.Wildest East Bay Park: Best place to discover flora and fauna

Mount Diablo is the East Bay’s only state park, but this alone doesn’t explain its ecological allure. Considered an “island mountain” because of its unique location and relative height among its surroundings — with the San Ramon Valley, East Bay hills, and bay to the west, the Central Valley to the east, the delta to the north, and the Diablo Range to the south, Mount Diablo exists at the southern limit of the range of some plant species and at the northern limit for others. The twenty-thousand-acre park offers a broad span of climates, habitats, and micro-ecosystems, and the resulting biodiversity — more than 100 species of animals and 650 species of flowering plants, including renowned spring wildflower displays — has been protected by the strict regulations of state park status since 1921 and through the preservation efforts of Save Mount Diablo since 1971. Wildlife and natural beauty are accessible through an extensive trail system, and for those who make their way to the summit, one of the western United States’ broadest panoramas awaits.