AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Mount Diablo State Park

Twin Ponds–TwinPonds, 5 sights

11.4 mi · ▲ 1,896 ft · 4 hr 45 min

Twin Ponds–TwinPonds, 5 sights is an 11.4-mile out-and-back in Mount Diablo State Park near Rock City, CA. The route passes TwinPonds before reaching Twin Ponds at the turnaround, 5.7 miles in. It climbs 1,896 ft, with sections as steep as 17% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 78/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi564 – 1,752 ft · steepest grade: 17%11.8 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Trail Through Time 37.85019, -121.93391
Nearest town Rock City, CA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Twin Ponds–TwinPonds, 5 sights

11.4 mi · ▲ 1,896 ft · 4 hr 45 min

Elevation 564–1,752 ft

Out & Back · Mount Diablo State Park

Trailhead: Trail Through Time · 37.85019, -121.93391

Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:55 AM · sunset 7:09 PM

Toilets at the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Trail Through Time, heading NW.
  2. 0.2 miBear left onto Wall Point Road, heading NW.
  3. 1.1 miTurn left onto Secret Trail, heading NW.
  4. 50 ftTurn right onto Wall Point Road, heading NW.
  5. 2.2 miContinue straight onto Briones to Mt. Diablo Regional Trail, heading NW.
  6. 0.3 miBear left, heading N.
  7. 1.4 miBear left, heading NW.
  8. 0.1 miBear right, heading NW.
  9. 100 ftContinue straight onto Borges Ranch Trail, heading N.
  10. 500 ftBear left, heading NW.
  11. 0.2 miPass TwinPonds.
  12. 250 ftContinue straight onto Twin Ponds Loop Trail, heading NW.
  13. 250 ftReach Twin Ponds, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  14. 250 ftContinue straight onto Borges Ranch Trail, heading NW.
  15. 0.5 miBear right onto Briones to Mt. Diablo Regional Trail, heading SE.
  16. 0.8 miBear right, heading S.
  17. 0.9 miContinue straight onto Wall Point Road, heading S.
  18. 2.2 miTurn left onto Secret Trail, heading SE.
  19. 50 ftTurn right onto Wall Point Road, heading SE.
  20. 1.1 miBear right onto Trail Through Time, heading SE.
  21. 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 map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/twinponds-twinponds-out-back-17-km-e9d1

Trail surface

96% dirt4% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:55 AMSunset 7:09 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.1 mi in (~4 min). Leave by 6:45 PM for the 7:09 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:28 PM — 8 min before dark. Car visible from the viewpoint

More sunset hikes nearby

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 Trail Through Time Trailhead

Hikes near Rock City, California