This is my favorite spot to stop for lunch on the coyote Creek trail. It has a great covered outdoor area for eating. It's in deep shade, so it remains cool even in hot weather. It has five picnic tables under the shelter and all are in shade. It has a garbage can which is almost always not full, so it is obviously maintained regularly. It has nice water fountains for both humans and pets. The restrooms are awesome and clean! I would give this park five stars, but the lake is closed until 2032. Otherwise, it's still my favorite spot at the end of Coyote Creek trail. read more

Anderson Lake County Park - Parks Near Me - Morgan Hill, California

Ok so supposedly it cost six dollars to get in to the parking lot. Um... the parking lot I went into had nowhere to pay, none, zip,zippo, nadda "not that I'm complaining lol!! Looks like they are doing seismic retrofitting stuff so we couldn't walk over this cool bridge that was over the stream, lots of chain link fence and construction going on... sad face. Wifey and I were able to sit on a bench near the stream "which honestly was quite beautiful if you didn't look to far up" We sat there for about 2 hours watching the Black Phoebe's fly around catching bugs. Beyond that there doesn't seem to be much else going on in this parking lot site. There is another entrance, haven't been there as of yet, maybe that entrance will be better. read more

See all

Lake it Easy This ±4,300sq ft county park is home to Santa Clara County's largest reservoir at a whopping ±1,300sq ft. (±7 miles long). The Good: *Visitor Center at 19425 Malaguerra Ave, Morgan Hill, CA *First come, first served picnic tables *hiking trails *Horses welcome *Dogs are welcome The Meh: *Only a few miles of trails are currently open *$6/day entrance fee The Ugly: *A large part of the park is currently closed due to seismic retrofit construction project and not expected to re-open until 2030--if we're lucky! *Access to the lake--including fishing--is currently prohibited due to the construction. Conclusion: Not really worth a visit until after the construction project is done. read more

See all

Anderson Lake right now in Morgan Hill California is under construction and there's no water in it. If you are a rock Hunter now is a good time to go root around in the lake bed. if you are looking to take your dog to play ball in the water you might want to find somewhere else like Uvis damn. read more

See all

I like that I could take my dog and he was super cute. He played in the water and he caught some fish with his fish and then the dragon came and we played with him. I'm a kid Lola so that's why you should never trust me. read more

So many beautiful spots to take pics. I came here to do family photos for several of my friends families and there are so many beautiful backdrops here. I used the bridge, the large fallen log, and the stream. It made for great variety for family pics read more

Anderson Lake County Park - Parks Near Me - Morgan Hill, California

Growing up in Morgan Hill, Anderson Lake has always held a very special place to me since it's basically right in our backyard! The park is closely connected to Coyote Creek County Park and there is tons to do! Just make sure you get your parking ticket paid right when you get there, not much goes on so the park rangers were hastily ticketing people who had only been out of their car 5 minutes! Have to fund the park somehow though I guess. If you start at the bottom of the hills, there are plenty of picnic tables, a small creek, some running trails, and barbecue pits. You can walk up this trail to get to the top of the dam, which is pretty steep so definitely do it if you're looking for a great workout. Once you're at the rim of the dam, you can see over the entire city of Morgan Hill and even into San Jose and Gilroy which is pretty sweet. Once up there, there are more trails in either direction, that eventually lead into some of the local neighborhoods, or span around the rim of the lake. These can get steep as well, and are great terrain for cross-country runs. You can easily do 5-10 miles of walking or running in a day at Anderson! The lake itself isn't as low as it has been in previous years which is great! An awesome place to go boating or tubing if you have the chance! read more

Anderson Lake County Park - beautiful day at the lake! - Parks Near Me - Morgan Hill, California

Whoa~I had NO idea Anderson Reservoir was here! Unfortunately, due to the drought, the H2O levels were low. The picnic area was bone-dry and very dusty, too. I must admit I was taken completely aback driving through this area late at night because it was pitch black; I didn't see the Reservoir but, I saw countless stars in the night sky! The surrounding scenery is so picturesque, you could make a photo postcard! By daylight, I became awestruck by the sheer magnitude and size of Anderson Reservoir! FYI: There are boating restrictions stating you can't hand launch boat; via the picnic side, the boat launch was severely damaged and totally unusable. You just can't launch from the shore, I guess? Anyway, please be careful driving along this remote road because deer cross along this road, ok? read more

See all

My husband and I just moved to Morgan Hill and came here for the first time yesterday. We loved it! It is absolutely beautiful and there is something for everyone: places for families to gather, horseback riding, trails for your dog, and easy trails. It's turning into my favorite workout spot. read more

See all

Nice lake up in the hills. Drive up east dunne a few miles and your fishing. Lake is murky but there are fish. If you keep driving there is a great view on the way to Henry coe. read more

Anderson Lake County Park - Good ol boy just fishin on Saturday. - Parks Near Me - Morgan Hill, California

Wonderful experience my first time in this county park in Morgan Hill. I did not have the opportunity yet to do any boating activity, but my 10 miles of biking were just amazing. It was windy so made my ride more challenging and it was sunny and quiet, with just a few other bikers riding. I loved the landscape and how well taken care is this park. It was very nice to ride over paved route. I stopped frequently to take pictures and enjoyed that peace so much. Now and then you will find picnic tables. I definitively will come back for a 'lake' day, enjoying the waters that I could just see from my bike this time. read more

See all

Pretty spot to visit. My friends enjoy walking the dogs around the park. In a nice area and is usually well maintained

Anderson Lake and I have a storied history. From ecol bio 101 @ SJSU taking a course and making a field trip here and seeing stoned Morgan Hill chicks blow weed in our face, to later wakeboarding here constantly from 2004 to present. (Breathes out) I have seen it all here, in terms of wakeboarding adventures. What should start with , the water or the people, or the rangers? -Water. Not the glassiest, but servicable. In the middle of summer, during the weekdays, you're money, get out there and clear the wake, and/or watch your boy do air raleys and other assorted tricks. " ripper brah" - People. It runs the gamut, from families, to douches , to hotties, to gangstas who might even come close to running you over if you aren't careful. Don't forget the fisherman that are pissed that you are making there boat rock so hard. -Rangers. I have seen dickhead rangers here, all the way to tumbling dickweed rangers, who have sunken their boats ( funny shit!) , and watched their boss, Boss Hogg, throw their neat little hat on the concrete and jump on it, while yelling at the incompetence. All the while, we are laughing at these idiots. -Additonal DVD Extra: Although it may be tempting do not cross that bridge on the south most side to wakeboard. It's way too narrow, ( though the glassiest obviously) the fisherman have every right to stone you, and the rangers WILL find you, and as you see them, you will feel like you are in Wrong Turn 3, and you will feel stupid. If this happens to you, simply take your boat to the other side of the lake, and wait about 45 minutes. ( Down the rest of your tecates, discuss with the friends the amount of the fine. ) After 45 minutes, and you see the ranger has left, get your boat off the water and get the hell out there!!! Conclusion: Close to the Bay, but if you can make the trip, Hogan, Shata, New Malones, are all better options....this works on weekdays in the summer though, like i said.... read more

Looks a bit different. Parking still sucks Not enough machines to pay for parking. The machines they did have weren't working park ranger was nice enough to let us park without paying. read more

******************************* 930 ******************************* Loving this Anderson Lake County Park in Morgan Hill, CA; I've been coming here for 7 years now for boating with friends. The lake is smaller, but nice, clean better than the one in San Jose or Gilroy, that's for sure. Good service, friendly people, and reasonable fee. It's such a beautiful place for sunbathing, chilling out with friends, swimming and wakeboarding. I also see a lot of families with small children here, this park is good for all ages. read more

See all

This is a great place for hiking around or doing water sports plus its close by. It's far enough from the city that it feels like you are out in the middle of nowhere. I've hiked here many times with my In-laws from their home in Morgan Hill. Its a nice trail that that can be hiked at a fairly easy pace. There are some uphill sections but for the most part, its an easy hike. Many families come here with their boats and water toys, so it's a great place for kids. The water level is still a bit low since last Sunday when we came here but they were still allowing boats access into the lake. Also, bathrooms here are very clean and they provide clean water fountains as well and plenty of parking. read more

Anderson Lake County Park - Anderson Lake - Parks Near Me - Morgan Hill, California

Great place to spend a day with the family boating or jet skiing. There is a picnic area with BBQs at the Woodchoppers parking lot which is on the shoreline. You can rent a sea doo for the day from the link below. https://fun2rent.com/viewProduct?productId=401 read more

Anderson Lake County Park - Jet Skiing on Lake Anderson. - Parks Near Me - Morgan Hill, California

Oooooh this place is breathtaking! I said it before and I'll say it again, I'm a sucker for good views and good vibes and this place has that! S/O were biked from San Jose to Anderson Lake County Park. There are "real" million dollar homes as you pass by so dreaming of owning one for a minute was great lol. He decided we should go to the dam. I hesitated for a minute because of how steep the hill was. There was no chance in hell I was going to be able to bike the hill on a cruiser lol! Instead we walked up the hill with our bikes and it was totally worth it. It was Sunday morning/afternoon-ish and there were men fishing by the lake. There was plenty of parking up top but I can see how this place can get crowded during the summer months. It looked really nice up there and I'd be glad to bike the 30 mile round trip to do that again. There's always something new to see and I'm glad this was nearby. read more

On the way to San Jose there's Anderson lake, it's a man made lake, created by a dirt dam *disclaimer being from Alabama, our dams are concrete and hydro-electric* I was expecting more of a "view" of the dams we see back home... it was small, and quantly cute non the less. There are two picnic areas, which are available by reservation only. The way the sign reads they're only for two groups of people... I thought that being a county park it would be open to be reserved by anyone in the community... the trail on the creek side of the park is nice, not too steep... the trail on the other side of the dam is currently closedl to foot traffic as they are digging currently, and there is no access to the trail at the boat launch. Although closed I made my way through the park to obtain at least part of my mileage goal for this trip. There are restroom facilities here, also there's a flock of cocks (real male chickens... get ya mind outta the gutter) just be aware, they haven't been de-spurred, the tend to be people shy, but like every other park people feed the birds (of all kinds) and these guys will come up to the car to greet you, and then will quickly go on about their way once they find out you aren't going to feed them. They're smaller, some sort of game breed. read more

See all

I have fond memories of this country park because I went to high school near it. It was our stomping ground for cross country. You can bring your boat here to ride around, picnic in the picnic areas, run/hike on the trails and see some cool wildlife (bobcats, etc.) read more

I love this park,great Coyote Creek Trail all paved and well maintained. Great bike riding and hiking area also have horse area. No pets off leash and must wear bike helmet when riding this place is great.Make sure to chwck out the upper Dam Area. read more

This park is such a great addition to our community, and really shows how important outdoor lifestyles and conservation of those places we love to visit is to Morgan Hill and local folks. I've have had the pleasure of taking a few photographs for my photography hobby(love) with some lovely models and the area is just so picturesque! Not to mention how accessible it is to hikers, runner, bikers and pet lovers alike, you can bring the family and throw a birthday bbq or just bring a book and your lunch to enjoy the afternoon. No matter your use of the park (which there are so many) it seems everyone you come across there is thoroughly enjoying themselves! read more

Anderson Lake County Park - A view from the Top! Anderson Dam - Parks Near Me - Morgan Hill, California

Nice hike overlooking the lake, but no shady areas! I would visit again, but on a less hot day.

Anderson seems to be *the* place around here for gas-powered water sports of all kinds--apparently it's gotten crazy enough to warrant an online reservation system for the boat launch, though it actually wasn't too crowded when we came. Our beat-up Sentra with its rented kayak on the roof sure stood out among all the hummers and F-350's towing gargantuan speed boats (hint: between the wind and the wakes, this is not the lake for a peaceful paddle over calm water). The lake's shape and scenery is almost identical to its upstream neighbor Coyote, only it's at least twice as long. Also, there are actually houses along the south end, some pretty to look at, others not so much. And speaking of stuff on the shoreline, why can't a lake this large and popular have a real marina with a store, restaurant, and on-site rentals? For us non-equipment-owning types, that would sure beat driving your kayak from San Jose and praying that the straps hold. read more

Wow, talk about ending up in the middle of nowhere! My Mom knows this spot in the mountains of Morgan Hill pretty well and decided to have a picnic there today. So we drove up a ( very ) steep incline and ended up in this place where there is a reasonably large lake ( reservoir? ) and a few places to barbecue along with about 10 picnic benches. The kicker was that it is the start of the Summer, the sun is scorching hot, and the park is bone dry and doesn't look as lush and green as it does when it rains but it was still beautiful. We didn't see ANY wildlife ( no rattlesnakes, THANK THE LORD ABOVE but I'm sure they're there ) but I did see a few blue jays on the way up. We were the only people there and only about 2 cars drove up about 20 minutes behind us and they went to jet ski. On the lake there were about 3 boats and people were sailing to their heart's content. My Nephew and Niece ate their food and were happy but about 15 minutes later asked when it was time to go cos they were pretty bored and frankly so was I. There is nothing to do up here but eat, chill and relax and if that's what you want to do I wholeheartedly recommend this spot because NOBODY, and I mean NOBODY really comes up here and there are all kinds of things to do here like you could do at other similar parks ( like Alum Rock Park in San Jose ) and there's only about 1/ 10th of people leaving their carbon footprint here, and it's CLEAN, the bathrooms are VERY CLEAN and it is a peace lover's paradise. Check it out when you have the time! read more

See all

Great lake for boat and shore fishing. The bass I caught in my photo was on a guide trip there with Rus Snyders a great local guide btw. I know most of the people out there (to have fun on lake for other reasons) usually are respectful to shore fisherman. I do have a request of the ones that aren't. Please be aware of the fisherman in boats and especially ones on shore. Major disruption of water close by and loud music will get you reported to the staff there and not earn you any friends. Remember we are all out there to have a good time. Also please for the love of god, don't litter out there. It wrecks the beauty of the shoreline. The more respect you show for others and nature, the more you get in return. read more

We spent $120 to reserve the picnic site Toyon, we thought we would have reserved the whole place with many trees. In the end, the park ranger told me we had only a corner full under the sun (it was over 100 degrees). The shaded area costs nothing. If we did not spend $120 for the site we could not use, I would rank it 5 stars. read more

Rangers are rude, Racist and Harassers, Instead of friendly informative, serviceable and or any help. They stick together even if dead wrong and they group up on you like never seen before. You'd thing you were in the deep south, Everywhere I've ever been and all the Lakes /Reservoirs in Santa Clara County, Chesbro, Uvas, Calero, Coyote, Almaden, Gaudalupe just to name a few, the rangers here are a straight insult to the job and no where near resemble others I've ever encountered anywhere in all my years. SMH read more

Great local lake. The state is scheduling the closure of Lake Anderson in the next couple years for seismic work on the dam and it might take 5 years to fix. read more

See all

Love this park. Pretty place for a BBQ or picnic - we even saw a wedding here one day! There's a nice rec area by the creek near the parking lot, with lots of picnic tables and space to play. When you cross the bridge that's nearby, there even more space and even more tables! I've never seen more than two families here at a time. I photograph families and couples here a lot, and the scenery offers a nice background! But beware, photographers - you do need a permit! read more

Place is great for boating...IF you pass inspection! The water in this lake is contaminated and there is no swimming allowed. However, your boat or any floating device has to be inspected and bone dry of any other water to prevent contaminating their water? I don't get it. AND if you paid by c/c or debit getting your money back is a headache. You have to call the City and go through a couple of hoops before they refund it. If you're local and looking for a day trip this is a good place. Not too many places to choose from in the area. read more

We are lucky to have Lake Anderson so close by. We love to come here with our boat to wake board. Weekends in the summer are definitely busy, but weekdays and during the winter and fall the place is pretty empty. Last time we were there, we did see a lot of careless young jet skiers who had no clue about water safety and etiquette. Most people do use common sense, but I guess there are jackasses to be found at every lake. It would be nice if they had a picnic area closer to the boat launch, but I guess the design of the lake doesn't allow for that. The water seems clean enough, the rangers working are nice enough, and the location for us is extremely convenient. Parking at the Woodchopper Picnic Site is free, but the boat launch parking is not. We bought a yearly pass to all county parks since we go often, that's the way to go if you plan on multiple visits. FYI-Due to the mussel issue, they do require an inspection of all boats. Once you pass they will band your boat. If you exclusively come to Anderson you don't have to keep getting the inspection, however if you take your boat somewhere else they will make you pay for and endure another inspection when you return. read more

We went up to Anderson Lake today and had a very nice time. Nice views of the lake (glad it has some water given our drought). Lots of people having fun boating. Nice views of the valley. read more

See all

Anderson Park is a good place to relax, talk and listen to nature. It has grills for you to BBQ. There's a creek but there is no swimming or wading allowed. It's very serene, peaceful and there is lots of nature. Be prepared for bugs, flying and crawling. read more

See all

This is a very nice place to go and relax. There are many BBQ grills that can be used for a little burger, kebab or steak. I have been here with friends many times. This is a vast area were one can do many things . The kayote creek trail ends here too. Go there and expect to have some good fun. read more

Anderson Lake County Park - One more view but damn Mosquitos. - Parks Near Me - Morgan Hill, California

See all

No swimming there is high levels of mercury and algae! Just for boats , pick nicking and walking. I saw the pictures and reviews and came because I saw there was swimming. read more

I have always been a fan of this place for gatherings and BBQs with friends. Its also a great place for a walk or to just get some fresh air. It has alot of good sights as the water from the dam runs down in to the surrounding creeks. You can find some novice rock climbing that can go with your walk just up the way from the shade. I would definitely recommend this place for someone who hasn't seen it and is just looking for a nice peaceful place to hang out for a bit. It closes at sunset, sometimes people have certain spots reserved(fyi) and they have a fee for parking. read more

See all

13 dollars per paddle board, and everything needs to be inspected completely dry with NO drop of water to be seen anywhere? A little too anal/expensive for day use of items with NO motors! Beautiful area, but there are cheaper options nearby that are just as pretty with less drama. read more

Best public access freshwater body of water in Santa Clara County and nearby counties for catching fish. Most reliable/consistent bass bite, though most are under 2lbs. Great place to take the kids if you want to see them catch their first bass. Main access points are the main dam off of Cochrane, and Woodchoppers picnic area off of Dunne. Both of these areas have gated/chained parking areas but tWoodchoppers has plenty of places to park on the side of the road if you want to fish early or late. Anderson also usually has boat access but that depends on the county as there are often times when boating is closed. My go-to place when I've been skunked fishing for bass at other places and want to hook onto a fish. Only downside is that shore access can be dodgy when the water is high (very loose dirt with lots of rocks), and in the afternoon the winds can get pretty strong. read more

Cool lake if you could ever get on it. Some park staff and the inspection station people are a complete joke. I have never failed any inspection but this girl wants to stick he hand in my exhaust and found a drop w/o water smaller than a drip of loss on the floor and failed me. Where is the real life in this hike of an inspection. Yobtop that they keep my money for failing me. Never again totally lived up to it reputation thought keep up the good work. read more