Trails advocacy for better trails and greater access is a marathon, not a sprint. Even with improved collaboration between land managers and trail organizations, the regulatory process can take years. These processes often move slower than the public desires, and this frustration sometimes leads to individuals building their own, unsanctioned, bike-optimized trails. To provide more context on this important topic, we are sharing a relevant article “Do Unsanctioned Trails Hurt Mountain Biking?”originally published by Portland-based Trail Builder Magazine.

We are proud to release our latest Impact Report, showcasing the dedicated community and meaningful impact of the Shared Stewardship model, which recently eclipsed important mileposts: 1) 1,000+ volunteers powering Dig Days, and 2) more than 11 miles of trails serviced by Dig Days. See pages 4-7 of the Impact Report for updated trail maps and the Shared Stewardship data sheet. Trails serviced by Dig Days are highlighted by yellow air brushing. The next big milepost will be 6,000+ hours logged by the amazing Dig Day volunteers, who are helping make the trails at Mount Diablo State Park more accessible, sustainable and preservation focused.

On Saturday, January 10, sixty-four (64) volunteers came together for the Mothers Trail Dig Day at Mount Diablo State Park. It was a breakout performance, as the volunteers overcame complex, challenging trail conditions more suited for servicing by heavy machinery. Mothers Trail was serviced by a broad coalition of community volunteers, and more than 30% of the volunteer base was comprised of Minors.

Mount Diablo Trails Alliance is proud to announce the inaugural cohort of our Student Ambassadors Program, providing leadership, community service, and trail access advocacy learning opportunities for tomorrow’s leaders. Through June 2026, the Student Ambassadors will gain valuable experience through: promoting stewardship and access advocacy events, volunteering at Dig Day trail events, and participating in nonprofit and stakeholder-focused meetings to discuss long-term conservation and recreation goals.

Mount Diablo Trails Alliance (MDTA) is proud to launch our Responsible Recreation education advocacy program. In the coming months, we look forward to meeting you on the trails with pop-up events and trail user engagement to reinforce the importance of respecting the gift of the trails. Trails provide a safe place for connecting to nature, supporting conservation, fitness and renewal-based activities like hiking, biking, running, and horseback riding, as well as landscape, wildflower and wildlife photography.

Mount Diablo Trails Alliance (MDTA) is proud to announce Trails 2035 - our community-focused strategic plan designed to achieve Better Trails | Greater Access for all trail user groups at Mount Diablo State Park. To be successful, Trails 2035 requires a vital fundraising drive powered by charitable donations from people like you. Act Now! Support Our Trails 2035 Strategic Plan in Two Ways: Sign the Petition and Donate. Trails 2035 goals are based on fulfilling the policy recommendations of the 2016 Road and Trail Management Plan (RTMP) for Mount Diablo State Park.

On Saturday, November 15, Mount Diablo Trails Alliance (MDTA) in partnership with California State Parks (CSP) supported another successful Dig Day at Mount Diablo State Park. With little advance notice, 53 amazing volunteers of all ages and backgrounds participated at the Devil’s Slide Dig Day, making the trail more accessible and durable for years to come. CSP plans to announce the remainder of Dig Day Season Three’s schedule by December 1. There will be one Dig Day held per month in January, February, March and April 2026. Join us. You will make a difference.

Mount Diablo Trails Alliance (MDTA) is proud to announce that the first California State Parks (CSP) Dig Day of Season Three at Mount Diablo State Park will be held on Saturday, November 15. The eventbrite-powered registration will open on MDTA’s website by the end of the month. The serviced trail will be the upper portion of Devil’s Slide Trail (near Knobcone Road), which is an important connector trail near Rock City.

California State Parks (CSP) has opened the Public Comments survey link for the Alameda Tesla Project. This important survey closes on October 31, 2025. Your Action is Needed: Please take 5 minutes to complete the survey. Your input will help shape the future of Alameda Tesla and set a precedent for recreation access across the state park system. MDTA provides important talking points and topics in this blog post.

California State Parks (CSP) is hosting workshops on Saturday, September 20 (in person) and Tuesday, September 30 (virtual). CSP will outline the draft vision statement for the classification process of the Alameda Tesla property and two concept alternatives. A public comment session will be part of both workshops. We invite you to attend one of these two workshops to voice your opinion about the classification of the property. Special interest groups want to make this future park unit a Reserve, which could restrict or limit access for a lot of recreational users (e.g., off-road cyclists and equestrians).

Mount Diablo Trails Alliance is now a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donate today. You will make a difference, helping ensure that the Shared Stewardship model can be both sustainable and impactful for years to come.

MDTA is launching the Student Ambassador Program to give students a greater voice related to the trails and recreation opportunities, while providing opportunities to develop their leadership, problem solving and collaboration skills. Applications must be received no later than Saturday, August 30th at 7:00PM.

We are proud to share this Summer 2025 Impact Report, which showcases our dedicated, fast-growing community’s positive impact helping California State Parks implement the trail-related goals of the 2016 Road and Trail Management Plan (RTMP) for Mount Diablo. Join us this Fall 2025 for Dig Days Season Three. You will make a difference.

On Friday, May 2, an amazing group of 28 Volunteers overcame hardened soil and very tall grasses to conduct trail maintenance on Buckeye Trail to close out Dig Days Season Two. Due to these challenging soil conditions, the project was reduced to 0.3 miles from 0.6 miles, but the volunteers did not back down. The final product was another high-quality contribution to the Shared Stewardship’s long-term goals of Safer Trails and Greater Access.

On Saturday, March 22, more than 70 Volunteers delivered a herculean effort to conduct trail maintenance across three miles of Oyster Point Trail. All goals were achieved, helping facilitate a safer, better trail experience for park visitors who explore the spectacular southern territory of Mount Diablo State Park. 78% of the Dig Day volunteers identified as Hikers or Trail Runners. The other 22% were MTB or Gravel Cyclists. To achieve that strong showing across major trail user groups, many important organizations supported the Dig Day.

There has been a trail location change for the March 22nd Dig Day. The new trail location is Oyster Point Trail. The check-in and staging/parking areas are unchanged: the last, large pull-out on Finley Road. Protected species and plants have been observed at the originally-planned trail location, requiring evaluation of enhanced environmentally-sensitive preparations before any trail work can be conducted in the future. Thank you for your cooperation and support.