Kovar Trail to Mt. Diablo-Briones Trail via Ridge Top Trail

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Kovar Trail to Mt. Diablo-Briones Trail via Ridge Top Trail

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Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 4.5 miles / 7.2 km
Duration: Half day

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Overview: Kovar, Ridge Top, and the Briones - Mt. Diablo trails are the heart of this trip from the western edge of Shell Ridge Park in Walnut Creek Open Space in Contra Costa County. This is a highly scenic, friendly feeling park that blends rugged and gentle terrain in one package, leading towards Mt. Diablo wildlands from this lesser used entrance.

This Guide covers an approximately 5 mile round trip loop: the open undulating hill views and level valley trails bring both challenging climbs and easy paths together in one venture. Views from the high Ridge Top Trail can be breathtaking, especially in a blanket of Spring greenery or Autumn gold.

Tips: This area can get quite hot in the Summertime, but is ideal for Spring, Fall, and mild Winter days. Carry plenty of water.

There is total climbing of about thirteen hundred feet with a maximum elevation around 800 feet, but up and down travel leads to the additional elevation gain total. Large sections of the uphill portions are moderate on this trip, but a few sections, particularly to the top of Ridge Top Trail, are quite steep and make this trip strenuous in part.

Numerous trails criss-cross through this open space, and some but not all are marked.

There is no entry charge or parking fee at this location.

Points of Interest

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Kovar Trailhead and Elevation Profile

At the Howe Homestead Park's small parking lot just off Walnut Blvd. in Walnut Creek, you'll find a trailhead for a path heading eastward towards Kovar Trail and Shell Ridge Open Space.

The Elevation Profile image attached shows this trail's elevation changes in feet over the course of this loop route - click to see it in a larger, sharper image. Numbers above the elevation profile line represent the rough location of each attached Point of Interest / TrailPhoto within the route.

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Oak Tree in the residential enclave

From the Howe Homestead Park trailhead you pass between a few residences by footpath. Continue up past a large building's parking lot, then behind a few more homes in a newer subdivison.

An open grassy stretch follows, slightly upwards. Spring blooms appear on a large Oak above the trail in this TrailPhoto POI, before you resume a steeper hillside ascent.

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The long view over Shell Ridge

As you continue your climb, you'll reach a small notch between two abutments of this hillside ridge. At this point, there is a ridgeline trail path to your right, but you won't take that. Instead, continue straight along the Kovar Trail. Near this junction at the top, a wide panorama of Shell Ridge and Mt. Diablo beyond appears ahead of you.

Shell Ridge with its wrinkled humps Photo

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Junction with the Briones - Mt. Diablo Regional Trail

Continue down through mixed woods on Kovar Trail, and cross over Lone Oak Trail.

Kovar continues a short distance more, reaching a junction near a small creek bed. Bear left at this point, and after another brief spell, go left again on the connector trail to the Briones - Mt. Diablo Trail junction, towards the school building you see in the valley floor.

The view shown in this TrailPhoto points southeast along the Briones - Mt. Diablo Trail. Do not head in that direction, but continue northwest towards the school building.

Looking S.E. down the Briones - Mt. Diablo Trail Photo

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The steep initial climb up to Ridge Top Trail

Pass a trailhead/parking area entrance on your left, and soon take a sharp turn back up a paved section of trail to the SE, or take the path parallel to it just to the north. Here your ascension of Shell Ridge begins alongside this steep paved portion. Past a water department facility, the trail becomes a footpath.

One of the first humped knobs of Shell Ridge is shown in this TrailPhoto with its windblown trees, seen after a challenging initial climb to reach the ridgeback of the Ridge Top Trail.

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Tree clinging to the grassy ridge side

The ridge trail begins to snake along the crest now in a narrow path framed by old boulders, up and down the ridge humps high up. A grand place to observe the world.

While soaking in the views all around, mind your step! Ridges appear almost wave-like, jumbled together with the grasses and tree at this TrailPhoto POI.

There are many spots on the ridge to stop and snack, stare off to the horizon, or just rest along your way.

One of the many far-ranging scenes along Shell Ridge Photo

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Waves of hillocks dominate the valley view

No need to hurry off the ridge, as each dip and turn brings more rewards from the views that come freely from this high perch.

Shell Ridge takes on richly appealing colors late in the day as twilight approaches. The effect is further enhanced by the varied topography and tree dotted hillsides. Traveling further over Ridge Top, the scenic bounty continues.

A stop for another vista into the valley below gives the scene at this next viewpoint of interest. At this angle, the nearby suburbs are barely visible, and wildness rules.

Rugged but bucolic defines the Shell Ridge expanse Photo

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Shell Ridge pointing towards Mt. Diablo

The final stretch of the Ridge Top Trail continues in a rolling fashion, with its narrow trail cutting through the grasses on the ridge. From here, you draw ever closer to Mt. Diablo, which looms majestically over the background in this TrailPhoto as the largest feature in the region.

After a few more dips and climbs beyond this viewpoint, a final descent drops steeply down a hillside to a pass cut through the ridgeline.

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Distant sunset from the Briones - Mt. Diablo Trail

At the bottom of the steep downhill end of the Ridge Top Trail, the Briones - Mt. Diablo Trail and Costanoan Trail meet. Turn right on the portion of the Briones - Mt. Diablo trail that bends back northwestward, doubling back below the Shell Ridge formation that you just descended. Continue along this valley floor.

On this valley trail, the richly hued sunset reaches its final burst in this TrailPhoto, leaving the surrounding hills in silhouette.

Continuing on the Briones - Mt. Diablo Trail, you'll soon pass by Fossil Hill Trail on your left. Stay on the Briones - Mt. Diablo Trail to the junction near the school. Retrace your original track back to Kovar Trail and the trailhead (easier to do in full daylight!)