Hollister offers one of the finest off-road venues in the
world
Hollister – Mike Stavro doesn’t break a sweat when he’s spinning the wheels of a donated luxury Sport Utility Vehicle trying to climb up a dusty, rock-strewn hill.
Its just another day at the office. But for Stavro, a ranger at Hollister Hills State Vehicular Recreation Area, the office is a Land Rover LR3 and his workplace is one of the most popular parks in the state for off-road driving.
The 3,200-acre state park attracts about 300,000 visitors annually and is considered “the Disneyland of off-highway riding,” according to Chief Ranger Jeff Gaffney. In addition to miles and miles of trails, the park offers camping, picnic areas, a practice Motocross track, an ATV track and a mini-bike track. Elevations ranging from 660 feet to 2,425 feet above sea level make Hollister Hills an ideal off-road park for both amateurs and professionals, Gaffney said.
Hollister Hills is divided into two sections. The 800-acre Upper Ranch is reserved for four-wheel drive vehicles, while the 2,400-acre Lower Ranch is for ATVs and dirt bikes. Visitors can spend the day spinning their wheels and kicking up dust in either section of the park for $5. But the majority of visitors spend the weekend at one the park’s several dozen camp grounds for $10 a night.
“It’s the cheapest fun you can have on two, three or four wheels,” veteran Hollister Hills Park Ranger Mike Stavro said.
Hollister Hills is also testing site for Land Rover North America and the proving grounds for Four Wheeler Magazine’s annual Top Truck Challenge.
And while only the best of best attempt Hollister Hills’ Tank Trap trail, the park has other trails for the novice and faint of heart, Gaffney said.
Although the majority of visitors spend their time on motorcycles and ATVs in the Lower Ranch, the Upper Ranch is becoming more and more popular.
“We’ve started to see a lot of 4x4s in the last few years, ever since SUVs became popular,” Gaffney said.
Off-road enthusiast Mike Matheson does both. The 52-year-old San Jose resident has been coming to Hollister Hills since the park opened in 1975. Matheson, depending on the season and his mood, will either bring his 1975 Toyota FJ40 or his Yamaha bike.
“I’m not one of those tear-em-up guys,” Matheson said. “I just like to go out there and enjoy the trails.”
Matheson, who visits the park about 20 times a year, said he keeps coming back because Hollister Hills is nearby and well-maintained.
“People come back again and again. They love it,” Stavro said. “It’s a family sport. We have families that come here, raise their kids here and then their kids grow up and bring their own family here. It’s awesome.”
Hollister Hills, the first of six State Vehicular Recreation Areas in California, was bought by the state in 1975 from local rancher Howard Harris, who built the majority of the park’s trails and operated it privately for many years, Stavro said. The state opened the park to the public on Oct. 1, 1975 and it is paid for largely by gas taxes.
