• Mt Diablo State Park (map)
  • CA 94506
  • United States

2025 Nav-X GPS MAP TREK #1 @ Mt Diablo State park

Quick Info

  • Date: 2025, Wednesday, January 1 to Friday, February 28

  • Location: Mt Diablo State Park, south entrance, start at the Rock City Picnic Area

  • Courses: 2h & 4h GPS Map Trek

  • New 2025 Prices: $17 (2h) & $22 (4h); Juniors 50% off, Club members $2 off

  • Suggested Race Time: Sunday, Feb. 16 at 10am

Registrations are open for Nav-X 2025! The new season begins on the first day of the new year, with a GPS event on a brand new map in Mt Diablo State Park!

Notes about registration: An Orienteering USA membership is not required: instead, use the Enter Data Manually option instead.

If you are part of a team, everyone on your team (over 12 years of age) must register separately.

INTRODUCTION

  • We have set up a course with ~50 checkpoints on a new map in the Mt. Diablo SP, Rock City area near Danville, CA. Get as many checkpoints as you can in either 2 or 4 hours. 

  • Our suggested race time is Sunday, February 16 at 10am. Since this is not an official event, there will be no signage. There may or may not be a Nav-X staff member present (we are still working on options for map printing).

  • We will be using a Smartphone app named “MapRun” to record your visit to each checkpoint based on your GPS position. You can also use your Garmin watch running the MapRunG app.

EVENT INFORMATION

  • MAPRUN - Please see this page for instructions on how to use the MapRun smartphone app.  It’s important that you load the course while you still have Internet service.  Search for “2025 Nav -X GPS Map Trek Mt. Diablo SP” and pick the right course (2 hr or 4 hr). Or you can click one of the links provided above to load the course.

  • DIRECTIONS TO START: From I-680 in Danville, take exit 40A for El Cerro Blvd. heading east. Continue onto Diablo Rd (total 7.7 mi) and then turn left onto Mt Diablo Scenic Blvd, which becomes S Gate Rd, and follow for ~5 miles to the Rock City Picnic Area. The start/finish is just far enough from the parking area so that you don’t accidentally trigger it when you park. If the parking area is full, there are several more parking lots in the vicinity.

  • PARKING  - Day use parking passes ($10) can be purchased from the entrance station along S Gate Rd, ~ 1 mile before the parking area.

  • BATHROOMS - There is a full bathroom located near all the parking lots.

  • GEAR RECOMMENDATION - We recommend participants bring the following:

    • Smartphone - goes without saying since we are using an app for timing

    • Compass

    • Long pants or at least gaiters for the tall grass, brush, and poison oak

    • Snacks & Water, especially if you are on the 4-hr course

    • Whistle for safety

  • TRASH - While on the course, practice Leave No Trace (LNT) - bring all trash back to the parking area.

  • BE DISCREET - We don’t have a permit so try not to be too noticeable when entering or exiting off-trail areas.

MAP & COURSE NOTES

  • VENUE - Mt. Diablo SP is one of the most beautiful in the Bay Area. Rock City has lots of very interesting rock formations.

  • PROHIBITED AREAS: Residences, maintenance yards, etc. Observe the restricted areas (hashed purple lines on map).

  • TERRAIN - Mostly open grassland and manzanita areas. There are many interesting large rock outcrops in the Rock City area used for the start/finish.

  • MAP - The full map was created in Nov and Dec 2024. It has 5 meter contours, vegetation density (3 shades of green), cliffs, and water features based on high quality LIDAR data from 2018. Roads, trails, fences, and other features were added using Google Maps aerial imagery and Strava Global heatmap. Other features were added and adjusted during field checking but the map lacks most orienteering-level detail such as boulders, knolls, rootstocks, single trees, etc.

  • COURSE - The course was designed by Gavin Wyatt-Mair. There are xx checkpoints varying in point value from 10 to 100 points. The approximate straight-line distance to get them all is about xx km. Generally, higher value checkpoints are farther from the start, harder to find, or some combination of both.

  • START - The start area is shown on your map as a triangle and is just north of the Horseshoe Picnic Area. Do not approach the start until you are ready to go! Your GPS device will start you automatically and alert you by beeping once you are within ~15 meters of the spot. 

  • SCORING:  Just like our other events, each checkpoint has a point value reflecting the difficulty (higher point value for tougher checkpoints).  The point value is the “10 part” of the checkpoint code.  Examples:  33 = 30 points, 50 = 50 points, 88 = 80 points, etc. Late penalty is 10 points per minute or any part of a minute (1:01 late = -20 pts)

  • MARKERS - All checkpoints are marked with biodegradable ORANGE flagging with “Nav-X” written on it. Be aware though that as time goes by, animals and hikers may remove some of the flagging, so it is not guaranteed to be present. The start/finish does not have flagging because it is in a public place.

  • FINISH - the finish is marked on your map with a double circle and is located at the same place as the start. When you are within ~15 meters of the spot, your GPS device will register a finish. Do not approach the finish until you are ready to end your course. (Depending on the device, it may be possible to continue the course after this, for example if you approached the finish spot by accident. However, this might not work for you, so we recommend you don’t go near the finish until you are done.) Remember to upload your result after you finish (if it doesn’t happen automatically).

  • MAP PRINTING - You will need to print your own maps. We are providing a Zip file with the map documents in PDF format. We will also be including information on how you can have a large format preprinted map mailed to you (but that option is pricey at $20-25). You will receive a link to these files by email within 24 hrs after you register. The text checkpoint descriptions will be on the map.

IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTES

  • YOU ARE DOING THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK - WE TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY INJURIES OR DEATH.  HAZARDS INCLUDE STEEP HILLS, LOOSE ROCKS, CLIFFS, OCCASIONAL DENSE AND SHARP BRUSH, POISON OAK AND TICKS.

  • WHISTLE - Due to the self-serve format, you may be completely on your own when you run your course. Be aware of this! You should bring a whistle in case of an emergency.  

  • WATER -  Available at the Rock City bathroom near the start. It is recommended to bring all the water you need on the course with you.

  • POISON OAK - Abundant but dormant in the winter. Still necessary to take the proper precautions.

  • TICKS - are present and were seen during course setting.