Once in a vacation with my family on our visit to Discovery Bay near San Francisco, my family and I took a long walk exploring Black Diamond Mines. Better called The East Bay Regional Park District that began acquiring land for Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve in the early 1970s. Today, most of the mining district is within the Preserve’s nearly 6,096 acres. The area is an ideal location for hiking, picnicking and nature study.
The day we went, it was so nice and warm outside. The sun was shining and the view was so clear.
We decided to explore the history of this lands by hiking. From 1850 to 1906, the area was known as the Mount Diablo Coalfield, the largest in California, producing more than 4 million tons of coal during this time.
The path of these mountains to the top is fun. I was going more for the fact that I had never climbed a mountain.
This long walk came with some very narrow roads surrounded by trees and giant boulders, where you could gradually see the entire city of San Francisco in the distance at the TOP!
On the way, we were shown a slideshow of what this entire area of land used to be. There are several pictures of a small town and all the residents. Then we were educated on what was mined and what it was used for.
What I loved the most about the park was the beautiful winding road that puts you in the center of the park. From there you park and choose one of 6-8 trail heads going all different directions around the park.
You can go on your basic fire trail, single track, or explore the rocky sections of the granite rock and go climbing! Has i´ve mention before, there is beautiful sand stone rock formations.
I would recommend to bring a lunch or picnic with Friends, Family or bring your dogs (who must be leashed). You can really go a long ways and not see anyone, the place is so spacious. Just remember to hydrate and bring a camera; you’ll love looking at the pictures later.
One of my favorite activities will always be hiking, at the same time taking long walks and learning a little history, you can see amazing landscapes that are worth to see at finish the walk down the road!
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