AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Mount Diablo State Park

Sentinel Rock–Pine Pond, 5 sights

9.1 mi · ▲ 1,818 ft · 3 hr 57 min

Sentinel Rock–Pine Pond, 5 sights is a 9.1-mile out-and-back in Mount Diablo State Park near Rock City, CA. The route passes Pine Pond before reaching Sentinel Rock at the turnaround, 4.6 miles in. It climbs 1,818 ft, with sections as steep as 22% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 80/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi610 – 1,752 ft · steepest grade: 22%9.4 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Buckeye Trail 37.87547, -121.96355
Nearest town Rock City, CA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Sentinel Rock–Pine Pond, 5 sights

9.1 mi · ▲ 1,818 ft · 3 hr 57 min

Elevation 611–1,752 ft

Out & Back · Mount Diablo State Park

Trailhead: Buckeye Trail · 37.87547, -121.96355

Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 97°F / low 73° · precip 0% · wind 8 mph · sunrise 6:14 AM · sunset 8:16 PM

  1. Start on Burma Road, heading NW.
  2. 0.7 miContinue straight onto Stage Road, heading SE.
  3. 50 ftPass Pine Pond.
  4. 0.4 miTurn right onto Dusty Road, heading SW.
  5. 0.5 miTurn left onto Wall Point Road, heading SE.
  6. 1.7 miTurn left onto Secret Trail, heading E.
  7. 50 ftTurn right onto Wall Point Road, heading E.
  8. 1.1 miBear right onto Trail Through Time, heading S.
  9. 0.2 miTurn left onto CCC Trail, heading S.
  10. 250 ftReach Sentinel Rock, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  11. 250 ftTurn right onto Trail Through Time, heading NW.
  12. 0.2 miBear left onto Wall Point Road, heading S.
  13. 1.1 miTurn left onto Secret Trail, heading W.
  14. 50 ftTurn right onto Wall Point Road, heading W.
  15. 1.7 miTurn right onto Dusty Road, heading W.
  16. 0.5 miTurn left onto Stage Road, heading SE.
  17. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Burma Road, heading NW.
  18. 0.7 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/sentinel-rock-pine-pond-out-back-3-lakes-13-km-17bc

Trail surface

100% dirt

Weather

ClearTemperature 97°F73°
Feels like85°Precip0%Wind8 mphUV8Humidity21%
Hourly temperature
100°70°
Sunrise 6:14 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:16 PM
Tue 89°68°
Wed 89°56°
Thu 96°54°
Fri 101°59°
Sat 101°57°
Sun 100°56°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.1 mi in (~3 min). Leave by 7:53 PM for the 8:16 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:33 PM — 12 min before dark.

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