Fairy Lantern Trail & Sunset Trail via Stage Road is a 16-mile out-and-back in Mount Diablo State Park near Cowell, CA. It climbs 2,998 ft, with sections as steep as 23% grade. It scores 73/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
0 mi427 – 1,293 ft · steepest grade: 23%16.2 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 37.93116, -121.97372
Nearest town Cowell, CA
Directions
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Fairy Lantern Trail & Sunset Trail via Stage Road
16 mi · ▲ 2,998 ft · 6 hr 50 min
Elevation 425–1,293 ft
Out & Back · Mount Diablo State Park
Trailhead: 37.93116, -121.97372
Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 99°F / low 60° · precip 0% · wind 5 mph · sunrise 6:14 AM · sunset 8:16 PM
- Start at the trailhead, heading S.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading SW.
- 0.7 miBear left, heading S.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 0.3 miSharp right, heading E.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading S.
- 500 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 0.7 miSharp right onto Red Road, heading E.
- 0.9 miBear left, heading SW.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 50 ftSharp left, heading SW.
- 1.4 miTurn left onto Little Pine Creek Road, heading S.
- 300 ftSharp right onto Falcon Road, heading SE.
- 0.7 miTurn right onto Sunset Trail, heading SE.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Stage Road, heading S.
- 1.3 miBear left onto Fairy Lantern Trail, heading NW.
- 0.2 miReach Sunset Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.2 miBear right onto Stage Road, heading E.
- 1.3 miTurn left onto Sunset Trail, heading SE.
- 0.4 miTurn left onto Falcon Road, heading N.
- 0.7 miSharp left onto Little Pine Creek Road, heading E.
- 250 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 1.4 miSharp right, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 0.4 miBear right onto Red Road, heading NW.
- 0.9 miSharp left, heading NE.
- 0.7 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 500 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 0.1 miSharp left, heading N.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading N.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.3 miBear right, heading W.
- 0.7 miBear left, heading N.
- 0.1 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
21% dirt4% gravel75% unspecified
Weather
ClearTemperature 99°F60°
Feels like82°Precip0%Wind5 mphUV8Humidity29%
Hourly temperature
100°60°
Sunrise 6:14 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:16 PM
Tue
90°65°
Wed
90°58°
Thu
98°56°
Fri
103°61°
Sat
103°59°
Sun
102°58°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.4 mi in (~52 min). Leave by 7:05 PM for the 8:16 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:05 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp. Trailhead visible from the viewpoint
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Red Road 5.2 mi · ▲ 1,093 ft
- Red Road 7.9 mi · ▲ 1,710 ft
- Little Yosemite Valley Trail & Sunset Trail via Stage Road 15.7 mi · ▲ 3,198 ft
- Diablo Foothills Regional Park Viewpoint–Buckeye Ravine Viewpoint, 4 sights 15.8 mi · ▲ 3,266 ft
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