Hike to the Waterfall

The Drive:

The hike starts at Regency Gate, which is all the way down the end of Regency Drive. To get there take 1-680 and take the exit for Ygnacio Valley Road. Turn right after the exit and follow Ynacio Valley Road for 7 miles. Turn right onto Clayton Road. Go three miles and turn right onto Regency Drive. Drive all the way to the end of the street and find parking along the sidewalk (Come early, as the day goes by more and more people line up along the street).

The Trails

 To begin, go to the gate below the guardrail to the left, and find the sign for Donner Canyon to Cardinet Oaks trail and follow it straight for approximately 1 mile (stay to the left on this flat part). After this you will see a marker to the left reading "Trail to Donner Cabin Site", follow this shaded trail over a small bridge and a shaded path through manzanita trees and other beautiful plants for approximately .5 mile.

Upon exiting the shaded trail find a marker for Meridean Ridge Road to Deer Flat. Turn to the right and follow the ridge till you see a marker to the left reading, "Middle Trail to Prospectors Gap Road" for 1.4 miles. Middle trail is the windiest trail of the entire hike,but it is worth the views of the peaks: Mount Olympia and North Peak to the left.

After winding through Middle trail, you will be greeted with a sign reading "Middle trail to Falls Trail, 1.34 mi". Continue going straight and stay on this trail for approximately 2.5 miles.

This trail is the longest yet most dazzling of all on this hike. Despite its windiness and distance, it is laden with many mini waterfalls moving along at high speeds (great for slow motion videos). This trail twists and turns, along the side of the mountain, and to the left are amazing views of the cities of Concord, Clayton, and even the bay in the distance.

Some landmarks you can take note of when approaching the end of the trail are: a very steep path to the right, a fairly large mini waterfall to the middle, and an enormous slab of rock to the left. One can chose either to climb the rocks the rocks on the left (I wouldn't recommend this, it is dangerous) or to climb up the mini waterfall and go up along the side of it till you reach the base of the magnificent waterfall .