Secret Valley Loop is a 6 mile loop trail located near Walnut Creek, California that features beautiful wild flowers. The trail is rated as moderate and offers a number of activity options. Horses are also able to use this trail.
kid friendly
hiking
horseback riding
mountain biking
walking
bird watching
running
views
wild flowers
wildlife
no dogs
This trail has numerous vistas of Mt. Diablo, much of the East Bay, and up into Napa Valley. Down in Secret Valley the trail gives a solid sense of what the early explorers and settlers experienced in this part of the state. One absolutely gets the feeling of traveling down one of the old stage roads. Portions of the trail are open to equestrian and mountain bikers.
Mitchell C.
Dont recommend parking on Regency Drive. Regency Dr is all restricted parking where you need permits. Clayton Police are actively ticketing non-residential parking violations on weekends and holidays. save your $ and support the State Park system by parking over at Mitchell Canyon for $6.
Great trail- NOT for beginners. The sign says that the trail is blue, but I would argue a blue/black. There are very steep sections with rocky terrain. Once you reach the top, there is a beautiful view of the valley and a fun, rocky downhill fire road. I went clockwise and I am not sure which way is better. The secret valley trail is single track that would be very fun to ride down by going counterclockwise.
Went for this amazing hike this morning. Fantastic trail. But if you are heading over there, please note that the Parking area is not open until 8:00am, also there is a $6 fee to park. If you get there earlier, you could park in the neighborhood, but it is frowned upon.
Cody Carroll recorded Secret Valley Loop
Beautiful hike with great views. Saw some tarantulas on the way!
Great trail for a running workout. The inclines are hard. There is hardly any shade. I would only recommend experienced runners to run the course if you choose to trail run.
Trail is great, the middle of the trail is very narrow but the rest is nice and wide. Amazing views!
The trail has breathtaking views of Mount Diablo and the whole area. We took a left in the first place, going down to the valley. The creek is beautiful and the vegetation exuberant. It seems that this path (going through the valley first) is better and quicker since there is just one big uphill. If we took a right at the beginning (an uphill to the top of the mountain), we would have two big uphills and just one downhill.
Beautiful trail, lots of wildlife sightings this morning, several deer, a ton of turkeys, coyotes, and of course some cows. Definitely be prepared to get your feet wet in a couple of the streams without big enough rocks to cross over on. Parking is $6 and you’ll need something to write with!
This is a lovely trail, particularly Barbeque Terrace. Highly recommended, particularly in the spring after the rains have dried up. Don’t forget exact change, six dollars, for parking.
Great hike, trail is drying out. I like this hike as a relatively quick, moderate effort yet one with great views from Wall Pt. Road.
Don’t forget to bring a pen! You will need it for parking!
Rebecca Anderson recorded Secret Valley Loop
Wait a few days after rain. Had to take off shoes to cross some streams. Some poison oak, be careful. Nice views though.
Lots of hills, cows and views! Mostly wide roads except for the “secret feeling” portion through the woods.
Hard if you are not in shape but the trail is in very good shape. Enjoyed the views!!
First mile (and last mile) really muddy - but loved the hike - great workout for the first 2+ miles and amazing views. Needed to cross 3 very small streams so shoes got a little wet
Southern and eastern aspects of loop are quite exposed. Late January and I found myself wishing for a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. That is, until coming down into the valley of the northern and western aspect of the loop (I journeyed counter clockwise) which is shady from the oaks, full of moths and birdsong, and has a few creeks running across. More muddy than I expected and finished within two hours at a strong pace.
Great hike! Great cardio! The first hour or so is just up up up. So if you’re not a regular hiker this will feel more like an extreme or strenuous hike instead of moderate. Great views! BBQ trail very nice and wooded. We have seen baby bob cats. Haven’t seen the mothers so be aware. Lots of mtn bikers. They go fast so just be looking ahead. Everyone is very respectful. Usually takes us 2:40 minutes to do.
Great hike!
Gorgeous views, plenty of variety, good mix of sun and shade. Kids loved finding the 'secret' valley. One edit - dogs are NOT allowed unfortunately. AllTrails marks it as pet friendly, but regrettably they have posted warning signs.
Beautiful trail, especially the "secret" part!
Beautiful the entire way! Up and down, lots of hills, but gorgeous! Do it!
Beautiful views and wildflowers. On the harder side of moderate; the climbs aren't too steep but they keep going for awhile. Wall Pt. side is exposed, secret valley and BBQ terrace portions are shady with small river crossings. We saw some wild turkeys and a fat rattle snake at the end of the hike. He was handsome but he rattled at me and my baby.
I loved this hike. Me and 2 friends did it today in about 4 hours, taking our time and enjoying the views. The views of the bay are amazing and the hike isn't overly hard. There are some good uphill portions, but there are plenty of level and downhill portions too. We probably added an extra 30-45 minutes by missing the turnaround point and walking about a half mile too far. This hike should take about 2-3 hours depending on your hiking level. I move about 2mph, stopping for breaks every mile or so, stopping for pictures, just enjoying the hike. Overall a nice half day hike, great views, and a nice variety of open wide paths along the ridge, mixed with narrow dirt paths under oak trees.
