Costanoan Trail–Flat Top Trail, 3 sights
4.5 mi · ▲ 1,093 ft · 2 hr 3 min
Costanoan Trail–Flat Top Trail, 3 sights is a 4.5-mile out-and-back in Shell Ridge Open Space near Walnut Heights, CA. It climbs 1,093 ft, with sections as steep as 19% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 59/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Costanoan Trail–Flat Top Trail, 3 sights
4.5 mi · ▲ 1,093 ft · 2 hr 3 min
Elevation 296–841 ft
Out & Back · Shell Ridge Open Space
Trailhead: 37.88769, -122.01444
Weather Aug 3: Mostly clear, high 101°F / low 63° · precip 0% · wind 2 mph · sunrise 6:14 AM · sunset 8:16 PM
- Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
- 200 ftBear left onto Sugarloaf-Shell Ridge Trail, heading E.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Briones to Mt. Diablo Regional Trail, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Ridge Top Trail, heading NE.
- 0.7 miTurn right onto Costanoan Trail, heading SE.
- 150 ftTurn left onto Flat Top Trail, heading NE.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading N.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Costanoan Trail, heading NW.
- 0.4 miReach Sugarloaf-Shell Ridge Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.4 miBear right, heading SE.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Flat Top Trail, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Costanoan Trail, heading S.
- 150 ftTurn left onto Ridge Top Trail, heading S.
- 0.7 miTurn right onto Briones to Mt. Diablo Regional Trail, heading S.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Sugarloaf-Shell Ridge Trail, heading W.
- 0.4 miBear right, heading SW.
- 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
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.2 mi in (~43 min). Leave by 7:13 PM for the 8:16 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:01 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
More from this trailhead
- Sugarloaf-Shell Ridge Trail & Twin Ponds Loop Trail Loop 2.1 mi · ▲ 363 ft
- Franco Ridge Loop Trail 2.3 mi · ▲ 410 ft
- Foothills Trail via Sugarloaf-Shell Ridge Trail 2.5 mi · ▲ 451 ft
- Bob Pond–Twin Ponds, 6 sights 2.6 mi · ▲ 447 ft
- Twin Ponds–TwinPonds, 5 sights 2.7 mi · ▲ 458 ft
- Franco Ridge Ridge Trail & Sugarloaf-Shell Ridge Trail 2.9 mi · ▲ 474 ft
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