Mount Diablo State Park

China Wall Road–Little Yosemite Valley Trail, 4 sights

12.9 mi · ▲ 2,822 ft · 5 hr 43 min

China Wall Road–Little Yosemite Valley Trail, 4 sights is a 12.9-mile out-and-back in Mount Diablo State Park near Cowell, CA. It climbs 2,822 ft, with sections as steep as 24% grade. It scores 82/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi381 – 1,283 ft · steepest grade: 24%13.0 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Red Road 37.89837, -121.98835
Nearest town Cowell, CA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

China Wall Road–Little Yosemite Valley Trail, 4 sights

12.9 mi · ▲ 2,822 ft · 5 hr 43 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

  1. Start on Red Road, heading SE.
  2. 0.3 miTurn right, heading S.
  3. 3 miTurn left onto Little Pine Creek Road, heading SE.
  4. 300 ftSharp right onto Falcon Road, heading NW.
  5. 0.7 miTurn right onto Sunset Trail, heading S.
  6. 0.4 miTurn right onto Stage Road, heading NW.
  7. 0.6 miSharp left onto Little Yosemite Valley Trail, heading SE.
  8. 0.8 miTurn right, heading SW.
  9. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Briones to Mt. Diablo Regional Trail, heading W.
  10. 0.3 miTurn left onto China Wall Road, heading SW.
  11. 0.3 miReach Red Road, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  12. 0.3 miTurn right, heading N.
  13. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Briones to Mt. Diablo Regional Trail, heading E.
  14. 0.2 miTurn left onto Little Yosemite Valley Trail, heading NE.
  15. 0.8 miSharp right onto Stage Road, heading NE.
  16. 0.6 miTurn left onto Sunset Trail, heading E.
  17. 0.4 miTurn left onto Falcon Road, heading NW.
  18. 0.7 miSharp left onto Little Pine Creek Road, heading SE.
  19. 250 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  20. 3 miTurn left onto Red Road, heading N.
  21. 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.

Trail surface

20% dirt80% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:55 AMSunset 7:10 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.2 mi in (~45 min). Leave by 6:04 PM for the 7:10 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:55 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

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