81,000 acres of magnificent oak-dotted grasslands are the home to Henry W. Coe State Park and its wealth of lakes, ponds and streams teeming with largemouth bass, sunfish, bluegill, trout, crappies and even catfish. Hooked? OK, how about over 250 miles of trails and hiking roads - vehicles are virtually prohibited. 22,000 acres are designated as wilderness, making Coe's eastern regions a place of solitude and beauty. Switchbacks are uncommon in this land acquired largely from ranchers, so there are some aggressive ascents and descents, but the old ranch roads make for great hiking and mountain biking, and for horseback riding, free from poison oak and safer from Rattlesnakes. The western ridges boast some gray pines and Ponderosa pines, and the creek routes offer Riparian foliage, but the rest is mostly chaparral, grasslands and oak woodlands.
Where is Henry W. Coe State Park? About twenty to thirty minutes east of Gilroy (via Gilroy Hot Springs Road, off Leavesley Road, via Coyote Reservoir/Park route) and Morgan Hill (via East Dunne Avenue). It's less than an hour east south east of San Jose, and one and one half hour from Monterey, California.
Mountain lions, bobcat, coyotes, golden eagles, black-tailed deer, raccoons, gray foxes, skunks and even wild pigs make Coe their home. More than 100 kinds of birds flit about the blue skies. The sound of wild turkeys twice awakened me, and I'm not referring to my backpacking buddies.
Summers can be brutally hot. Water is a must, and plenty of it. Include any of Coe's many lakes on your trek and you'll be fine. Carry a microbial water filter or tablets. Swimming is fantastic. Late spring and all fall make for the best times at Coe. I visited Coe in late May of 2001. I swam in Kelly Lake. I slept with only a fleece bag liner. Beware of ponds as water sources, as some shrink to a nearly stagnant state during summer.
Fishing: Try Frog Lake, Bass Pond, Mahoney Pond, Coit Lake, Mississippi Lake, Kelly Lake, Paradise Lake, Jackrabbit Lake or Kingbird Pond. Also, try the Middle Fork of Coyote Creek and the Lower Orestimba Creek.
Backpackers must pre-register and obtain a premit; camping sites are first come, first served. Fires are always prohibited (stoves are OK); camp where you wish, always obeying minimum impact rules. The fees are currently $1 per day, per person.
When you visit, even for day hiking, be sure to bring plenty of water, carry a map of the trails and bring your fishing license and gear. Check in at the main visitor center, if possible, especially on your first visit. There are maintained campgrounds near the main visitor center, and picnic areas, as well. You may contact the park and obtain a brochure and other information at:
Henry W. Coe State Park, PO Box 846, Morgan Hill, CA.
95038. (408) 779-2728 or FAX (408) 778-5749 or visit their Web site at www.coepark.org
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