Black Diamond Mines

Black Diamond Mines

Click here for more info

	Black Diamond Mines
Location:	California - Bay Area
Nearest Town:	Antioch
Directions to Trailhead:	Highway 4 to Somersville Rd. South exit, go approx 4 miles into the hills.
Trail Description:	Several different styles of trails including "The Wall" The park system is too large to really get deep into it. There is a trail for every type of rider. I am an intermediate rider and love the trails in the spring and fall. Summers are too damn hot and dry. Winter the roads are destroyed by cattle. The trails are mostly clay and we just love cleaning that crap off our bikes! You also can go Black diamonds over a ridge and go thru Clayton to get to the ultimate climb Mitchell Canyon!
Trail Length:	5-20 miles with loops
Trail Type:	Singletrack & Fire Roads
Skill Level:	Advanced
Submitted By:	Dave "Guido"

Joseph from Oalkey CA Date: November 18, 2002 Trail Ridden: Once a week
Recommended Route: If you would like a little more technical ridding try upper oil caynon to single track back to base of the "wall" Other recommended trails in the same area: Rockville, morgan territory,
Review: Enter park no the contra loma side. Ride up stewertville-easy climb good warm up. Then follow to upper oil caynon climb to the top. Brisk climb if your in shape middle chainring. At the top hop the fence to find the greasy devil trail. Ride along the side of the hill through the trees, then some steep tight sections. Worth the climb. Trail dumps you onto a fire road that connects to stewertville trail at the base of the "wall". Then climb up "the wall" to miners trail single track and bomb back down. Good for intermedate or advanced riders.	Overall Rating:

Darryl from Oakley Date: October 23, 2002 Trail Ridden: Once a month
Recommended Route: Accend Upper Oil Canyon, and descend Lower Oil Canyon. Other recommended trails in the same area: Black star mine. Go to the end of the fire trail and down the single track into the valley.
Review: 20 min. of up hill climb, and a great single track descent through tight switch backs, low trees. Go early to miss the hikers.	Overall Rating:

Jari from Antioch Date: June 5, 2002 Trail Ridden: Once a month
Recommended Route: I prefer to start this ride from frederickson ln parking and follow stewartsville trail left by the camp to go to overlook trail than descend back to wall and finish descent from the ridge. Other recommended trails in the same area:
Review: Spectacular and scenic in the spring with green ocean of grass, rolling hills, perfect workout and hardly anyone there.	Overall Rating:

Paul from East Bay, CA Date: July 13, 2001 Trail Ridden: Every few months
Recommended Route: Other recommended trails in the same area:
Review: I wouldn't call this ride at all advanced. Not technical at all, except for the Corcoran Mine trail, which can be scary. Still, I really like this ride. Long hard climbs and long, really fast descending - it's fun to do it for something different every once in a while.	Overall Rating:

Larry from Sacramento Date: June 14, 2001 Trail Ridden: Ridden Once
Recommended Route: Up to the top and to the right. Around the loop to the ridge trail back. Other recommended trails in the same area:
Review: The overall technical challenge wasn't much. Long climbs and then flying down hill on smooth fire roads. It was nice because no one else was out there but a little boring. It would be a good training ride for endurance but that's about it.	Overall Rating:

Brian from Stockton,CA Date: December 24, 2000 Trail Ridden: Once a month
Recommended Route: From the last parking lot go up the road then veer off to the left & start climbing. Its all fireroad & not super steep, but still a good workout. At about .7 miles you reach a "T" go left up one last hill, its not bad but gets steep near the top. Now start the downhill....stay to the right, but on the main fireroad, you can take the singletrack after the pond to the right (but its illegal...keep going & blaze through the turns all the way till the bottom "T". Then turn right & drop in the valley...follow it until it reaches the "wall" at the end of the park turn right and climb your but off....straight up for a mile...then your back at the first "T" turn left & go down to the car...if the wind is right you can reach 40+MPH on the downhill!!! 6.8 miles from parking lot to parking lot. Other recommended trails in the same area: Rockville is a blast, so is skyline in napa
Review: This is a great training ride...lots of climbing & high speed descents, not really techinical but fast.	Overall Rating:

Mike from Antioch, CA, USA Date: November 20, 2000 Trail Ridden: Once a week
Recommended Route: My favorite is Stewartville, Nortonville, Black Diamond, Nortonville, Stewartville, Ridge loop and throw in some trails in the "doughnut hole" and Contra Loma. Ride over to Clayton for extra credit. Other recommended trails in the same area: Morgan Territory, Contra Loma, Mt. Diablo, Briones, Round Valley.
Review: As the other gentlemen said. I wouldn't say it was an advanced place to ride. Technically not difficult (exc. Corcoran Mines), physically reasonably difficult. You can get an excellent workout. There are a couple of trails which are un-cleanable. I ride there a lot as I live only 2.5 mi. away. Summers can be hot, so I am out riding at 7 AM.	Overall Rating: