997, with modifications. 3 cups Blueberries 3 cups Flour 1½ cups Butter Mount Diablo State Park is an excellent place to mountain bike. This guide is designed to help off-road cyclists enjoy the park safely without damaging its sensitive environment. Mountain bicyclists share the backcountry with hikers and horseback riders. It's important to be considerate of other recreational users. The following information is taken from the State Park biking guide dated January 1997, with modifications. Where Can I Ride? Most single-track trails are closed to mountain bikes. Mountain bikes may be ridden on paved roads, maintained fire roads, and authorized trails. The authorized trails currently open to bicycles are Mother's Trail, Summit Trail from Southgate Road to Rock City, North Peak Trail from Devil's Elbow to Prospectors Gap, Oyster Point Trail, Buckeye Trail, and Diablo Ranch Trail. Cross-country riding is not permitted. Cyclists should see park staff for other rules and regulations concerning trail use. Always wear a helmet and carry water. Hypothermia can occur on cold days while riding down the mountain. Always carry extra clothing. Dress in layers. Gloves and hoods are recommended. Follow all posted speed limits. Keep speed on downhill descents to under 15 mph, or slower if conditions warrant. Excessive downhill speed can be disastrous. When riding uphill, please stay single file and as far to the right as possible. Suggested Rides Juniper to Devils Elbow on Summit Road [paved], down North Peak Trail to Prospectors Gap, fire roads Prospectors Gap, Meridian Ridge, Deer Flat back to Juniper. About six miles. Strenuous. North Peak Trail descent requires technical skills. Rock City to Pine Canyon via Wall Point Fire Road, up Pine Canyon to Barbecue Terrace Group Camp, short distance on Summit Road to Summit Trail, back down to Rock City. About seven miles. Tough climb out of Pine Canyon to Barbecue Terrace. Curry Point to Balanced Rock via Knobcone Point Fire Road. About four miles round trip. Moderate climbs. 1. 2. 3. Some Applicable Park Regulations The park is open to the public from 8:00 am to sunset. Bicycling within the park after sunset is prohibited. The possession/consumption of alcoholic beverage is prohibited. All features within the park are protected. Do not remove or disturb plants, animals, or geological features. Park closures occur during periods of very high and extreme fire danger. The closures apply to bicyclists. Helmets are required for juveniles. All riders are encouraged to use helmets. Helmets save lives and prevent serious injuries. Courtesy Always yield to hikers and horseback riders. Pass with care. Let others know of your presence. Use a handlebar chime or an audible greeting. When approaching a horseback rider, ask the rider for instructions. It may be necessary to dismount. Avoid the backcountry when muddy conditions are prevalent. Control your speed. Close cattle gates. Do not frighten cows. Do not litter. Wrappers, banana peels, and blown tubes don't belong in the backcountry. Check the rules that apply to open space areas that border Mount Diablo State Park. Respect private property. Consult the Trail Map for accurate boundaries. Supplies To Bring Along Helmet and protective clothing Drinking water Snack Tire pump Spare tube, patch kit, tools Mount Diablo State Park Trail Map Where Can I Pick Up a Trail Map? The Mount Diablo State Park Trail Map , a publication of the Mount Diablo Interpretive Association, can be purchased at park entrance stations (North Gate and South Gate), the Summit Visitor Center, and Mitchell Canyon Visitor Center. It can also be purchased through the Online Store . Park Information Address: Mount Diablo State Park 96 Mitchell Canyon Road Clayton, California 94517 Phone: 925-837-2525 Other Links Clubs: Valley Spokesmen Information: East Bay Bicycle Coalition

Common Birds A-Z Acorn Woodpecker Melanerpes formicivorus Allen's Hummingbird Selasphorus sasin American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos American Goldfinch Spinus tristis American Kestrel Falco sparverius American Pipit Anthus rubescens American Robin Turdus migratorius Anna's Hummingbird Calypte anna Ash-throated Flycatcher Myiarchus cinerascens Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica Bewick's Wren Thryomanes bewickii Black Phoebe Sayornis nigricans Black-headed Grosbeak Pheucticus melanocephalus Bullok's Oriole Icterus bullockii Bushtit Psaltriparus minimus California Quail Callipepla californica California Thrasher Toxostoma redivivum California Towhee Melozone crissalis Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota Common Raven Corvus corax Cooper's Hawk Accipiter copperii Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis European Starling Sturnus vulgaris Fox Sparrow Passerella iliaca Golden-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia atricapilla Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus Hairy Woodpecker Dryobates villosus Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus House Finch Haemorhous mexicanus House Wren Troglodytes aedon Hutton's Vireo Vireo huttoni Killdeer Charadrius vociferus Lark Sparrow Chondestes grammacus Lazuli Bunting Passerina amoena Lesser Goldfinch Spinus psaltria Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus Nuttall's Woodpecker Dryobates nuttallii Oak Titmouse Baeolophus inornatus Orange-crowned Warbler Leiothlypis celata Pacific-slope Flycatcher Empidonax difficilis Purple Finch Haemorhous purpureus Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus Rock Pigeon Columba livia Ruby-crowned Kinglet Corthylio calendula Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis Spotted Towhee Pipilo maculatus Townsend's Warbler Setophaga townsendi Turkey Vulture Carthartes aura Violet-green Swallow Tachycineta thalassina Warbling Vireo Vireo gilvus Western Bluebird Sialia mexicana Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta Western Screech-Owl Megascops kennicottii Western Tanager Piranga ludoviciana Western Wood-Pewee Contopus sordidulus White-breasted Nuthatch Sitta carolinensis White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys White-throated Swift Aeronautes saxatalis Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo Wilson's Warbler Cardellina pusilla Wrentit Chamaea fasciata Yellow-rumped Warbler Setophaga coronata

Tarantulas: The Gentle Giants of Mount Diablo by Michael Marchiano October 1, 1998 Michael Marchiano Each year in late summer, male tarantulas born between four and seven years ago find a secluded place and lay down a sheet of silk webbing. Resting on top of the silk, they split their outer skin covering the thorax and, over several hours, slowly extract their legs and slough off their old skin. This is their final molting. This new adult male tarantula is an exact replica of the prior one except he now possesses “nuptial” hooks on his fore legs to use in mating over the next couple of months. From mid August to late October, the East Bay area male tarantulas (Aphonopelma iodius ) will be on the prowl. Their counterparts, the females, will be staying at home in burrows where they have lived for as long as twenty-five years. The females also reach maturity after between four and seven years, and it is unknown whether they mate every year. In fall, those that wish to mate will clean out the entrances to their burrows and cover them with a thin silk cover. The amorous males, who may wander as much as a mile while searching for a female's burrow, are probably attracted by some form of pheromone. When located, the males tap out a message on the silk explaining their mating intentions, assuring the female they are not a threat nor should she consider them a meal. As the female comes out of the burrow, the male will back up and allow her to approach, touching legs. The male then cautiously bends the female backwards using the hooks on his front legs to hold onto her fangs while mating. Mating may last from thirty seconds to three minutes and before the male releases the female, wandering off while she returns to her burrow. For the next two months, the male will continue looking for other females to mate with, growing weaker and finally dying as winter approaches. The female will overwinter in her burrow, occasionally coming out at night to capture a meal. In late winter to early spring, the female will weave a silk pillowcase in which she will lay 100 to 150 tiny eggs. She will care for the eggs for approximately 30 days, at which time she tears a small slit in the egg case and the tiny white pinhead-sized spiderlings hatch out. Within a few days, the spiderlings will molt, shedding their exoskeleton for the first time. They disperse immediately since they are susceptible to many predators, including each other. Over the next four to seven years, the survivors living in their separate burrows will molt and grow, feeding at night and hiding during the day. North American tarantulas have a very mild venom that can easily paralyze a small arthropod but it is totally harmless to humans. They do possess tiny barbed hairs on their abdomen that can be sluffed off into an attacker’s face, causing itching and watery eyes. Hollywood and the media have made tarantulas seem monstrous, so to many people these slow-moving spiders appear ominous and threatening. Nothing is farther from the truth; they are truly one of the gentle giants of the animal world. BACK TO LIST

Mournful Duskywing Erynnis tristis Hesperiidae Skippers Flies January to October Host Plant Oak Nectar Plant Daniel Fitzgerald Male Michael Marchiano Male Daniel Fitzgerald Underwing

Ashmeadiella Ashmeadiella Megachilidae Ashmeadiella Describe your image Describe your image Describe your image Describe your image Describe your image Describe your image Description Burly, non-metallic bee with a black head and thorax, and pale stripes on abdomen. Some Ashmeadiella have red abdomens. It has a smooth anterior surface of the thorax separated from the thoracic sides by a sharp ridge, and the back part is hairy and pitted. Small bees – 6 mm in length. Ashmeadiella have an arolium pad between leg tarsal claws (unlike Megachile ). Nectar/ Pollen Plants Many Ashmeadiella are generalist bees, but a few species are associated with specific plants. Habits These bees nest in wood, soil, stems, or spaces under rocks. Some use leaves and petals, bound with nectar, resin, sap, or gum, in nests to separate cells. Season Summer

Redwood Forest Excerpted from MDIA's book Plants of the East Bay Parks by Glenn Keator, Ph. D. Plant Communities of Mount Diablo State Park January 1, 1999 Redwood National Forest, Humboldt County Redwood forests are represented in our area by isolated fragments found in the deepest, most protected canyon bottoms with reach of summer fogs. Although historically we know that other stands of redwoods once clothed coast-facing slopes in Oakland and Berkeley hills, redwood forest was never a major plant community in this part of California. Redwoods are remarkable trees that extend back in time to the beginnings of the cone-bearing trees called conifers. Once, great forests of various kinds of redwoods covered large tracts in North America, Europe, and Asia. Now they exist only in protected pockets as relics from a time when the climate was more uniformly wet and had moderate year-round temperatures. The present distribution of coast redwood -- canyon bottoms and slopes in the fog belt of coastal central and northern California -- reminds us of how these trees are prevented from growing elsewhere. To the north, winters become too cold; to the south, summers are too hot and winters have too little rain; to the west, heavy salt-laden winds thwart growth next to the ocean; and to the east, summers lack fog and are too hot. Redwoods are also restricted from climbing higher than two- to three- thousand feet, owing to cold winter temperatures. Redwoods -- if allowed to grow unhindered for hundreds of years -- exclude other trees by their tall, needle-covered branches that effectively shade out everything else. Where virgin redwood forest grows unimpeded, few smaller trees or shrubs live happily under the deep shade that their branches create. Yet redwood forest habitat is full of berry-producing shrubs. These favor forest edges and streamsides, especially in second-growth forests, where immature trees have not completed their overshadowing canopies. In the deep shade of mature redwood forests live several smaller, herbaceous plants, such as various ferns, and sword fern (Polystichum munitum ) in particular. Also in this shade are redwood sorrel (a ground-cover-forming oxalis); various violets; inside-out flower; various members of the lily family (such as trillium; false Solomon's seal, fetid adder's tongue and bead lily); wild ginger; and several saxifrages (sugar scoops, fringe-cups, piggyback plant). All must do with short, periodic bursts of sunlight, and all take advantage of their locales by vegetative means of increasing their territory. Many of these forest denizens are limited in abundance in areas with minimal winter rainfall or only periodic summer fogs; to see the redwood forest understory at its best, journey to Humboldt and Del Norte counties in the northwestern extreme of our state. Two fascinating aspects of redwood forest plants include the abundance of fleshy-fruited, berry-producing shrubs along streams, where birds depend on them for food and so help in their dispersal; and the many ant-dispersed seeds in the shade of mature redwoods. Ant-dispersed seeds have easily-seen white elaisomes (oil bodies) appended to the main seed body. Ants are attracted by them, carry the seeds away, eat the elaiosomes, and discard the main seed with its embryo. Unrelated plants -- trillium, fetid adder's tongue, western bleeding heart, smooth yellow violet and inside-out-flower -- have hit upon this strategy as the best bet for moving their seeds. Because deep shade creates cool, moist conditions most of the year, redwood-forest-floor plants have broad, water-wasteful leaves with maximum surface area t trap as much of the sun's light energy as possible. Trail plant (Adenocaulon bicolor ), western coltsfoot (Petasites palmatus ), and redwood sorrel all show thin, broad leaves that wilt easily in strong summer sun, yet that manage to remain turgid and healthy in the refreshing shade of forest aisles. Many plants here even have highly divided, fernlike leaves for efficient trapping of light energy; western bleeding heart, inside-out-flower, and baneberry are examples. Despite the fact that redwoods create a very special niche for low-growing herbaceous plants -- cool, moist, acid soils -- these plants are seldom exclusive to redwood forests. Many other coastal forests provide the same cool, moist conditions. So although closed-cone ping and Douglas fir forests, for example, are missing from our area, they are home to the same array of plants. Fire and flooding have helped to maintain redwood forests where otherwise redwoods might be outcompeted by other kinds of trees. Redwood bark resists burning, since it lacks pitch and sap; mature trees also recover their fire wounds efficiently. Flooding may uproot old redwoods, but seeds are adapted to germinate in litter-free, sun drenched soils such as those left behind after floods. And trees not uprooted by floods may send roots upward toward the surface or build a whole new set of roots near the surface even when the trunk and roots have been deeply buried under silt. Redwoods are also efficient at replacing themselves when they're burned to the ground or, in the case of human intervention, at growing after being felled by logging. Dormant buds at the base of each tree are the secret; the grow into stump sprouts every year but are inhibited from growing more than a few feet tall by hormones produced by the top crown of the parent trunk. Once that source of hormones has been eliminated, the stump sprouts are free to grow, and grow they do. Circles of these sprouts become rings of mature trees in relatively short time. This ability to regrow is what has saved many now-protected redwood forests that have been logged one or more times. Download Common Ferns of Mitchell Canyon (pdf) Prairie Creek Redwoods Ferns of Mitchell Canyon BACK TO LIST

Weird and Wonderful: Button's Banana Slug by Dan Sandri June 1, 2024 Dan Sandri Did you know, as you hike or bike Mount Diablo in the rainy season, you may encounter a truly strange and imperiled mollusk underfoot? They are not at all common, but we recently found one on our monthly MDIA BioBlitz hike on Mitchell Canyon Road. The Button’s Banana Slug (Ariolimax buttoni), the banana slug found on and around Mount Diablo, has a status of Globally Imperiled, meaning it is at high risk of extinction or collapse due to restricted range, few populations or occurrences, steep declines, severe threats, or other factors. The Button’s Banana Slug is a fascinating creature! The species has a yellowish-tan hue and can be either spotted or unspotted. It is a detritivore that eats dead organic matter, but also eat plants (they are herbivores), as well as animal feces and mushrooms. Its mouth is on the bottom of its head with a tongue called a radula that is covered in microscopic teeth to help break down food. Get this: the slug excretes waste through the anus located on the side of its head! Banana slugs are simultaneous hermaphrodites—meaning it has male and female sexual organs at the same time. However, sexually mature individuals can have no male reproductive organs, reduced male reproductive organs, or normal male reproductive organs. Those with normal male reproductive organs can mate either as a male or a female, or can perform both roles at the same time if mating as a pair. Or it can self-fertilize. Speaking of truly strange: during reproduction, Ariolimax buttoni may engage in apophallation (no details here - you can look that word up if you like strange and can stomach it!). When looking for food or a mate, Ariolimax buttoni moves via a foot on its underside that contracts and relaxes. It can glide over surfaces by producing a slime layer that aids in combating friction. The slime it produces deters predators because it is toxic and causes numbing to the mouth of organisms that attempt to ingest it. So, next time you see a Button’s Banana Slug, you will be looking at a rare, exceptional slug! -Dan Sandri BACK TO LIST

Wildflower Mount Diablo OsoBerry Scientific Name: Oemleria cerasiformis Family: Rosaceae (Rose Family) Blooms: Feb - Mar Color: White Shrub Native Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants Joyce Chin

Walks and hikes offer one spectacular view after another throughout Mount Diablo State Park. Here you will find wonderful treks to choose from, many of them splendidly described by Frank Valle-Riestra. You can also check out our full list of hikes at Find Your Hike . The Trail Map Mount Diablo State Park and the Hiker's Guide to Mount Diablo State Park are available at the MDIA Online Store as well as other interesting publications and items related to Mount Diablo. The trail map is also available at either the North Gate or South Gate Entrance Stations, the Summit Visitor Center and the Mitchell Canyon Visitor Center. Also, be sure you know how to read trail signs on Mount Diablo . 3 cups Blueberries 3 cups Flour 1½ cups Butter Walks and hikes offer one spectacular view after another throughout Mount Diablo State Park. Here you will find wonderful treks to choose from, many of them splendidly described by Frank Valle-Riestra. You can also check out our full list of hikes at Find Your Hike . The Trail Map Mount Diablo State Park and the Hiker's Guide to Mount Diablo State Park are available at the MDIA Online Store as well as other interesting publications and items related to Mount Diablo. The trail map is also available at either the North Gate or South Gate Entrance Stations, the Summit Visitor Center and the Mitchell Canyon Visitor Center. Also, be sure you know how to read trail signs on Mount Diablo . Mount Diablo from from Oak Hills Trail | Bill Karieva Hiking Mount Diablo Notable Hikes Eight Popular Hikes Ten Short, Pleasant Walks by Frank Valle-Riestra Easy, but very rewarding walks. Ten Moderate Hikes by Frank Valle-Riestra Some of the mountain's most attractive environments. Ten Demanding Hikes by Frank Valle-Riestra An introduction to the hidden beauty spots on the mountain. Mitchell Canyon Hikes Falls Trail Loop Eagle Peak - Back Creek Loop Summit via Back Creek & Mitchell Canyon Hikers | Mike Woodring Evening Hike Evening Hike by Michael Marchiano Frank's Favorite Hikes Amphitheater Hike Camel Rock Trail China Wall Hike Mary Bowerman Hike Springtime on the North Peak Trail Secret Trail Black Point Trail Bob's Pond Hike Globe Lily Trail Three Interpretive Trails Mary Bowerman Interpretive Trail Mitchell Canyon Interpretive Trail Hiking | Mike Woodring Trail Through Time a 190 million-year geologic journey Archived Hike Articles Focus On - Hiking on Mount Diablo I Hiked Them All - by Steve Smith More Information Visit the Events listing for the schedule of upcoming hikes and nature walks. The Trail Map of Mount Diablo State Park and the Hiker's Guide to Mount Diablo State Park are available at the MDIA Online Store, as are other interesting publications and items related to Mount Diablo. The trail map is also available at either the North Gate or South Gate Entrance Stations, the Summit Visitor Center, and the Mitchell Canyon Visitor Center. How to Read Trail Signs on Mount Diablo Mountain News , Summer 1999 Learn about the history of many place names and trail names by visiting: 50 Uncommon Place Names of Mount Diablo, reprinted from Mount Diablo Review , Spring 2004. To assist in the development and maintenance of hiking trails, individuals can join the Mount Diablo Volunteer Trail Crew program .

Most Excellent Spring Hike by Steve Smith Camels, Sunsets, and Buckeyes March 28, 2025 Steve Smith It is wildflower season on Mount Diablo and the hike of the month will explore some of our best single-track trails with some explosions of color. This hike can be modified to begin from just about any trail entrance, this version begins from North Gate Road where Burma Road crosses over, there are a dozen or so parking spaces in this area. You can just as easily begin from Castle Rock Park in Walnut Creek or Macedo Ranch in Alamo. The hike here is 5.7 miles and 1,000 feet of climbing...but you should allow lots of time to enjoy the beauty along these trails. Of course a nice sunny day is best for maximum color impact. Don't wait too long though, as the non-native grasses grow taller and taller, the poppies and other low-growing flowers tend to get swallowed up. North Gate Road is well-known for Mount Diablo's version of a superbloom, and right now the Poppies and Lupine are abundant and spectacular. Park where Burma Road crosses North Gate and head uphill on Burma, making your first left on Camel Rock Trail. You are going to explore this trail for 1.6 miles and will find many lovely flowers as well as several mini-waterfalls and fabulous rock outcrops along the way. Arroyo Lupines line the hillsides but you'll also find Fremont Star Lily, Blue Dicks, Blue Witch, and of course fields of Poppies. At trail's end you will cross back over North Gate and down Little Pine Creek trail. Make your first right and begin your climb up Falcon Road. This area is beginning to pop with color, take note of the varying colors of green as the Oak trees and Buckeyes continue to leaf out. You may be greeted with some pops of yellow Mule Ears along the way. Keep your eye out as you get closer to the top for the Wood Spirit guarding the trail. Turn right on Sunset Trail ensuring you learn a little about our Peregrine Falcons at the interpretive panel...Castle Rock is off limits this time of year for nesting. Sunset Trail is a lovely winding path down the hillside with lots of "smalls", flowers less than the size of a dime. However, keep an eye out for our iconic and endemic Mount Diablo Globe Lily...they are just starting to pop up throughout the park and along here in early April. Once you reach trail's end, hang a left on Stage Road. This is the original stagecoach route which once brought visitors from the train station in Martinez up to the Mountain House Hotel in the late 19th century. Beware this time of year as you will be crossing Pine Creek half a dozen times or more as you soak up the sounds (and perhaps the water) of a babbling brook and the lush riparian corridor. You will be traveling this relatively flat trail for about a mile before you veer to the left as Stage Road begins to climb back up the hill. Look out for carpets of Fiddlenecks and Blue Dicks before making a left on Buckeye Trail. Here you are treated to lush grasses and some small waterfalls...keep your eye out on the right for our showiest of flowers, Mule Ears. As you begin to glimpse the hills beyond you should start seeing hillsides of Poppies, particularly the area above and below the North Gate Road washout. Arroyo Lupine are abundant as well in addition to Mustard and Wild Radish. Continue on this lovely trail for a total of 1.2 miles until you reach Burma Road again, a quick right will bring you back to your car. C heck out our Wildflower Bloom Report and take it along with you to see how many you can find along the way! Wood Spirit Fiddleneck Mule Ears Arroyo Lupine Camels-Buckeyes BACK TO LIST

Wildflower Mount Diablo Hopbush, Western Hoptree Scientific Name: Ptelea crenulata Family: Rutaceae Blooms: Mar - May Color: White Tree or shrub Native, endemic to California Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants Kevin Hintsa