Hikers in this area have many options to choose
– from oaks to redwoods to meadows to streams and rivers.
Whether you are interested in taking an extended lunch break or
taking a backpacking trip, you will find what you are looking for a
short drive away. From easy to difficult, the area has it all.
Hikers in this area have many options to choose – from oaks to redwoods to meadows to streams and rivers. Whether you are interested in taking an extended lunch break or taking a backpacking trip, you will find what you are looking for a short drive away. From easy to difficult, the area has it all.
Pinnacles
One of the top places for people to hike is the Pinnacles National Monument located 45 minutes south of Hollister. With more than 30 miles of trails in 24,000 acres, Pinnacles offers hikes for all ability levels. The East District and the West District have different appeals. Both sides have flat open wilderness sections to hike through.
The more popular west side has a pair of hikes that rise 1,600 feet, but give the hiker great views. On the east side is the Famous Balconies Cave that hikers are urged to carry a flashlight through.
The Pinnacles also offers several moonlight hikes throughout the year. Park rangers encourage people to leave all cell phones behind to enjoy the serenity of the wilderness silence.
Henry Coe Park
Henry Coe State Park offers more than 250 miles of trails in more than 87,000 acres. There is always something new to explore on the trails and old ranch roads. Hikers can stroll through the mile and a half courses or venture out with backpacks on the loops of 50 miles. These trails, which go through some of the most rugged areas of the park, also are some of the most demanding.
There are two entrances to the park – the main entrance (off East Dunne in Morgan Hill) and one at Hunting Hollow (off Hot Springs Road). The Hunting Hollow section has hikes ranging from 7 to 11 miles around Grizzly Gulch. The main entrance has several shorter hikes.
Fremont Peak
Hikers that drive to the more than 3,100-foot high Fremont Peak State Park 11 miles south of San Juan Bautista are rewarded by breathtaking views of the valley. On a clear day, one can even see all the way to the ocean. It is also possible to see the Sierra Nevada Mountains on a cloudless day. There are four miles of moderate hiking around the area. Many amateur star gazers come up to take advantage of the nighttime viewing of the starlit sky.
• Uvas Canyon County Park
Uvas Canyon County Park, in the Santa Cruz Mountains west of Morgan Hill, offers 1,200 acres of wooded areas for hikers to explore. There are seven miles of moderate hiking trails. Hikers can walk the Waterfall Loop along Swanson Creek past several waterfalls.
• Hollister Hills
Located in the Gabilan Mountains, Hollister Hills State Vehicular Recreation Area in San Benito County offers some great hikes through hills and overhanging oaks. The 800-acre Upper Ranch area has about 24 miles of trails, and the 2,400-acre Lower Ranch has 64 miles of trails, including several hill climbs.
• Anderson Lake
Anderson Lake Park just east of Morgan Hill features several multi-use paths following Coyote Creek north for 15 miles to Coyote-Hellyer County Park in south San Jose. The pathes are flat and are relatively easy treks. Many of the trails in the 2,365-acre park wind under Highway 101 and can be picked up at several different places. Rest areas and call boxes are provided along the trails.
• Mt. Madonna
Mt. Madonna County Park off Hecker Pass Highway west of Gilroy offers more than 20 miles of hikes in 3,219 acres among the towering redwoods. As hikers head toward the west, they will notice the scenery start to shift from redwoods to oaks to meadows. If you are feeling like Robin Hood, you can take a bow and arrows and shoot at the targets scattered along a mile trail through the woods.
• Big Basin
Big Basin Redwoods State Park, founded in 1902, is California’s oldest state park. This park features more than 80 miles of trails northwest of Santa Cruz in 18,000 acres. The Sea Trail follows Waddell Creek down to the beach. There are also trails that connect Big Basin to Castle Rock.
The park features easy trails like the Redwood Trail and the Sequoia Trail, moderate trails that range from two to seven miles and a few more strenuous trails for the more advanced hiker. The advanced trails offer the widest scenic views and are great for people who want to spend the entire day hiking.
• Coyote Lake
Coyote Lake County Park in the Mount Hamilton Range foothills east of Gilroy offers scenic views of the water. When people are not busy fishing, they can hike the two trails around the lake. The short trails are perfect for a leisurely hike or jog.
• Calero
Located in the eastern foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains northwest of Morgan Hill, Calero County Park offers an extensive group of hikes through the back country of the 2,421-acre park. There are 12 miles or hikes through the chaparral covered woodlands.
