101 Hikes in Northern California. Matt Heid
route follows a series of more gradual trails down the flanks of Wasno Ridge. The open terrain of oak woodland and chaparral provides excellent views throughout. Bass and crappie are abundant in both lakes for anglers. Water is usually available from Coyote Creek at the trailhead, and from several springs and ponds en route (a filter is strongly recommended). The hike can be completed year-round (Kelly and Coit lakes are reliable water sources), but the baking heat, shadeless slopes, and increasingly funky water make this a less attractive option in summer and fall.
To Reach the Trailhead Take the Leavesley Rd. exit from Hwy. 101 in Gilroy and follow it 1.8 miles east to New Ave. Turn left, follow New Ave. 0.6 mile to Roop Rd., and turn right. Follow Roop Rd., which becomes Gilroy Hot Springs Rd. and reaches Coyote Creek County Park on the left in 3 miles. You pass Hunting Hollow Trailhead 3 miles later on the right and reach the Coyote Creek Trailhead 1.7 miles farther at a bridge. There is an $8 day-use fee.
Above the Coyote Creek watershed
Description From the trailhead (0.0/940'), begin down wide Coit Rd. The route initially parallels the creek and quickly meets Grizzly Gulch Trail (your return route) on the right (0.1/960'). Continue on Coit Rd. as it begins a slow climb, passes a fenced cattle-loading enclosure, and encounters large, big-berry manzanita shortly before reaching a high point. You descend briefly past valley oak and a giant rusting water tank to reach Anza Trail on the right (1.0/1,090'), where an interpretive sign highlights the 1775–76 Spanish expedition. Nearby Woodchopper Spring is a dependable water source for much of the year.
Turn uphill on Anza Trail, following the singletrack path as it passes beneath bay trees and coast live oaks and switchbacks upward to reach Cullen Trail on the right (1.6/1,440'). Bear left to remain on Anza Trail, which now traverses open slopes flush with spring wildflowers to reach the junction with Jackson Trail (1.9/1,560')—turn right to head toward Kelly Lake.
Views expand as you ascend Jackson Trail. Looking north, Pine Ridge and the main park entrance area (Hike 10) are visible 6 miles away—the tall and distinctive ponderosa pines that give the ridge its name can be identified on clear days. Beyond, Lick Observatory can be spotted atop Mount Hamilton (4,213'). As the trail attains the Wasno ridgeline, views reach as far south as 3,171-foot Fremont Peak (Hike 8) and beyond to the Santa Lucia Range of Big Sur.
The trail passes two small ponds and reaches the junction for seasonally dribbling Elderberry Spring (3.3/2,360'), widening to become Jackson Rd. Hugging the ridgeline, the route passes a four-way junction for Rock Tower Trail (3.7/2,520') shortly before attaining the ridge’s highest point (2,676'). Jackson Rd. now begins a slow descent past hidden Spring Trail on the left (4.2/2,630'), then banks sharply left to reach Wasno Rd. (4.7/2,420'). Turn right and briefly follow the road to Kelly Lake Trail on the left (4.9/2,420').
Follow Kelly Lake Trail as it undulates through pleasant blue oak woodlands, then plummets down shadier slopes. The lake itself remains hidden from view until the very end, when the trail deposits you on the dam enclosing the northern shore. Steep and brushy slopes make accessing the lake difficult; try the area above the lake’s south end.
Continuing on to Coit Lake, the route bears left at the northern end of the dam and then turns right on wide Coit Rd. by an outhouse (5.9/1,880'). Coit Rd. climbs through a lush environment of oaks, bay trees, and buckeye and then traverses across more open chaparral slopes. You crest Willow Ridge between Kelly and Coit Lakes at a four-way junction with Willow Ridge Rd. (6.7/2,240'). From this point, you can look east across land singed by the 2007 Lick Fire. Continue straight on Coit Rd. as it descends to Coit Lake’s reedy southern shore (7.0/2,080').
After savoring Coit Lake, retrace your steps back to Kelly Lake Trail and its junction with Wasno Rd. (9.1/2,420'). Bear left on Wasno Rd. and then quickly turn right on Dexter Trail (9.3/2,420'), which descends through open blue oak woodlands and then drops steeply to reach the unsigned junction with Grizzly Gulch Trail (9.9/1,940'). Turn right on Grizzly Gulch Trail, traversing a moist creek gully and contouring across shady slopes to pass Rock Tower Trail on the right (10.9/1,740').
From here, Grizzly Gulch Trail descends above a narrow creek gully, where the moist environment nourishes lush valley oak, buckeye, and madrone. As you approach the canyon bottom, you pass the junction for indistinct Cullen Trail on the right (11.4/1,270'). After crossing Grizzly Gulch Creek, the trail ascends and contours the slopes, passing Spike Jones Trail on the left (12.1/1,060') and returning to Coit Rd. (12.3/960'). Turn left to return to the trailhead (12.4/940').
Contemplate Coe.
Nearest Visitor Center A self-service station at Hunting Hollow Trailhead is occasionally staffed on weekends. The main visitor center, 408-779-2728, is located at the park entrance at the end of East Dunne Ave. in Morgan Hill, a long drive from this trailhead. It is open Friday–Sunday 8 a.m.–4 p.m. year-round, with later hours during busy periods in spring and summer, and is open sporadically Monday–Thursday.
Backpacking Information A backcountry permit is required and can be obtained at the Hunting Hollow Trailhead. There is a permit fee of $5 per person per night and a parking fee of $8 per vehicle per night. Camping is prohibited within a half mile of the trailhead but is permitted everywhere else along this hike. Campfires are prohibited. A few established sites and outhouses can be found around Coit and Kelly Lakes. The park recommends leaving your vehicle at Hunting Hollow Trailhead; vandalism and theft have been reported at Coyote Creek.
Nearest Campground Coyote Lake–Harvey Bear Ranch County Park (73 sites, $24) is 5 miles from the trailhead on Gilroy Hot Springs Rd.; call 408-355-4201 for reservations or visit parkhere.org.
Additional Information www.parks.ca.gov, coepark.net
HIKE 10 Coyote Creek
Highlights Deep canyons and oak woodlands in Northern California’s largest state park
Distance 12.1 miles
Total Elevation Gain/Loss 2,500'/2,500'
Hiking Time 6–10 hours
Agency Henry W. Coe State Park
Recommended Maps Henry W. Coe State Park Trail and Camping Map by Pine Ridge Association, USGS 7.5-min. Mount Sizer, Mississippi Creek
Best Times February–May
Difficulty
HERE ARE GENTLE RIDGETOPS, steep canyons, gurgling creeks, 700 different plants, 137 species of birds, a radiant profusion of spring wildflowers, and immortal words etched on the monument to Henry W. Coe—“May these quiet hills bring peace to the souls of those who are seeking.”
The largest state park in Northern California, Henry W. Coe State Park encompasses 85,000 acres (more than 130 square miles) and protects a diversity of plant and animal life, including coyotes, bobcats, foxes, black-tailed deer, feral pigs, mountain lions, and abundant birdlife. Complete checklists are available at the visitor center.
In September 2007, a large wildfire scorched 40,000 acres within Henry Coe, including most of the park’s eastern half. Known as the Lick Fire, the conflagration reached the northern edge of this hike; evidence of the blaze is readily apparent today in several spots. The damage was not cataclysmic—most of the park’s oak trees survived the blaze—but trails and large swaths of the landscape were significantly affected in