Castle Rock Trail & Red Road
9.7 mi · ▲ 2,388 ft · 4 hr 26 min
Castle Rock Trail & Red Road is a 9.7-mile out-and-back in Mount Diablo State Park near Cowell, CA. It climbs 2,388 ft, with sections as steep as 19% grade. It scores 79/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Castle Rock Trail & Red Road
9.7 mi · ▲ 2,388 ft · 4 hr 26 min
Elevation 380–1,282 ft
Out & Back · Mount Diablo State Park
Trailhead: Red Road · 37.89837, -121.98835
Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:55 AM · sunset 7:10 PM
- Start on Red Road, heading SE.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading S.
- 3 miTurn left onto Little Pine Creek Road, heading SE.
- 300 ftSharp right onto Falcon Road, heading NW.
- 0.7 miTurn right onto Castle Rock Trail, heading S.
- 0.9 miReach Red Road, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.9 miTurn left onto Falcon Road, heading N.
- 0.7 miSharp left onto Little Pine Creek Road, heading SE.
- 300 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 3 miTurn left onto Red Road, heading N.
- 0.2 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.2 mi in (~45 min). Leave by 6:05 PM for the 7:10 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:54 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Red Road Trailhead
- California Riding and Hiking Trail & Red Road 9.7 mi · ▲ 1,826 ft
- Crystal Ranch Trail–Manzanita Trail, 3 sights 9.3 mi · ▲ 2,029 ft
- China Wall Road–Little Yosemite Valley Trail, 4 sights 12.9 mi · ▲ 2,822 ft
- Burma Road–Falcon Road, 4 sights 8.9 mi · ▲ 2,202 ft
- Haystack Hill–Buckeye Ravine Viewpoint, 8 sights 14.6 mi · ▲ 3,297 ft
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