What we’re about
We periodically welcome new members, when we begin to have no or small wait lists for scheduled hikes. Please send in a join request and you will likely become a member in 2-6 months. Our hikes are for adults only and no dogs please (thank you for your understanding). The South Bay Ramblers is a Bay Area hiking group that was formed in the South Bay with the goal of gathering people together to have fun, while getting plenty of exercise and making new friends. The South Bay Ramblers Hiking Group has been in existence since 2005 and we have been offering community hikes at least twice monthly since that time.
Our hikes generally cover six to ten miles and can be fairly strenuous. Our group has many wonderful organizers who are avid hikers who post regular hikes on our schedule. RSVPs open 15 days prior to the scheduled hike. We welcome and encourage all our members to help us lead hikes for the group.
Our hikes frequent the local Santa Clara County Parks, Open Space Preserves and Santa Cruz Mountains. Occasionally, we venture to Marin or the East Bay and sometimes organize other fun outings such as kayaking, day trips to places like Pinnacles, Ano Nuevo State Park, Redwood Zip Lines and other local attractions.
Please read our Hiking Disclaimer before joining the South Bay Ramblers Hiking Group. By joining this group, you agree to all the terms and conditions of this waiver. We also recommend you explore our About page to discover a little more about how we run our group.
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- Waterfalls of Mount Diablo LoopMitchell Canyon Visitor Center, Clayton, CA
Details
Length: ~8 miles
Level: Moderate Strenuous
Elevation: about 1785 Ft.
Time: about 4-5 hoursHike Description: Winter and spring rains create scenic waterfalls in this hike at Mount Diablo, the East Bay's signature peak. While Mount Diablo State Park is best known for towering vistas from the mountain's twin East Bay summits, the seasonal rains that visit the San Francisco Bay Area every year create several falls in the mountain's rugged canyons. You can also find fragrant wild daffodils growing along Bear Creek seasonally. For more information about the park: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=517
We start this loop hike walking down Oak Road to Coulter Pines Trails, to Back Creek Trail, Meridian Point Trail, Middle Trail, Donner Canyon Road, Murchio Road, George Cardinet Back Creek Trail, then to Bruce Lee Road and back on Coulter Pines Trails to parking lot.
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/waterfalls-of-mount-diablo-loop-trail
I have done it a couple years during spring time and there were plenty of wild flowers. Break at the top of some hill about mid point looking down on waterfall. The Mitchell Canyon Visitor Center is open on weekends and some holidays from 8 am to 4 pm.
Directions:
Meet at the Mitchell Canyon Visitor Center Parking Lot.
Mitchell Canyon Staging Area
96 Mitchell Canyon Road
Clayton, 94517
(no vehicle access to the Summit)
Vehicle Entrance Fee $6.00
Cash/Check OnlyThere are bathrooms at trail head.
Disclaimer: The South Bay Ramblers Hiking Group and its event organizers are not responsible for your safety. Outdoor activities are inherently dangerous. By signing up for these events, you agree to release the South Bay Ramblers Hiking Group and its event organizers from any responsibility, liability, or claim in law or in equity. If you don't agree to these terms, DO NOT join this meetup event. The South Bay Ramblers does not certify the expertise of its event organizers - we are all volunteers. You are responsible for yourself. Please come prepared with appropriate hiking shoes, gear and water.
- Cotoni-Coast Dairies National MonumentCement Plant Road, Davenport, CA
Very Special Treat!! Julie has arranged for us to hike at this new National Monument before it officially opens to the public. (Julie works for Sempervirens Fund, which led the campaign to designate the land a National Monument. You can read more about it here Cotoni-Coast Dairies. While no donation to Sempervirens is required to attend this hike, if you are not already a supporter, consider making one, they are a great organization!)
The hike will be about 7.5 miles and 1,000 feet of elevation from the parking lot to the 1st terrace along a serpentine trail that travels along the terrace, drops down into the redwoods and covers part of the upper redwood loop.
NOTE: There are no bathroom facilities at the trailhead. The nearest toilets are at Davenport Landing and Whale City Bakery, both in Davenport.
Meet at the Monument parking lot at Cement Plant Road and Warnell Truck Trail in Davenport. Park inside the gate or alongside the road. Please do NOT block the gate.
Driving Directions from Santa Cruz: Take CA-1/N. Mission towards Davenport. Turn right on Cement Plant Road off CA-1. The parking lot is within a gate and you will also see the Warnell Truck Trail from the road. If you find yourself near 1st, 2nd or 3rd Avenue, you are about a third of a mile south of the meeting location. Google coordinates are 37.02180, -122.2082. DON'T use the address the meetup map randomly assigned to this location, it doesn't have an address for mapping purposes.
