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Diablo Foothills Regional Park (East Bay Regional Park District) - panoramio (2).jpg
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Diablo Foothills Regional Park

Castle Rock Trail–Fairy Lantern Trail, 4 sights

9.1 mi · ▲ 1,746 ft · 3 hr 54 min

Castle Rock Trail–Fairy Lantern Trail, 4 sights is a 9.1-mile out-and-back in Diablo Foothills Regional Park near Meinert, CA. It climbs 1,746 ft, with sections as steep as 22% grade. It scores 78/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi259 – 961 ft · steepest grade: 22%9.2 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 37.89984, -122.00187
Nearest town Meinert, CA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Castle Rock Trail–Fairy Lantern Trail, 4 sights

9.1 mi · ▲ 1,746 ft · 3 hr 54 min

Elevation 261–961 ft

Out & Back · Diablo Foothills Regional Park

Trailhead: 37.89984, -122.00187

Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 100°F / low 69° · precip 0% · wind 2 mph · sunrise 6:14 AM · sunset 8:16 PM

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
  2. 0.6 miTurn left, heading SE.
  3. 0.3 miTurn right onto Shell Ridge Trail, heading SW.
  4. 0.9 miBear left onto Fairy Lantern Trail, heading SE.
  5. 0.2 miBear right onto Stage Road, heading SE.
  6. 1.3 miTurn left onto Sunset Trail, heading N.
  7. 0.4 miTurn left onto Falcon Road, heading SW.
  8. 50 ftTurn left onto Castle Rock Trail, heading S.
  9. 0.9 miReach Shell Ridge Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  10. 0.9 miTurn right onto Falcon Road, heading N.
  11. 50 ftTurn right onto Sunset Trail, heading NE.
  12. 0.4 miTurn right onto Stage Road, heading S.
  13. 1.3 miBear left onto Fairy Lantern Trail, heading NW.
  14. 0.2 miBear right onto Shell Ridge Trail, heading NW.
  15. 0.9 miTurn left, heading NE.
  16. 0.3 miTurn right, heading N.
  17. 0.6 miArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/castle-rock-trail-fairy-lantern-trail-out-back-4-sights-15-km

Trail surface

47% dirt53% unspecified

Weather

ClearTemperature 100°F69°
Precip0%Wind2 mphUV8Humidity30%
Hourly temperature
100°65°
Sunrise 6:14 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:16 PM
Tue 92°67°
Wed 91°57°
Thu 98°56°
Fri 103°62°
Sat 103°60°
Sun 102°59°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 3.9 mi in (~127 min). Leave by 5:49 PM for the 8:16 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:18 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

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