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Coronis Fritillary Speyeria coronis Nymphalidae Brushfoots Flies May to October Host Plant Violet Nectar Plant Hank Fabian Hank Fabian

Wildflower Mount Diablo Denseflower Rein Orchid Scientific Name: Piperia elongata Family: Orchidaceae Blooms: May-Jul Color: Green Perennial herb Native Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants

Mount Diablo State Park offers an extensive network of trails and fire roads--some are ideal for easy, scenic rides, while others are more challenging, testing both the horse and the rider for endurance and ability to navigate rough terrain. The Mount Diablo Guide , 3rd Edition 3 cups Blueberries 3 cups Flour 1½ cups Butter Mount Diablo State Park offers an extensive network of trails and fire roads--some are ideal for easy, scenic rides, while others are more challenging, testing both the horse and the rider for endurance and ability to navigate rough terrain. The Mount Diablo Guide , 3rd Edition Horseback Riding on Mount Diablo Most state park trails are equipped with unlocked gates allowing access across fence lines. Ask rangers for current information. Note to Equestrians The Mary Bowerman Trail and the Summit Trail above lower summit parking lot. The following trails are closed to horses: Two large staging areas for equestrian use: Mitchell Canyon staging area is located on the north side of the mountain near Clayton, and the Macedo Ranch area is located on the west side of the park in Alamo. Most other trailheads are suitable for unloading horses with the exception of those trailheads with only limited parking along road shoulders. Water Troughs Water troughs can be found throughout the park. However, these are not maintained and may be empty. Be prepared and carry water for you and your animal. Horses have the right-of-way on trails Hikers are expected to step to the side of the trail and avoid sudden movement that might frighten the animals. Horse Camping The park has one approved horse camp, BBQ Terrace. It will hold up to 50 horses and 50 people. Reservations can be made through the regular camping reservation system: ReserveCalifornia Equestrian Links California State Horsemen's Association, region 5

Matching Gift MDIA Request a Matching Gift An easy way to double your contribution is through employee giving programs. Many corporations match employee/retiree donations (or the tax-deductible component of your membership) to our organization. Frequently Asked Questions What are employee matching gift programs? Employee matching gift programs are corporate giving programs in which the company matches donations made by employees to eligible nonprofit organizations. It's an easy way to double your contribution to us! What are volunteer grant programs? Volunteer grant programs are corporate giving programs in which companies provide monetary donations to organizations where employees volunteer regularly. If you volunteer with us, it's an easy way to provide us with additional financial support! How do I request a matc hing gift or volunteer grant? Requesting a matching gift or volunteer grant is normally a five-minute process that must be initiated by the donor/volunteer. You can do this by filling out and submitting a "match form" provided by your employer. What if I still have questions? For questions regarding your company's programs, please contact your employer's HR or community giving department. Much of the necessary information is also available on your company intranet. For questions regarding submitting a matching gift or volunteer grant request to us, please contact us at mcec4me@gmail.com.

Bee Identification Guide Miner and Fairy Bees Andrenidae Family Diggers, Bumbles, Longhorn, and Nomad Bees Apidae Family Cellophane and Masked Bees Colletidae Family Sweat Bees Halictidae Family Leafcutter, Mason and Resin Bees Megachilidae Family All Bees A-Z Photos in this Guide are courtesy of Dan Sandri and Dan Fitzgerald. Bee Basics Bee Anatomy Bees are insects, and therefore have segmented bodies, jointed legs, and external skeletons (i.e. an exoskeleton). A bee body consists of three sections: head, thorax and abdomen. Bees have two pairs of wings and long, segmented antennae - both characteristics help distinguish them from flies that often mimic them. Bee Scopae Female bees usually use scopae to transport pollen and nectar to their nests. Scopae are composed of specialized hairs and, in most bees, are located on the hind legs of the bee. However, bees in Family Megachilidae (see lower photo), have scopae on the underside of their abdomen. Bee Wings As an example, this is the forewing of an Anthophora bee, showing a small stigma, and the 3rd submarginal cell (the submarginal cell furthest outside) is relatively parallel-sided. Bee Sizes Large Bee: > 15 mm Medium Bee: 8-15 mm Small Bee: 3-7 mm What's Buzzing on Mount Diablo Native bees of Mount Diablo do not include the European Honey Bee (Apis mellifera), an import to North America (but not directly to California) from Europe in 1622. The European Honey Bee is actually a complex of hybrids involving various subspecies. Unlike Apis mellifera, native bees do not make honey. Because they are mostly short-lived and generally not highly social, native bees do not need to produce honey to sustain an ongoing hive through the winter and beyond. Bees are said to have a complete, or holometabolous, life cycle that includes four stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult. The larval stage is grub-like, differing greatly from the adult bee. The pupal stage is a non-feeding stage through which the larva transitions to an adult bee. Bees can select sexes of their young: Males develop from unfertilized eggs. Bees typically lay female eggs first (in lower cells in a burrow) and necessarily provide more ample food supplies for daughters than for sons. The great majority of native bees are solitary bees: non-social female bees that build and maintain their own nests, and are capable of laying their own eggs. Some do build communal nests, where female bees share a nest entrance, but where each female behaves as a solitary bee. Less than 10% of bees worldwide are social bees: possessing reproductive division of labor, cooperative care of young and overlap of generations. Food provisioning for young usually consists of a combined nectar/pollen mass, sometimes liquid, that partially fills the nest cell. An egg is laid in the cell with the food contents (sometimes on the cell walls and sometimes on the food provisions). After the larva finishes feeding on provisioned food, it goes through the pupation process, and later emerges as an adult. Clues to the identity of the bee you are observing can sometimes be discerned in what the bee is doing. For example, if you see a bee that appears to be nesting in wood, you can narrow likely identification possibilities to carpenter bee (genus Xylocopa), small carpenter bee (genus Ceratina), one of the bees in genus Megachile in Family Megachilidae (a leafcutter bee) or mason bee that could be in genus Osmia, Hoplitis, or Ashmeadiella. Furthermore, size and color of the bee can help greatly in bee identification, as can head and body shape. The Descriptions in this guide should help you. Nectar serves primarily as a source of energy for flight and other activities, while pollen serves as nutrients for reproduction (ovarian and brood development). Bee species often appear in timing with their favored flowering plants. Native bees serve as keystone species, as they are, in part, responsible for shaping the rise of flowering plants in world ecosystems through pollination. This is important when we consider their importance to agricultural crops. Native bees also serve as an important food source for animals up the food chain. "Bee" an expert and buzz over to our online store to order a copy of Native Bees of Mount Diablo by Daniel Sandri. Visit the MDIA Store

Savannah Sparrow Towhees, Sparrows, Juncos, and Longspurs Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis Winter Towhees, Sparrows, Juncos, and Longspurs Daniel Fitzgerald Found in open areas including grasslands or grassy areas with scattered shrubs. This pale-backed sparrow usually has a white central crown stripe and streaking on the breast that occasionally forms a central stick-pin; compare with Song Sparrow. Note yellowish lores, pinkish legs. Eat insects, spiders, fruits, and small seeds, and mollusks.

An Island in Suburbia by Naturalist Michael Marchiano April 1, 1998 Mount Diablo is an island in the middle of suburbia. It is a diverse habitat of cool wooded canyons with flowing creeks and cataracts in winter, spring, and early summer. It is a wooded oak forest, a grassy savannah, and a wonderment of rocky slopes covered in fascinating chaparral growth of ceanothus, chemise, manzanita, sages, toyon, currants, and silk tassels. It is a treasure of wildflowers in springtime and summer, a paradise for bird watchers, a challenge to hikers, and until recently, a mystery to geologists. I was fortunate to be born and raised in the East Bay, living at the base of the Mountain since my early childhood. My first experience of snow as an eight-year-old was when my mother drove me, my brother, and our neighborhood friends up to Mount Diablo after one of those low elevation snow storms. I experienced cold snow and the worst case of poison oak I have ever had. Yes, you can catch poison oak in freezing weather from the leafless twigs of a poison oak plant. As a Naturalist, I fell in love with Mount Diablo years ago. The various intriguing habitats offer a richness and fantastic diversity of plant and animal life. I am constantly learning new things every time I explore an area of the mountain. I first hiked it as a child and then as a teenager. I lived on the mountain for one year in my early twenties, fulfilling a childhood fantasy of working for Diablo Ranch as a cowboy. As a young adult, I led outings for the Lindsey Museum, 4H groups, schools, and scouts. As a teacher, I had my 8th grade science class do a full semester ecology study of the mountain, including several camping and field trips. Students that I have run into years after I had them in class have told me their greatest memories of junior high were the explorations and camping trips on Mount Diablo. Many can still recount to me the specific animal or plants that they wrote about for their project. When a child or an adult mentions his or her fear of snakes or spiders and then at the end of a presentation or hike volunteers to touch or hold one of these creatures, it validates all of the effort to do these programs. By volunteering with the Mount Diablo Interpretive Association (MDIA), I have been afforded the unbelievable opportunity to share this wonderland with school groups, organizations, and visitors from near and far. In all of these endeavors I have had the opportunity to impart some of my love for the mountain to others. I have been given the chance to show people the wonders and mysteries of the marvelous plant and animal life on Mount Diablo and in the surrounding foothills. Seeing the amazement and wonder in people’s eyes as they learn about the relationship between a local and harmless tarantula and its foe, the tarantula "Hawk", or see a coyote in the wild for the first time, or watch a peregrine falcon flying overhead, is a great reward for me. Saving and protecting Mount Diablo for all the flora and fauna is of paramount importance, but educating the public, especially upcoming generations as to the significance of biodiversity, whether the smallest microbe or an apex predator like a mountain lion, is also crucial. MDIA has become a crucial link between the park and the public. For example, seeing the evidence of badgers on the north/west side of the Mountain for the first time in 40 years is extremely rewarding. It means that efforts to ban poisoning of ground squirrels and other rodents may be having some positive effect. Mount Diablo is home to many rare and endemic plants, as well as several protected and threatened animals. In spring, people can easily see over 75 different wildflowers, 40 different species of birds, and 15 different species of butterflies all within a two-mile walk. Add to that the beautiful oaks, maples, buckeyes, pines, and other lush shrubbery, and you may feel like you are in the Garden of Eden. Because of the enlightened thinking of prior generations and the continued effort of this generation. I am able to walk out of my home in Martinez, enter a public access path maintained by the Contra Costa Water District and East Bay Regional Parks, walk along this trail to Shell Ridge in Walnut Creek or Lime Ridge in Concord, into Foothills Park, following Pine Canyon into Mount Diablo State Park, hike over Curry Point, down the back side of the Mountain into Morgan Territory Park, into Round Valley Park through Los Vaqueros Reservoir property, and over to Brushy Peak on the Alameda County border. Many of the missing pieces of property that have made that trip possible were put in place by Save Mount Diablo. With the continued support of this and our next generations, that quilt of open and protected space will continue to grow for all generations to enjoy. BACK TO LIST

Wildflower Mount Diablo Ithuriel's Spear Scientific Name: Triteleia laxa Family: Themidaceae (Brodiaea Family) Blooms: Apr - May Color: Blue-Purple Perennial herb Native, endemic to California Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants Daniel Fitzgerald Mike Woodring

Echo Azure Celastrina echo Lycaenidae Blues, Coppers, Hairstreaks Flies February to July Host Plant California Buckeye, Chamise, California Lilac Nectar Plant Toyon, Coffeeberry, Mustards (sinapis and brassica) Daniel Fitzgerald Male Michael Marchiano Underwing Daniel Fitzgerald Female

7 Popular Hikes 10 Short, Pleasant Walks 3 cups Blueberries Mount Diablo State Park Ten Short Walks Frank Valle-Riestra Here are some easy but very rewarding walks that you may wish to take while visiting Mt. Diablo State Park. They have been selected for those of you who want to spend an hour or so — certainly no more than two hours — on a trail amidst the mountain's natural treasures, but who do not wish to, or cannot, take advantage of some of the more challenging hikes. All of the walks are relatively level with some minor to moderate climbing. The footing is firm, and the trails can be negotiated in comfortable walking shoes. And you do not need to go all the way in order to enjoy the beautiful environment. If you are limited in time, go as far as you wish and turn back. The Trail Map of Mount Diablo State Park and the new Hikers Guide to Mount Diablo State Park are now available here 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 Centers. Also, be sure you know how to read trail signs on Mount Diablo . Title Scenic Views Wildflowers Riparian Flora Birds History Fauna Butterflies Geology Interest Mary Bowerman X X X X Fossil Ridge X X X X Mitchell Canyon X X X X X Pine Pond X X X X Juniper X X X Deer Flat Road X X Castle Rock X X X X Donner Canyon X X X Mountain House X Sentinel Rock X X Hike Features Mary Bowerman Trail 1 TRAILHEAD: On north side of road by picnic table, just at end of one-way road on its descent from summit, above "lower" summit parking lot. TRAIL STATISTICS: Loop of 0.7 miles, level (follows contour; gentle climb at end). Completely encircles summit of mountain. Easy walk, one half hour without stops. Drinking water and toilets at lower summit parking lot. DESCRIPTION: A must for both the casual visitor and the nature student, this nature trail is best negotiated with the help of the Mary Bowerman Interpretive Brochure available in the Summit Visitor Center or pamphlet box at trailhead. The incomparable views of the California landscape far below are enhanced by the framing foreground of the unusual trailside vegetation, with fine flower displays in spring and early summer. Of primary interest are the various stages of vegetative recovery following the great fire of 1977. Spectacular rock outcrops of ancient Franciscan Complex rocks abound. The trail was built by the California Conservation Corps; the first one third is paved and is wheelchair accessible up to the Ransome Point overlook, a good place to spot distant landmarks from comfortable benches. Mary Bowerman Trail Fossil Ridge Trail 2 TRAILHEAD: Uplands Picnic Area, adjacent to South Gate Road, at junction with small side road to Live Oak Campground. Trail starts as small road, badly paved, climbing hill steeply; there is a simple gate and sign barring public vehicles. TRAIL STATISTICS: 1.2-mile round trip. Short steep climb at beginning. Easy walk. DESCRIPTION: The initial climb opens up imposing vistas of the massive main peak of the mountain, as well as of San Ramon Valley in the opposite direction. The road parallels the crest of Fossil Ridge -- the adventurous may wish to scramble up to the rocky ridge, a sharp hogback (tilted sandstone layer with adjacent layers eroded away) with interesting exposed fossils, and a rock-garden-like appearance. Dramatic view of Black Hawk Ridge strata across Sycamore Canyon from a small path beyond the end of the road. Good bird watching. Fossil Ridge Trail Mitchell Canyon 3 TRAILHEAD: End of Mitchell Canyon Road, north entrance to the park, near the town of Clayton. Park in the staging area (water and toilets) -- parking $6. TRAIL STATISTICS: Level except for slight rise and descent near trailhead. One mile to junction with Red Road, another mile to limit of level part. A well graded fire road. DESCRIPTION: Even a short jaunt into beautiful Mitchell Canyon is rewarding. The banks along the road display a large variety of wildflowers, almost like a museum display, from midwinter to the end of spring. Dramatic outcrops of red rock loom high overhead, and your step will liven up to the gentle watery tune of Mitchell Creek at trailside, well into late spring. The level part of the road is a nature trail, and your enjoyment of the natural features will be enhanced with the Mitchell Canyon I nterpretive Brochure that is also available in the Mitchell Canyon Visitor Center and in a pamphlet box at the trailhead. On sunny days, this is prime butterfly country. Mitchell Canyon Pine Pond 4 TRAILHEAD: Not long after your car starts its climb on North Gate Road, you will note a distant ridge that comes in from the right to meet the winding road. After a particularly sharp curve, the highway rises steeply toward the ridge. Burma Road crossing provides access , just after the 3.0-mile point and just before a brown 1,000-foot elevation sign. Limited parking is available in front of the lower (western) gate, which is the actual trailhead, or at the elevation sign beyond. No facilities. TRAIL STATISTICS: The round trip to the pond is only 1.6 miles, with a 400-ft. drop just before Pine Pond (and, of course, a 400-ft. climb on the way back). Trails up and down Pine Canyon from Pine Pond can be explored as far as one desires. Spend an hour, or spend the day. DESCRIPTION: The graded road crosses an oak savannah, with fine views of the gentle foothills of Mount Diablo -- a good place just to lie in the grass to contemplate the sky. A sharp left at the next junction drops you down to the banks of the little lake, a habitat for a myriad of flying, swimming, crawling, and jumping creatures that constitute an incomparable living museum. Pine Pond is seasonal and may not fill, even in the rainy season. Pine Pond Juniper Trail 5 TRAILHEAD: At Laurel Nook Group Picnic Area, in Juniper Campground, just where the campground loop road returns to meet the Summit Road. Drinking water and toilets. TRAIL STATISTICS: 2.4 miles to lower summit parking lot and back, 720-ft. elevation gain. DESCRIPTION: A nicely graded, intimate trail built by the Youth Conservation Corps just before the 1977 fire. Switchbacks (avoid slippery shortcuts) facilitate the climb through the dark oak-laurel forest, a survivor of many a fire, including the 2013 Morgan Fire, to Moses Rock Ridge. Bear right through vigorous chaparral to reach interesting rock outcrops supporting a variety of stunted, tundra-like plants. Fine views through the silvery branches of fire-scarred chaparral. The trail crosses the main road and winds up at the parking lot. The return trip is all downhill. Wonderful for photography. Allow two hours. Juniper Trail Deer Flat Road (Juniper Camp) 6 TRAILHEAD: There is a large parking area at the Diablo Overlook on Summit Road just at the entrance to Juniper Campground. Walk to the end of the campground loop and find the trail across from the restrooms. Facilities in the campground. TRAIL STATISTICS: Deer Flat Road runs an essentially level course for 0.4 miles to its junction with Burma Road. This part is an easy walk. DESCRIPTION: The pleasant walk highlights fine views into San Ramon Valley across grassy slopes, emerald green in the springtim e, some of the most spectacular California poppy displays on the mountain. The thick grasses thriv e in the deep soil of the steep slumps below you, erosion products of the summit rocks. Each season brings new color surprises - the golden grasses against the deep blue sky in summer, and the same grasses, now a silvery gray, bathed in the mists of winter. Deer Flat Road Juniper Camp Castle Rock 7 TRAILHEAD: Begin from Castle Rock Regional Park in Walnut Creek located at the end of Castle Rock Road. Facilities in Castle Rock Park. TRAIL STATISTICS: A level walk of 1.5 miles (one way) takes you to the best overview of Castle Rock, a spectacularly eroded pinnacle looming high above. Head through the park to a gate that meets the old stagecoach road to Mount Diablo. Follow Stage Road along Pine Creek; it runs along the boundary of Diablo Foothills Regional Park up to the State Park gate and to the Castle Rock overlook just beyond. DESCRIPTION: Not far beyond the trailhead the road enters a cool, mature oak forest, a refuge in the hot days of summer. Pine Creek meanders through the forested meadows, and the road crosses the stream several times, requiring some careful balancing on stones in the stream. Butterflies abound in sunlit clearings. Raptor nests can sometimes be spotted with binoculars in the sandstone cavities of Castle Rock high above. Castle Rock Donner Canyon 8 TRAILHEAD: End of Mitchell Canyon Road, north entrance to the Park, near the town of Clayton. Park in the staging area (water and toilets). Parking $6. TRAIL STATISTICS: From the trailhead, walk a short distance to Oak Road, turn left to stay on Oak Road, then turn right on Murchio Road, and then right on Donner Canyon Road. 1.8 miles, one way, on a level road. An easy walk, but the road is muddy in winter and early spring. DESCRIPTION: A popular trail with local residents -- families with strollers, joggers, kids on bikes. The attractive environment is dominated by the view of the principal peaks of the park, rising sharply from the meadows at the base. In spring in particular, the sight of the rushing waters of Donner Creek meandering through flower-strewn emerald green grasslands is unforgettable. The road eventually enters an oak savannah. Donner Canyon Site of Mountain House 9 TRAILHEAD: At upper end of loop road, Junction Picnic Area, opposite ranger station at junction of North Gate and South Gate Roads. TRAIL STATISTICS: Junction Trail joins Summit Trail after 0.2 miles; the site is about 200 yards beyond on Summit Trail. A steady climb of 200 feet. Facilities at Sunset Picnic Area and the Junction Ranger Station. DESCRIPTION: You are on the old stage coach road that went up to Mountain House, a resort and weekend goal for Bay Area residents some 100 years ago. As you climb toward the site, the distant views of the coastal ranges slowly vanish, and you enter an imposing bowl-like enclosure in the heart of the mountain, encircled by grassy cliffs and the wilderness forest. Today the wide, level site shows no trace of the old hotel. You will have to let your imagination picture the excitement that the arrival of the stage coach must have engendered a century ago. Site of Mountain House 10 Sentinel Rock TRAILHEAD: From South Gate Road, park in Rock City. Find the Trail Through Time at the end of the Grotto Picnic area. TRAIL STATISTICS: The distance to the top of Sentinel Rock is only a few hundred yards, but the walk is a bit of a scramble and a stiff climb of about 200 feet, most of it up the carved steps of Sentinel Rock. DESCRIPTION: Sentinel Rock is one of the most popular destinations in the park; yet, for such a prominent feature it is extraordinarily difficult to spot. The steep (and a bit frightening) climb, aided by steel cables, is well worth the effort, for the little fenced platform at the top offers fine views of the weird Rock City wilderness in all directions. Take the Trail Through Time trail winding up through wind caves and chaparral until you reach the Civilian Conservation Corps trail. The next 0.12 mile is over eroded sandstone with carved steps and steep crevices. Kids (of all ages) will have a ball, but be sure everyone stays behind the cable barrier! Well-gripping shoes or boots are essential. Sentinel Rock

What to Look for in Summer Filter by Category Select Category Frogs Look for a frog chorus at Coulter Pond Read More Ticks Stay on the trail and check for ticks on your clothing! Read More Quail Think of quail as a California version of chickens. They can be seen in riparian and chaparral areas. Read More Hawks Shown in the photo is a Cooper's Hawk, but the Red-tailed Hawk is often seen and heard. Read More Common Poorwills Poorwills are best seen in the evening hours. Read More Migrating and Nesting Birds The Hermit Warbler is on a short list of our migrating birds. Read More Dragonflies You can see dragonflies near the summit and along the creeks throughout the park. Read More Butterflies Check out our Butterfly Guide! Read More Camping Reserve your spot! Read More Clarkias Red and pink Clarkias dot the grasslands in spring and summer. Read More Buckeyes Buckeyes are both beautiful and pathetic depending on when you see them. Read More Blooming Soap Root Soap root blooms in the evening and a special treat. Read More Tarweed Follow your eye and your nose... Read More Snakes Like all snakes, rattlesnakes do not want to attack people. Read More

Wildflower Mount Diablo Mountain Mahogany Scientific Name: Cercocarpus betuloides var. betuloides Family: Rosaceae (Rose Family) Blooms: Apr Color: Yellow-Orange Tree or shrub Native Jump to Blooming Now Blue / Purple Red / Pink White Yellow / Orange Invasive Plants Kevin Hintsa