Legendary naturalist John Muir once said, “We are now in the mountains and they are in us, kindling enthusiasm, making every nerve quiver, filling every pore and cell of us.” Visitors to Mount Diablo can still feel that deep bond—Muir himself spent a night on the summit in 1877—where expansive views across the Delta, beyond the Bay Area and into the California farmlands unfold below.

Save  Mount  Diablo,  a   land  trust  that aims to honor that bond with nature,   has worked with the government and local organizations to conserve hundreds of acres and preserve resources since 1971. “We want the community to develop a personal relationship with the mountain,” says Ted Clement, executive director of Save Mount Diablo. “If people don’t have that love and connection, are they really going to protect the land?”

Annual events like Four Days Diablo, a “glamping” trip planned for next year, and Discover Diablo, a new free hiking program, further that connection and showcase the region’s year-round beauty.

From the golden hills during summer, to the autumnal march of the mating tarantulas, to the snow-dusted greenery visible at higher elevations during winter, Mount Diablo has season-specific delights to suit every taste. Clement says spring is his favorite time on the mountain: “The wildflowers are at their peak; it’s an Alice in Wonderland type of experience.”

Documenting A Landmark

Local photographer Stephen Joseph’s images of Mount Diablo are on view at his gallery located at 100 Summit Ranch Road in Alamo. Hours change weekly, so please visit stephen josephphoto.gallery for the most up-to-date information.

Join Joseph for the second installment of his gallery’s music series on October 28, and enjoy funky blues by the Tamsen Donner Band. Summit Ranch, 100 Summit Ranch Rd., Alamo.

Below, photographer and Save Mount Diablo member Stephen Joseph provides glimpses of Mount Diablo in all its seasonal glory.

View of Mount Diablo’s North Peak from just below the snow-covered summit.

Poppies in bloom in Skunk Hollow.

Oak trees in Pine Ridge changing color in the fall.

Mount Diablo By The Numbers

3,849 feet peak elevation of Mount Diablo.
1921 the year Mount Diablo State Park was established.
80,000 square miles visible from the summit. The view includes 60 percent of California and covers 35 counties.
200+ bird species found on Mount Diablo.
700,000 visitors to Mount Diablo State Park each year.
400 Species of plants identified within the park’s nearly 20,000 acres.
17 inches is the most snowfall seen on Mount Diablo (in 1975).
1928 the year Mount Diablo’s aviation beacon was built to help guide commercial pilots; the light stayed on until the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. Known as the Eye of Diablo, the beacon is lit every December 7 to commemorate the day.
14+ number of plant species that are endemic to Mount Diablo, including the Mount Diablo buckwheat wildflower.
110,000 acres protected by Save Mount Diablo and its partners.
70,000 acres at risk of land development.