Waterfalls Are Flowing on Mount Diablo

It's not a hike for small children or those who are out of shape.

However, if you can do it, this is a perfect time of year to venture into a picturesque valley on the Clayton side of Mount Diablo.

A series of small waterfalls that get flowing every spring are now in full swing.

The walk can be a arduous one. It's a five-mile loop that can take 3 hours for those who walk slowly and take some well-deserved breaks.

There are also at least two long, fairly steep hills.

If you go, bring a full bottle of water as well as food such as nuts and fruit.

The views and scenery are worth it.

To get there, park at the end of Regency Drive or Mountain Parkway in the Dana Hills subdivision of Clayton.

Take the Donner Canyon Road trail to the T-intersection, where it meets the Cardinet Trail.

Go left on Cardinet up the hill a quarter-mile or so until you hit the single-track Falls Trail. The sign will say "Falls Trail to Middle Trail." This small path is easy to miss, so keep your eyes open.

Just follow Falls Trail all the way around. It will take you up and down the valley past all the waterfalls and back to the Cardinet Trail. From there, you retrace your steps along the Donner Canyon Road Trail.

On Saturday, Steve Peters, a Pleasant Hill resident who owns Roof Right, was on the path. He has hiked to the waterfalls 20 times over the years. This was his first sojourn of this year and he thoroughly enjoyed it.

"It's just a natural beauty. You can look down on civilization from here," he said.

His friend Bob Galgiani, a Pleasant Hill resident who works in Kaiser Permanente's finance department, on his second waterfall hike. The journey was a bit tiring for him, but he also enjoyed it.

"It really is just the right length and the views are great," he said.

They were joined by Jeanne Cope, a Benicia single mother, and Mark Spiller, a Concord resident who owns Spiller Window and Skylight Solutions. It was the first waterfall hike for both.

Spiller noted it was the perfect weekend to take the hike. The rains had filled the creeks and cleared out the air for some spectacular views of the Clayton Valley.