It might qualify as the most under-appreciated recreational amenity readily available to Northern San Joaquin Valley residents.

“It” is the largest concentration of accessible hiking trails that are closest to Manteca, Oakdale, Lathrop, Turlock, Ripon, and Escalon.

Between Diablo State Park and roughly 50 regional parks and watersheds there are more than 700 miles of hiking trails over a regional open space system of 160 square miles in the California Coastal subrange north of Altamont Pass to Suisun Bay.

The west-east boundaries are roughing Interstate 680 and the Byron Highway.

The goal is one day to have a “grand” Diablo Loop trail of almost 70 miles that would cross south of the Altamont Pass and connect with other trail systems in the Diablo Range.

Those trail systems include Del Valle Regional Park, the Ohlone Wilderness, and Henry Coe State Park to make a few.

That could also one day include the 50,000 acre N3 Ranch the state acquired several years ago in the Diablo Range 20 miles southeast of Manteca as the drone flies.

For now, there are a number of trail systems you can access from the Central Valley side of the Diablo Range without dealing with Bay Area congestion.

Trailheads that can be reached within 45 to 60 minutes from Manteca include:

*Los Vaqueros Reservoir watershed.

*Round Valley Regional Preserve

*Morgan Territory Regional Preserve.

*Mt. Diablo State Park.

All are accessible to hikers with most trails open to mountain bikers and horses.

The terrain ranges from gently rolling to Mt. Olympia — one of the most challenging sustained steep climbs in the East Bay.

Basically, there is something for everybody.

And there is no better time to enjoy the trails than from mid-fall to mid-spring.

There’s nothing wrong with late spring to early fall but it can get hot — real hot.

That said, it goes without saying each season offers its own charms.

All four at one point are interconnected by trails.

The two regional preserves have no access costs, the watershed does, and Mt. Diablo does — but not from the eastern side.

It’s because all access points from Marsh Creek Road are walk-in affairs.

That said all four hiking areas have set hours of use and access.

The quickest access to the four hiking/mountain biking areas is out of Tracy via Byron Road that takes you past Mountain House.

Earlier this month, I did a series of day hikes.

It was the first time to Morgan Territory and Round Valley. It was the third time to Los Vaqueros where fishing enthusiasts flock to the north side.

And it was the 20th time to Mt. Diablo, and the sixth loop trip specifically to Mt. Olympia coming from the east.

Mt. Diablo is an incredible go-to spot for people pursuing outdoor interests whether it is hiking or simply driving to the observation area at the 3,849-foot summit via the South Gate entrance out of Blackhawk to take in the unparalleled 360 degrees Bay Area/Central Valley vista.

It is also a favorite of racing bicycle (roadies) enthusiasts that crave a long, steady, and sustained quad punishing climb pushing 13 miles ending with an exhilarating descent back the way you came.

Unlike the other three areas mentioned, Mt. Diablo offers by far the most abundance wildlife and fauna.

I’ve seen bobcats, a gray fox, plenty of Coastal black-tailed deer, endless hawks, and rattlesnakes to name a few but never the tarantulas that are the subject of an annual festival.

The variety is a draw for me but not as much as a chance to tackle a three to five hour hike that will give me lengthy doses of solitude, get the heart pumping, and clear my lungs without having to invest in a two to three hour one-way drive to sports in the Sierra.

Hiking Mt. Olympia from the back side is my favorite among all the hikes in the four locations.

*You rarely into others. Last week, the only person all day was a trail runner at the summit.

*It is a challenge that gives me a bit of a workout even though sometimes these days it seems I’m moving kind of slow like Uncle Joe of the 1960s TV sitcom “Petticoat Junction” fame.

*You can hear yourself think when you pause to check out fauna and such.

*The view from the top of what is essentially your own back yard in the Delta and Central Valley helps put things in  perspective.

I start at a turnout at Call Box 26 on Marsh Creek Road that allows you access to the Sharkey Road trail via walk-in gate.

The six-mile round trip hike to the 2,964-foot Mt. Olympia summit features 2,000 feet plus of net elevation gain.

It’s not even gains but once you get to points where you are really climbing, the average grade is about 20 percent.

There are extremely short spots where it approaches 30 percent.

Nothing really dangerous about the hike per se even with the trail being very narrow in spots.

Good footwear for hiking is a must. As for hiking poles, personally I never leave home without them.

Round Valley hikes are the exact opposite of Mt. Diablo hikes originating from the east.

The entrance is right off of Marsh Creek Road.

It has varied terrain just like the other three hiking area options, although there is more in the “gentle” category.

It is the one most popular with horseback riders.

The 2,191-acre preserve contains non-native grassland, oak woodland/savannah, shrubland and riparian woodland plant communities.

The steep, northeastern-facing slopes in the southwestern portion of the preserve support mixed oak woodland and chamise/black sage/manzanita chaparral.  

Morgan Territory, by contrast, is a nine-mile drive off of Marsh Creek Road via its namesake road including the last four or so miles by a narrow one-lane road.

The late fall drive through the one-lane portion at mid-morning last week was stunning.

There was a tree canopy virtually non-stop to the park’s entrance.

The crowd factor was close to Mt. Olympia.

I encountered two other hikers.

I’m told, however, on weekends the numbers jump.

The hike I took allowed me a detour into the Los Vaqueros watershed as well as unique views of Mt. Diablo and North Peak.

Sandstone hills within Morgan Territory’s 5,323 acres are adorned in spring with more than 90 species of wildflowers, including the Diablo sunflower, which grows only in the foothills of Mount Diablo.

Deer, coyote and even the elusive mountain lion may be seen here, and a variety of raptors frequently soar overhead.

Expansive ridgetop views reveal Mount Diablo to the west, Mount St. Helena to the north and the snow-covered Sierra to the east. Lowland valleys cradle the headwaters of Marsh Creek.

For more information on the recreational opportunities offered by the four area go to

*ebparks.org/parks/round-valley

*ebparks.org/parks/morgan-territory

*ccwater.com/150/Hiking-and-Trails

*parks.ca.gov (and search Mt. Diablo)

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com

It might qualify as the most under-appreciated recreational amenity readily available to Northern San Joaquin Valley residents.

“It” is the largest concentration of accessible hiking trails that are closest to Manteca, Oakdale, Lathrop, Turlock, Ripon, and Escalon.

Between Diablo State Park and roughly 50 regional parks and watersheds there are more than 700 miles of hiking trails over a regional open space system of 160 square miles in the California Coastal subrange north of Altamont Pass to Suisun Bay.

The west-east boundaries are roughing Interstate 680 and the Byron Highway.

The goal is one day to have a “grand” Diablo Loop trail of almost 70 miles that would cross south of the Altamont Pass and connect with other trail systems in the Diablo Range.

Those trail systems include Del Valle Regional Park, the Ohlone Wilderness, and Henry Coe State Park to make a few.

That could also one day include the 50,000 acre N3 Ranch the state acquired several years ago in the Diablo Range 20 miles southeast of Manteca as the drone flies.

For now, there are a number of trail systems you can access from the Central Valley side of the Diablo Range without dealing with Bay Area congestion.

Trailheads that can be reached within 45 to 60 minutes from Manteca include:

*Los Vaqueros Reservoir watershed.

*Round Valley Regional Preserve

*Morgan Territory Regional Preserve.

*Mt. Diablo State Park.

All are accessible to hikers with most trails open to mountain bikers and horses.

The terrain ranges from gently rolling to Mt. Olympia — one of the most challenging sustained steep climbs in the East Bay.

Basically, there is something for everybody.

And there is no better time to enjoy the trails than from mid-fall to mid-spring.

There’s nothing wrong with late spring to early fall but it can get hot — real hot.

That said, it goes without saying each season offers its own charms.

All four at one point are interconnected by trails.

The two regional preserves have no access costs, the watershed does, and Mt. Diablo does — but not from the eastern side.

It’s because all access points from Marsh Creek Road are walk-in affairs.

That said all four hiking areas have set hours of use and access.

The quickest access to the four hiking/mountain biking areas is out of Tracy via Byron Road that takes you past Mountain House.

Earlier this month, I did a series of day hikes.

It was the first time to Morgan Territory and Round Valley. It was the third time to Los Vaqueros where fishing enthusiasts flock to the north side.

And it was the 20th time to Mt. Diablo, and the sixth loop trip specifically to Mt. Olympia coming from the east.

Mt. Diablo is an incredible go-to spot for people pursuing outdoor interests whether it is hiking or simply driving to the observation area at the 3,849-foot summit via the South Gate entrance out of Blackhawk to take in the unparalleled 360 degrees Bay Area/Central Valley vista.

It is also a favorite of racing bicycle (roadies) enthusiasts that crave a long, steady, and sustained quad punishing climb pushing 13 miles ending with an exhilarating descent back the way you came.

Unlike the other three areas mentioned, Mt. Diablo offers by far the most abundance wildlife and fauna.

I’ve seen bobcats, a gray fox, plenty of Coastal black-tailed deer, endless hawks, and rattlesnakes to name a few but never the tarantulas that are the subject of an annual festival.

The variety is a draw for me but not as much as a chance to tackle a three to five hour hike that will give me lengthy doses of solitude, get the heart pumping, and clear my lungs without having to invest in a two to three hour one-way drive to sports in the Sierra.

Hiking Mt. Olympia from the back side is my favorite among all the hikes in the four locations.

*You rarely into others. Last week, the only person all day was a trail runner at the summit.

*It is a challenge that gives me a bit of a workout even though sometimes these days it seems I’m moving kind of slow like Uncle Joe of the 1960s TV sitcom “Petticoat Junction” fame.

*You can hear yourself think when you pause to check out fauna and such.

*The view from the top of what is essentially your own back yard in the Delta and Central Valley helps put things in  perspective.

I start at a turnout at Call Box 26 on Marsh Creek Road that allows you access to the Sharkey Road trail via walk-in gate.

The six-mile round trip hike to the 2,964-foot Mt. Olympia summit features 2,000 feet plus of net elevation gain.

It’s not even gains but once you get to points where you are really climbing, the average grade is about 20 percent.

There are extremely short spots where it approaches 30 percent.

Nothing really dangerous about the hike per se even with the trail being very narrow in spots.

Good footwear for hiking is a must. As for hiking poles, personally I never leave home without them.

Round Valley hikes are the exact opposite of Mt. Diablo hikes originating from the east.

The entrance is right off of Marsh Creek Road.

It has varied terrain just like the other three hiking area options, although there is more in the “gentle” category.

It is the one most popular with horseback riders.

The 2,191-acre preserve contains non-native grassland, oak woodland/savannah, shrubland and riparian woodland plant communities.

The steep, northeastern-facing slopes in the southwestern portion of the preserve support mixed oak woodland and chamise/black sage/manzanita chaparral.  

Morgan Territory, by contrast, is a nine-mile drive off of Marsh Creek Road via its namesake road including the last four or so miles by a narrow one-lane road.

The late fall drive through the one-lane portion at mid-morning last week was stunning.

There was a tree canopy virtually non-stop to the park’s entrance.

The crowd factor was close to Mt. Olympia.

I encountered two other hikers.

I’m told, however, on weekends the numbers jump.

The hike I took allowed me a detour into the Los Vaqueros watershed as well as unique views of Mt. Diablo and North Peak.

Sandstone hills within Morgan Territory’s 5,323 acres are adorned in spring with more than 90 species of wildflowers, including the Diablo sunflower, which grows only in the foothills of Mount Diablo.

Deer, coyote and even the elusive mountain lion may be seen here, and a variety of raptors frequently soar overhead.

Expansive ridgetop views reveal Mount Diablo to the west, Mount St. Helena to the north and the snow-covered Sierra to the east. Lowland valleys cradle the headwaters of Marsh Creek.

For more information on the recreational opportunities offered by the four area go to

*ebparks.org/parks/round-valley

*ebparks.org/parks/morgan-territory

*ccwater.com/150/Hiking-and-Trails

*parks.ca.gov (and search Mt. Diablo)

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com