Waterfall Loop at Mount Diablo State Park

No water in the waterfall. The signs are a bit confusing. Steep hills wouldnt recommend for first timers. Stay on trail unless you’re an avid hiker. It’s definitely hot so bring water and hot shade is scarce. The heavier the pack the harder the climb. Walking sticks would be advised just because it’ll help with the hills and coming down.

First time to hike in Mt. Diablo, waterfall loop trails is my starter.
6.5 miles half day hike good with friends, not kids friendly cause we saw how struggle parents carry their kids and carts walking downhill cliff…
Not much water in this season but the views looking downhills are gorgeous! I will definitely come back for eagle peak & Diablo summit some time :)
1 star missing cause the trails diverse frequently and signs are just somehow confusing for me. Follow your intuition and exp :)

The hike starts at Regency Gate at the end of Regency Road off Marsh Creek Rd in Clayton. It is a residential neighborhood, so parking is an issue. Plan to walk several blocks in the neiborhood before you get to the trailhead called Regency Gate. This hike is actually called the Falls Trail Loop not the Waterfall Loop. You can get to it by one of two ways: hiking up Donner Canyon Road Trail south until you hit the intersection of the Falls Trail or turn right on Cardinet Oaks Road Trail from Donner Canyon Road, and a few hundred feet turn left on Middle Trail which meets up with Falls Trail. You’ll loop around the Falls Trail until you meet up again with the Donnor Canyon Road Trail back to Regency Gate. I highly recommend you take the Cardinet Oaks Road turn to Middle Trail. You’ll reach the falls faster and it is mostly shaded. Keep in mind, you’ll be unshaded on the way back, but I’d rather climb a mountain in the shade and descend it in the sun. I did this hike yesterday on President’s Day. It was extremely busy. It was my first time on this trail; I found a review online somewhere that made the hike seem fast and easy. Words such as, the Middle Trail is a steep climb, but the Falls Trail is rather level. Not true! All trails were steep in my opinion. Both the Middle Trail and the Falls Trail were very narrow in places with steep inclines that with one false move, you could fall a deep descent down the side of a mountain. The trail, as stated earlier, was well-​traveled that it was sometimes difficult to pass others coming in the opposite direction because of how narrow the trail is. There was one section on the Falls Trail where I chose to crawl up the incline in fear of losing my footing on the loose small pepples and rocks that made it slippery. Just beware. It is not an easy hike. Having said that, it didn’t keep people away. In fact, we passed by at least two class trips of kids hiking it with their parent chaperones, and quite a few people with babies strapped to their backs. But the best part was the water. We did see the falls — big and small. And the sound of the rushing water was soothing and inviting. You cross the rushing stream two or three times. Navigating the crossing was easy. This hike, surprisingly has no switchbacks. Whether you go to the left or to the right, it’s uphill all the way. Make sure you turn around often on the climb up to enjoy the view. There are no restroom facilities, so plan accordingly. The falls dry up in late spring/​early summer. So now is the time to go. The wild flowers are just beginning to bloom. We did not encounter any mud like some trail descriptions included. Enjoy this hike, wear sturdy shoes (hiking boots), and go slow when needed.

A real nice view great trails. Just watch out for the mountain lions spotted an adult one 10 ft away from me hidding on the bushes on hetherington trail, the growling was intennse! Will definitely come again!

Great trail with some beautiful views of the mountains with very few people. The downside is that there is not too much shade, so bring a hat it can get super sunny. It is a free trail but you have to do street parking and there is no designated way down so it is fairly steep. It could definitely use some stairs I could see someone eating it on the way down.

An easy hike with scenic views. Here you will find paths for hiking, running, and biking.
From Regency Gate, I hike to the trail marked Donner Cabin Site. From there I hike Donner Canyon Road South along the water until I meet back up with the main trail which takes me back down the hill to Regency Gate. MapMyRun maps the loop at a little over 3 miles and takes me just over an hour. The two times I mapped it I did it in an hour and three minutes. The route I described is my preferred route. There are others you can choose from, but I like the solitude that my route provides.
My extended route starts and ends as my preferred route does, but adds an additional 2.5−3 miles (roundtrip). From Regency Gate, I hike to the trail marked Donner Cabin Site. From there I hike Donner Canyon Road South along the water until I meet back up with the main trail, but instead of turning right and following the trail back down to Regency Gate… I turn left and hike until I see the Boundary Park marker. At Boundary Park maker I turn left again and continue up the hill. Going up is easy, but coming down proves to be a little more hazardous as the loose gravel makes falling a possibility.
Waterfall Loop at Mount Diablo State Park is my new favorite place to go. Open 7 days/​wk from 8am to sunset. You can find me here 2 – 3 days/​wk.
This is my new ‘secret’ hideaway.