Devil's Pulpit–Murchio Gap, 9 sights is a 10.2-mile out-and-back in Mount Diablo State Park near Clayton, CA. The route passes Murchio Gap and Prospectors Gap before reaching Devil's Pulpit at the turnaround, 5.1 miles in. It climbs 3,202 ft, with sections as steep as 27% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 64/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
0 mi574 – 3,389 ft · steepest grade: 27%10.4 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 37.92159, -121.94080
Nearest town Clayton, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Devil's Pulpit–Murchio Gap, 9 sights
10.2 mi · ▲ 3,202 ft · 5 hr
Elevation 573–3,390 ft
Out & Back · Mount Diablo State Park
Trailhead: 37.92159, -121.94080
Weather Aug 3: Partly cloudy, high 99°F / low 62° · precip 0% · wind 7 mph · sunrise 6:13 AM · sunset 8:16 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
- 150 ftSharp right onto Bruce Lee Trail, heading S.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Oak Road, heading SE.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Coulter Pine Trail, heading SE.
- 0.4 miBear left onto Eagle Peak Trail, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Coulter Pine Trail, heading SE.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Bruce Lee Road, heading SE.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Back Creek Trail, heading S.
- 1.9 miPass Murchio Gap.
- 100 ftTurn left onto Bald Ridge Trail, heading SW.
- 1.3 miPass Prospectors Gap.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto North Peak Trail, heading SW.
- 0.7 miReach Devil's Pulpit, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.7 miTurn left, heading N.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Bald Ridge Trail, heading E.
- 1.3 miTurn right onto Back Creek Trail, heading NW.
- 1.9 miContinue straight onto Bruce Lee Road, heading NE.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Coulter Pine Trail, heading NW.
- 150 ftTurn left onto Eagle Peak Trail, heading NW.
- 50 ftBear right onto Coulter Pine Trail, heading NW.
- 0.4 miTurn left onto Oak Road, heading W.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Bruce Lee Trail, heading W.
- 0.2 miSharp left, heading N.
- 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
86% dirt14% unspecified
Weather
Partly cloudyTemperature 99°F62°
Feels like83°Precip0%Wind7 mphUV8Humidity27%
Hourly temperature
100°60°
Sunrise 6:13 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:16 PM
Tue
92°66°
Wed
91°57°
Thu
97°55°
Fri
102°61°
Sat
102°59°
Sun
101°58°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.9 mi in (~129 min). Leave by 5:47 PM for the 8:16 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:45 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Drinking water at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Bruce Lee Road–Coulter Pine Trail, 4 sights 2.6 mi · ▲ 438 ft
- Coulter Pine Trail–Mitchell Rock Trail, 3 sights 3.5 mi · ▲ 1,170 ft
- Back Creek Trail–Bruce Lee Road, 5 sights 4.8 mi · ▲ 1,016 ft
- Eagle Peak–Eagle Peak Viewpoint, 4 sights 4.9 mi · ▲ 1,868 ft
- Eagle Peak Viewpoint–Coulter Pine Trail, 3 sights 5.3 mi · ▲ 1,865 ft
- Back Creek Trail–Bruce Lee Road, 7 sights 5.9 mi · ▲ 1,232 ft
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