Donner Canyon, Mount Diablo CA


• 4-star hike
• 5 mile part-loop
• Moderate | Gain 1,170 feet
• Clayton, CA | San Francisco Region
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The Falls Trail side has the best views.

We follow the wide Donner Canyon Road trail as it traces a route alongside Donner Creek, with views over open meadowland towards the massive Mount Diablo and its sub-peaks. The destination of this journey is not the mountain's summit however, but rther a looping route around the steep sides and impressive views from a canyon on the mountain's northern flanks.

Sharing the wide trail and its modest uphill gradient with occasional mountain bikers, Donner Canyon Road Trail intersects with the two narrow trails that make up the canyon loop. The jury is undecided on whether a clockwise or countercockwise direction is best for experiencing the loop that explores Donner Canyon, but what we know for sure is that the best views are on the eastern, Falls Trail side of the loop. Be sure to glance over your shoulder if you're hiking clockwise for views that combine the steep-sided canyon and distant delta flatland landscapes.
⬤ 4★ Donner Canyon Loop   5.4 mi part-loop, moderate, gain 1,170 ft
GPX File · AllTrails · Directions GPX?
 P  Free parking

Several streams cascade down the sides of the canyon, across the trails, and towards Donner Creek. These modest waterfalls provide some pleasant views as we hiked around the loop, though we wouldn't regard them as a destination in and of themselves.

Our proposed route begins at the end of Mountaire Parkway - a residential street that, for the moment at least, has fewer parking restrictions than others in the neighborhood. Please obey posted signs and act respectfully around the neighborhood homes to preserve this parking opportunity. Further parking options are also available closer to Marsh Creek Road where you can find the continuation of the creekside trail, though this will require a little extra hiking.

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A gently sloping meadow filled with bright green grass and scattered clusters of purple wildflowers stretches into the distance. Slender trees with sparse foliage rise from the field, their trunks forming loose vertical lines against the landscape. Sunlight filters through the leaves, casting soft, dappled shadows across the grass. A clear blue sky completes the tranquil setting.
Wildflowers on the Donner Canyon Road trail.

A person wearing a red shirt, black pants, and a black backpack walks along a winding dirt trail bordered by tall grass and dense greenery. Twisted tree trunks and overhanging branches frame the path, creating a canopy that filters dappled sunlight onto the trail.
Welcome shade on the wide Donner Canyon Road trail.

A composite image featuring two contrasting natural scenes. On the left, a small waterfall cascades over dark, mossy rocks, surrounded by tufts of grass and scattered orange wildflowers, creating a lush and intimate foreground. On the right, a more expansive view reveals jagged, sunlit cliffs with a solitary tree rooted dramatically in the stone. Beyond the crags, layered mountains fade into the distance beneath a hazy sky, hinting at a distant town nestled in the valley.
One of several small falls | Distant delta views.

Split-screen image showing two close-up scenes from nature. On the left, a brown lizard with rough, patterned skin rests diagonally on a mossy, rock-strewn surface partially shaded by small green plants. On the right, a vibrant purple flower with delicately layered petals stands out sharply against a grassy backdrop, bathed in soft natural light.
Varied canyon wildlife.

A large tree stands centered in a sunlit field, its wide canopy forming a silhouette against the bright sky. Sunbeams filter through the upper branches, casting a soft glow around the tree's intricate form. The surrounding field is lush and green, framed by low grasses and distant trees beneath a few wispy clouds.
A grand oak blocks a lowering late afternoon sun.

Tangents:
• AllTrails Public: Donner Canyon

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