We had a family picnic and hike in this lovely park by the lake. There were 11 of us and we had a wonderful time and enjoyed the wildlife and scenery and view of the lake from the picnic tables. Room for improvement: The picnic tables were in rough condition and really need to be replaced, there were no rest room facilities nor running water. It would have been nice of one of the covered areas had two picnic tables instead of just one, we were not able to accommodate our entire party of 11 in a single covered ramada and made our party split into two groups that were now more than 50 feet apart and challenged by a significant grade--making conversation between the two groups not possible. Entrance fee is $6 per vehicle for a one day pass. read more

HUGE HUGE HUGE SHOUT OUT TO ALEX!!!! we had, unfortunately, dropped our keys in the lake and had to leave our truck over night. I called the park and Alex called maintenance and had reassured our truck was still there. Not only that, but wrote an email to the Park Rangers to let them know we were coming back and to not give us a ticket. You are the BEST, ALEX!!!! With love, Leanne & Brandon. read more

Needs better control and patrol. I saw 3 tents installed in 1 site (violation of rule), and 10 kids jump and running around from there. Some people play loud music day and night, but no control done. Campers don't have a good courtesy, and no patrol done to regulate loud strange people. A group of people occupied public tab water and blocked other people. read more

I have lived in County forever and I always forget that we have camping so close. This is my new go to camping site. So much better than the state campsite. So much cleaner & more friendly staff. Not to mention the free showers. WTH is the state-run campsites doing with their money after staying at this County Park. I did stay this past weekend at Coyote Lake. But there is always one camp site who does not know camping etiquette. Had I not been solo camping I would have asked them to tone it down. But I mention it to staff. I am excited for the lake to open. If you're a local take a drive out. They will let you drive thru and check out the sites. read more

This review is for my hiking experience. The staff were SUPER friendly overall. They have nice picnic areas nearby and people do boating here and such. If you decide to do the Ohlone Trail (and a loop which is around 5.4 miles or so), bring more water (at least 2 bottles!). This was totally my fault because I had one bottle and I felt like I was going to dehydrate haha. It was so hot and barely any shade the whole trail through! I would have been more prepared if I knew this (my fault). It was scenic to see the lake which was nice, but most parts are very dry and desolate which make it fine perhaps for biking, but for hiking, I just didn't really find it super great personally. Not many wildflowers during this time either. It was an okay hike for me, but not the views I anticipated. I don't think I'll be back for hiking. I can see the appeal for people who enjoy camping as there are campgrounds and the bathroom facilities are very clean! read more

Great place! Free showers. Great views. Had a blast!. Lots of space and not too crowded. Easy access from the Bay Area. I'd go back again

I feel so foolish, I purchased a $90 ANNUAL boat launch pass from the kiosk at the lake. It's AFTER you purchase the pass you learn that you then have to mail it in and wait for the pass. Between that time, the lake attendance still made me pay for launching my boat. I also learned AFTER the purchase that after launching your boat, you still have to pay for parking the truck and trailer you'll need to take your boat home! And you STILL have to pay for the boat inspection. All unless you purchase an annual launch pass for $90, an annual vehicle pass for an additional $95, and an annual inspection pass for for additional $70!!! $255 that you don't learn about until you spend the non-refundable $90!!! Typical California, typical govt. strong hold! So very sad!!! NEVER again!!! read more

We visited during thanksgiving weekend, super close and calm! Campsites are spread out nicely. Restrooms are kept very clean. Would like to come back when the drought is over, I got campsite close to the lake but it was very dry at the time. Lots of wildlife to enjoy and trails! read more

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When we got to the lake it as only 19% capacity so from the picnic area we had to walk down to the water. In the Spring time that area was covered in water. We decided to fish for a bit but it wasn't really working out for us because the water level was too low. We still had a great time trying and being in nature next to the lake. The picnic areas here are great and while my husband and son fished the girls and I decided to cook up some warm soup. We parked near San Ysidro  picnic area which is close to the main parking lot near the boat ramp and the restrooms. We appreciated the way they spread out the picnic tables because we had the area to ourselves and we liked the sense of privacy. Located at 10840 Coyote Lake Rd, Gilroy, Ca 95020. read more

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Some of these reviews crack me up. This is by far my favorite park in the SCC park system. You can fish, hike, camp, and boat here. There is wildlife all around you- I've seen boar, deer, turkeys, tarantulas, some cows (I think they wander onto the park lands from neighboring fields), and that's not even starting on the types of birds you can see. The lake has black bass, bluegill, carp and black crappie. Yes, these animals may come onto your campsite- you need to be careful like in any other wilderness area, and lock up your food. The campsites are nice but like other commenters have said, they are not spaced out, and if you pick a site towards the entrance you won't get much shade. Like with any other lake in the state, your boat must be clean and dry when you get there. I'm talking bone dry. They are serious about the spread of zebra mussels. Lastly- no swimming. Not even a toe. read more

We went there this past weekend (Father's Day Weekend). We arrived over there Saturday night at 6pm! Jessica, was waiting for us at the gate, informed me of the price, then sent me on my way! Gave us a nice little sticker for In and Out privileges! I was hesitant on staying there, because of some of the bad reviews, but honestly, I had absolutely NO PROBLEMS by anybody there!! No rangers, bathrooms were nice and clean, showers were warm and inviting. Campsite was clean! We even picked out a good spot, just feet from the lake! My son and I went fishing at 9pm, super windy, kinda cold, but it was okay. We went fishing the next morning as well. So why not the 5 stars if we had a great time and lots of fun? All the fireworks, waking us up in the middle of the night! Extremely loud BOOMS! Scared the hell out of my dog! Other than that, it was great. I loved it, nice and calm during the day. I will definitely be back. Only this time without the family, so they will let me get some fishing time in! 4.5 stars!!! read more

Coyote Lake County Park - Modelo and Fishing? Perfect!! - Parks Near Me - Gilroy, California

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This place is awesomely beautiful to camp so I feel bad giving it so few stars but the negative reviews about the park rangers all seemed to be true. The scenery, wildlife, lake, hiking trails, bathrooms, and water taps on site all deserve 5 stars. You couldn't ask for a better location, especially because it's just a short hour drive from San Jose so it's easy for a quick getaway. We saw so many deer, wild boar, turkeys, hawks, and cows on our awesome hike up to an INCREDIBLE lookout point. Hard to believe you're still in Santa Clara county when you're up there. The park rangers, however, really made us unsure if we'd want to return. When we arrived we were greeted by a friendly ranger who checked us in in a timely manner but failed to give us any information about rules for our small inflatable raft which later ended up being the most annoying thing ever. He also didn't tell us that there was an amazing campsite option open in the first come first serve area, so we ended up getting a site without any trees and we were scorching hot the entire time. The neighbors at the nice lot even asked why we didn't take it before they got there! Through the next 24 hours we had multiple come and explain to us that we have to follow the rules for watercraft and pay a launch fee. We decided to hike instead of use it, but we got multiple notes and had 3 rangers approach us at different points to very rudely told us the rules even after we told them we knew. read more

This place it's so so beautiful and enjoyable, relaxing, I recommend to all going there and enjoying of this beautiful park and lake.

I'm a little torn about this place because I'm thinking I went at the wrong time due to some of the rain we been having. I took my four-legged son here today because this is a dog friendly hike. While they had some great views along the lake the trail itself was a mess due to the rain we been having the past few weeks. I was expecting mud but due to all the other animals that roam the grounds it created an awful mess. The drive to Coyote Lake was a little confusing but manageable. Just make sure you have a reliable GPS or directions. Otherwise you can get lost due to taking all the back roads to the lake. It's about a good 10-15 minutes drive once you exit from Highway 101. Once you get there you will have to pay a $6.00 entrance fee. I didn't see any park rangers on site so I had to pay at their automated machine. Make sure you bring enough cash because originally I was trying to pay with my debit card but the machine wasn't able to read my card. Fortunately I had enough cash and was able to make the payment. Just make sure to have the printed ticket/receipt on your dashboard. I started my hike at the Lakeview Campground. I hiked the Coyote Ridge Trail and looped around to the Calavares Trail. The hike is super easy but can be lengthy depending on what kind of shape you're in. It took me 2.5 hours to complete the hike. I don't know exactly what the highest elevation gain is but my guess is that it doesn't go over a 1000 feet. Again, it's a dog friendly hike so thumbs up for that. Your dog must be on a leash at all times according to park regulations. My dog is really good off leash but I do suggest you follow their rules. I saw lots of other animals such as deers, cows and wild turkeys and you don't want your dog running off chasing them. As mentioned earlier they have great views of the lake during the hike. And as I also mentioned I think I went at the wrong time of the year. On certain parts of the trail it was very muddy. It was quite difficult to hike the trail because at times the mud could be ankle deep and I had to walk off the trail to prevent myself becoming a mess. And on parts of the trail where it was once muddy but dried up; the terrain was bad because there were horse and cow footprints that had dried up creating an uneven pavement and very difficult to walk. You can easily roll your ankle trying to hike the uneven pavement. I would like to go back sometime in the spring or fall when the trail is completely dry. I'm sure the hike would be more enjoyable. Overall, a great experience and a decent place to hike with your mutt. read more

Coyote Lake County Park - Parks Near Me - Gilroy, California

Lake is mostly drained this year. They prohibit anyone to swim, kayak, canoe, etc. even though there is enough water to do so (is there mercury in the water?). There are a few good campsites, though many are not so good and sandwiched together in a parking lot with some grass. They need to thin out the sites so they aren't so crammed together and plant some trees in between them. Might as well be an RV lot in that main section. Garbage all over the shoreline by the dam. We did a short service project and cleaned up what garbage we could. Ranger at the guard stand was super nice and helpful, gave us a fishing guide. Campfire ring was extra tall and nice. Picnic table decent. We didn't see any poison oak or mosquitos which sure beats most camping in the Bay Area. We also didn't see or hear any wild pigs, so maybe COVID killed them off? No one caught any fish, and none of the other fishermen we saw did either. Restrooms clean and in working order with soap. read more

Coyote Lake County Park - Standing in what used to be the lake bed. March 2021 - Parks Near Me - Gilroy, California

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This place is beautiful! What a little gem a bit away from the city! I can't imagine anyone giving this site a bad rating unless because it's too crowded but that is because this park is so FREAKEN great!!! In the summer months, droves of people drive either for the summer or the escape the heat. This camp site is directly near the water with the most fantastic views ever. I love the nature view of deers and blue jays flying around. At this site, you will find the greenest grass and giant gazebos of shadows from the tree to take refuge from the sun. Areas where you can fish but no swimming. The site has acres of picnic tables, lake, and clean showers, but the park also has miles of trails that hikers, runners and bicyclists alike use and enjoy everyday. This park actually provides peaceful trails and absolutely breathtaking views. It's also perfect for dogs. The site provides free poo bags, too! I like the fact that they have showers, where its free and the water is hot. The only con is the rangers who is bit too serious about their job, regulating over small issue, they don't give you warnings they just power trip. Overall, it's a great camp site! read more

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A narrow winding road to get there but nice scenery along the way so , it was worth the drive. The lake itself is ugly man-made dam looking not much water but saw tons of deer and wild turkey. I mean TONS!!!! Every which way we looked they were there and some crossing the road. I guess they are pretty domesticated and used to humans and cars passing by. I guess it's a good place to see the wildlife but the lake itself isn't much to look at. Maybe good for fishing? I don't fish so don't know. Campground seemed well maintained, there were a few RVs camping there. But there are far better campgrounds out there. read more

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I have to say Coyote Lake is a gem in Gilroy! I never knew something so amazing existed just in the backyard of Gilroy! Very easy to find and such helpful rangers to let you know about the park. It cost about 5 bucks per day, but there are many different trails and places that you can bbq. If you want to camp here, it looks like their campground is very clean with showers. If you are ever bored, wants to kill a few hours and lives around Gilroy, come by to check it out! You wouldn't be disappointed! If you want to check out for 1/2 hr, you don't have to pay(according to the ranger). But hey, any money they get will go straight back to this lovely state park! :) P.S. you might even get a chance to run into some wild life(we saw 2 deers on our way out :D) read more

Coyote Lake County Park - Parks Near Me - Gilroy, California

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Great place to Camp anytime of year, my favorite is winter the grass is green,Lake full from the winters rain run off and best of all it's pet friendly I've been bringing my boy Chihuahua since 7 weeks old and he Love's it, when we come up and he Start's to notice familiar things the excitement whine Start's read more

Coyote Lake County Park - Winter camping trip my boy Sarge started when he was 7 Week's old he still camp's but no longer in a tent as we purchased a travel trailer. - Parks Near Me - Gilroy, California

Came here just for the Halibut! Just kidding, we don't fish, I've just always wanted to say that. Came here for the day. Dropped our boat and had a nice time. Small lake but clean and easy to get around. No rules after rules like Calero *eye roll* nice areas to set up a canopy and hang for the day as well. Will definitely come back many times this summer! read more

I hate these people. I worked on my boat for a week and spent $500 dollars in parts. I asked my son to hose the boat off to dust off the Cobb web's. There was probably 2 ounces of water in the engine compartment and they locked me out of California lakes for 5 days. Screw you California assholes with too much power... read more

Harvey Bear Lake County Park near Gilroy was a great stopover for one night with our 24-foot 5th wheel trailer. We usually dry camp so we opted to stay in site #61 in the campground with no hook ups. With no reservations, on a Thursday night, we had no trouble finding a spot for one night. My guess is that the weekend would have been much busier, as more people started setting up camp before we departed on Friday. We were within a short walking distance to the lake and enjoyed photographing the many geese. It was quite warm at the end of July and the terrain around the lake was mostly golden rolling hills with oaks and sycamore trees. No understory to speak of so we could hear campsites across the road inside the campground, but it didn't bother us. We sat by the fire pit at night and enjoyed the starry skies. Ranger Silva, who drove around the campground in a truck, was extremely helpful to us. Thanks so much for a pleasant stay with no hassles, Ranger Silva. Our site #61 worked well for our trailer with no need to disconnect from our truck. Nice long, level asphalt pad. The sites have food lockers, fire rings and picnic tables. Because of the tree above our picnic table, there was quite a bit of bird poop on the table, which I believe could/should be hosed off occasionally. Other than that, it was a nice place and we would stay there again if/when passing through. We were fooled by satellite mapping that the park seemed closer to Hwy 101 than it actually is. Be sure to follow GPS to find Roop and the road to the park entrance. read more

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Campsites are very very close to each other. Zero privacy/personal space. We hiked to lake away from campsite to get some peace to the sounds of motorboats. read more

I've been here with friends twice now to get away from the city and do some weekend camping. The lake isn't a swimming type lake, but it's nice to walk down and skip stones. Wildlife is all over and sunsets over the lake are worth it. Came here at the end of September and the weather was hot during the day, but cool at night and hardly any mosquitos. Bathrooms are clean and have soap, and they have hot showers. I can't imagine having a bad time here as long as you bring the right crew. read more

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Sandy beach picnic area worst with dust dont even set your table dor picnicking every time car enters into parking whole your food flavored with full dust they need to asphalt to parking lot to void the dust definitely not reccomend this area read more

We came with our Cub Scout pack to camp overnight at this campground. It was close to San Jose, but felt remote because it's tucked up in the hills. The campground was very clean and there was a lot of room between campsites. The bathrooms were also really clean. My 6 year old said, "I like camping when the bathrooms are nice." The lake was really small-they must have drained it recently. That being said, we were able to walk out from the campgrounds to the edge of the water. There was lots of wildlife: wild boar, deer, turkeys, coyotes, oh and cows. The campground has many oak trees which help with the heat during the day. The temperature swings widely. 84 during the day and 41 when we woke up in the morning. We were able to have a campfire. One thing you should know is you're only allowed to have 2 cars parked per camp site. All in all, we had a nice stay and would return. read more

This Lake would be OK if it wasn't for the rangers working there. There was like 5 watercrafts in the water but the ranger finds it necessary to hide in the tree's with his radar gun and yell at a family that was probably going 35 on there waverunner. He lectured us about only doing one big circle around the lake, no zig zagging or cutting through the middle and no jumping waves or anything because the jetski is not to leave the water. I have been boating my whole life and have taken two California boating and waterways safety classes so I know the rules and safe boating pretty good but the ranger here was over the top. With so many better places to camp or boat I don't know why any one would want to go to coyote unless you live close. read more

This review goes out to the the park & recreation employee Kim. I just wanna say you know, you are sooo good at ruining our weekend... Firstly me and my girlfriend call and ask questions about the lake because we are very interested in staying 1 night to camp. The park says oh come on down we have 3 spots available. We get going over there keep in mind it takes us 40mins. When we are there a fluffy white lady named Kim that comes up to our car and was like " nope no more done that's it" we asked when did this happen you told us there were spots which is why we came all the way down. She's like 30 seconds ago that car was the last one... Then she replies that's why we don't like telling you stuff like that over the phone because that might happen. so we just left. Because she could not do anything for us. Like seriously you messed up own up to it what can you do for us like take responsibility. Like she doesn't want to fix the mess that she's in.That's just to show how much you care. This is just so sad... These are the kind of people that make it hard for me to be a good person. read more

Love, love, love this place. Quick shout out to some of my favorite staff (too many to list, really): Chris, Scott, Fernando - great rangers; Patricia, Joaquin, Bruce - pro boat inspectors; Lachelle - pro kiosk attendant. We do the RV camping. We're there a lot. It's only 45 minutes from home door to backing in to the campsite - can't beat that. We also boat at this lake. Yes the pictures are taken during the lushest part of the season. This park is in the eastern bay area hills. They are brown 9 months out of the year. The showers are free, clean, and hot. *thumbs up* The bathrooms are clean and well stocked. I can't remember ever seeing graffiti anywhere. The only maintenance "problem" is the plumbing to the RVs. If you're coming from out of town I'd suggest calling ahead to make sure your RV site has the water hookup you're paying for. The staff does their best to keep up with it all but they've got a lot of territory to maintain. The park is big, beautiful, clean. Lots of hiking available. You can fish (with permit) in the lake and off the dam. The boating is decent. Big enough to enjoy but small enough to feel crowded with 10 boats towing or speeding around. Most of the boats are fishers and chill on the outsides. Couple funky rules are: 1) no smoking (county policy) - but you can have campfires if no red flag warning or spare the air alert. 2) no swimming or wading. This is a Santa Clara Water District rule. Take it up with them, not the rangers. It's not a county rule. It seems a little ridiculous but I can't change it. Also, if you're a quiet group, you can generally do whatever you want. If you're a group that gets loud, annoying, up late - the rangers will come and get you. This park is very family friendly and they seem to work hard to keep it that way. My only complaint over the years is that the reservation process is really awkward and you stand a decent chance at losing it as the reserved tags aren't always updated. The rangers have limited access to the list and will try to handle problems but sometimes THEY have given away the site. Well intentioned to the one who gets the site but very disappointing to the ones who lost it. The policy is that it's your site if you reserved it as you paid on reservation - no matter what time you arrive. My family and I arrive routinely after 5pm and have had our spot taken 3 or 4 times now. The reservation office is also nearly impossible to get a hold of so good luck getting any refund - we have yet to see one despite being regular campers. read more

We camped here last weekend with a few friends spread out over 3 campsites. This was our third time camping and we are far from experts. I always like the idea of camping, but when you are on the second day into it and ridiculously dirty and exhausted, I sometimes regret my decision. First thing I noticed is the place is one giant dust bowl, but it IS the middle of August and you are supposed to get dirty while camping. Campsites are a little bit further apart than somewhere like Yosemite. Our campsite overlooked the lake which was nice and it was a nice walk down to the lake. We brought our canoe and dragged it down there on Saturday. The water was really dirty and I was afraid of getting e.coli if I touched it. They do charge a launching fee and a boat inspection fee. The inspection fee was $7! But the lady who did the inspection made up for the cost. She was super nice and friendly. You even have to get floaty rafts inspected. There were a few trails that we found that were quite nice. I would have liked to do more hiking if it wasn't so ridiculously hot. The bathrooms were fairly clean. They cleaned them once a day, but they are heavily used. The hand blowy dryer things are good for the environment and all, but are super annoying when you can hear them all night. My favorite thing about this place was the FREE showers! I showered twice a day which was awesome. They are a short walk from the campsite and will make your day awesome. Other favorite thing was bringing puppies camping. We saw lots of dogs there. Most people (us included) let their dogs hang out at the campsite off leash, which you really aren't supposed to do. The rangers come around and make sure you are following the rules. Which brings me to make next point. The rangers were doing their job, but the majority of them were on a major power trip. We heard later on that it was a new crew, meaning they were taking their jobs very seriously. Overall, a fun experience, but I wouldn't camp here again. There are too many awesome places in California. read more

My husband and I have camped at this lake every spring/summer for the last four years. The great things: Very close to where we live (San Jose), great for fishing, clean bathrooms, very pretty, a fun place to take out a little boat with a trolling motor, easy if you have children with you, dogs are allowed The not so great things: Those looking for a commune with nature should avoid camping here on weekends in the summer. It gets very crowded and noisy. A lot of people tend to let their kids roam wild (i.e. running within three feet of my tent yelling at 7:00am). In the summer it gets HOT. Last year we were camping with several families and the temperatures rose to about 108! We had also reserved three sites together for our group and at one point someone left to make an ice run and while their spot was open, two different people tried to park in the spot for day use. Also, family groups sometimes seem to "camp out" in the bathroom for an hour while they attempt give themselves and their children sponge baths (which is crazy since there are showers available for free). The bathrooms are small to begin with, so at times, you really have no sense of privacy, which I find uncomfortable. There are wild pigs all over. We have never seen boars (though there are warnings posted in the bathrooms), but, apparently, years ago some domesticated pigs decided to head out into the wilderness. Now there is a group of them running about. Last summer we heard some strange noises over beside our tent, we aimed our flashlight to find our large dog nose to nose with an even larger pig! When our small dog realized what was going on, he went a little crazy and the pig ran away. We found it somewhat exciting, but it means people need to be strict with keeping food put away at night (not in your tent!). All in all, it is great for our annual get together as it is so close and kid friendly. It's not my top choice of places to camp, but it is nice to be there in less than an hour. read more

Coyote Lake County Park - June 2009 - Parks Near Me - Gilroy, California

Camping here is definitely car camping. The sites are located in a flat, open area with minimal tree cover, so your site will border two or three others. Although I usually prefer more 'natural' camping, I enjoyed camping here. First, there is plenty to do within the park - so once you've parked your car at the campsite, there's no need to move it. There are some trailheads within walking distance of the campsites. The hike we went on had some great views. Second, they host a lot of fun-looking events. We were there during one of the 'Star Events', where they bring in telescopes and you can go star-gaze! Quite fun! They also host movie nights, hikes, etc. Third, and this may not apply to everyone, but after our afternoon hike, we drove out to the Gilroy In-n-Out :) read more

Harsh hiking without any real foliage, camp sites also dont have much coverage, the lake is nice but only if you like to speed boat on it. I prefer Mt. Madonna for overall coverage, sites and price. read more

POS: -there are food storage at each site -the site are pretty flat for tent and the ground is much easier to nail the pin down. -pretty clean shower room -beautiful lake and warm water too. -boat rental ....yet...read my NEG below -Good hiking trail...(no waterfalls) but the view from the top down to South San Jose, Gilroy is breathtaking ! NEG: -not really understand why shower close at 8pm since most of us wont be done enjoying cooking, hiking, playing until late -extremely hot shower so beware for those sensitive skin! To some can be a positive thing since it can make u feel warm at nite beside the camp fire. -Limited toilets so taking a dump late at nite is my thing otherwise there is a long time ! -there is boat rental but...not enough ?? -also not allow to swim...I really miss Del Valle camping in Livermore ! Overall, if there are no other camp sites then i would go back here -Parking is way too strict here. -Also, we have to be like...in the library kind of silence since these campers...only know how to sleep at camping ?? SERIOUSLY ? sleep at home man. read more

So here is my review of Coyote lake. Coming from the Peninsula, the drive was not bad at all. 101 south to 152 (the exit to the outlets) make a left onto New Ave then onto Roop and you are there. We got there in the evening and everything was good. Well with the exception of a third vehicle. Per the website, two are allowed so we were prepared for that, but what we didn't expect was no overflow parking. The two options were to either park outside of Coyote Lake Park, or rent an additional campsite. We chose the latter. It was an additional $24 per day. Which kinda sucked. Security throughout the night and day was tight. They were so tight that Miley Cyrus' hot pants at the VMA's were like "Damn!!! Their security is tight!" They don't mess around. If your group is cool, then they are cool. If not... They won't be. The campsites are pretty large. Good enough to put 4 tents and 2 canopies up. The only downside to the camping here was what we found out when we woke up. ***THE PHOTOS FROM THE WEBSITE ARE MISLEADING*** The nice grass from all of the campsites could not be found. It was all brown dead grass and a lot of dirt. I guess this is why they have to implement the no smoking policy throughout the park. This part of the camping trip received 3 stars. Here's the kicker though... The bathrooms and showers get 5 stars because of how clean they were. I mean like Mr. Clean clean. There was no mud on the floor graffiti on the walls, broken toilet seats, or anything of the sort. It was clean enough for me to take my daughter into the men's restroom to do her business. There is a lot of hiking there that we didn't get do, but we did hangout near the water. Although there is no swimming in the water (This I don't get because they let gas powered boats go up and down the lake), you can wade in the water. This was perfect for the toddlers who were running around on the sand and jumping in and out of the water. The place we drove to from the campsite was called Anglers Point or something close to that. This part got 4 stars. So to sum it up... If you don't mind being fooled by the pictures from the website, then this place is cool. Perfect for a getaway from SF or the Peninsula where you can also have your significant others head to the Gilroy outlets if they aren't feeling the campground. read more

I normally only go here when I'm fishing for Largemouth bass or crappie. Boats are allowed. You have to pay for daypass parking and they also have campgrounds that I haven't yet had the chance to use. You tend to see quails, deer, and bore every so often. Tip: If you're fishing, stay as long as you like, but make sure to get a new parking permit once a new day starts read more

AKA Anderson Lake Junior. Coyote Lake is smaller and (for most) farther away than its downstream cousin, and as such it's a whole lot less crowded--while they do have a per-day launch quota, they never seem to reach it. A simple tube-shaped lake, 3 miles long, wedged between grassy, oak-studded ridges, it's a little on the small end for motorsports but it's the perfect size to circumnavigate in a kayak (takes about 3 hours). The scenery is pretty homogenous aside from the bucolic valleys that rise from both ends. There's also quite a few hiking trails on the west side of the lake, which you can also access from San Martin Ave in Gilroy. But, with the temps being in the high 80's, I was here strictly for the cool water. read more

Coyote Lake County Park - Parks Near Me - Gilroy, California

I actually thought all the campsites would be far apart, but i realized that it was pretty close. I honestly could not sleep because I could hear people chatting until 2am and it was the campsite next to us. each site is set with a table, food storage, and 2 parking spots. The best thing is having showers and having the restroom is so clean. It seems like not really uses the restroom until next time to brush their teeth and such. Oh yes, Hiking was around there was a little crazy because their were like poop trails and you would have to look at the ground before stepping forward. So on the way back, a herd of cows blocked the gate to get in and out of the trail. Everyone was so tired and didn't want to hike around it so we waited until the cows left. The cows would all glare at you and look like they would charge you but they just went away. It felt like a "FML" situation. x] BE AWARE of the weather, it was terrible hot during the day and freezing at night, even my sleeping, jacket, and sweats didnt keep me warm enough. The lake looked nice from afar, but when u get real close it looked a little dirty but it seems like not much people jetskii and boat there. If you go on a 2am night hike, theirs deers at the lake. Like late at night you can see deers around the campgrounds slowly creeping around. You can get an all day parking pass for $6 and it works from 8am to 8:30pm and you can get in and out of the campsite during that time as well. About ten minutes away their is the shopping outlets and fast food restaurants. After being there for awhile, you would start to get a little lazy and be like whatever and slack off your camping festivities. read more

We've car camped here many times and it has been wonderful everytime. The sites are not as small as most people make it out to be -- I've seen smaller -- and each visit brings so much wildlife! The last visit alone brought about foxes, deer, turkeys, quails, blue herons, and bald eagles. Didn't see any wild pigs this time, but they're there. Free showers and clean restrooms, plus lots of hiking to boot! Love this place! read more

It's either my friend and I suck at fishing or the fish we fish for are just really good at not being caught. I think we have been in denial for too long. We've been fishing together for about 7 years and we haven't even caught seven fish within that time. We use to blame the lake. Then once we tried most the lakes around us, we started blaming fishing from the shore. Once we got a small canoe, our denial/delusion started to turn into self awareness. We were terrible fishermen. I can't even call us "fishermen". We were terrible at trying to catch fish. I literally think we would have had better luck by just scooping a bucket into the lake every couple of minutes. I'm at the point where whenever I go fishing, I go in with the mindset that we're not catching anything. I need to start thinking of other objectives when I'm fishing, instead of catching a fish. Like I can make it a competition between my friend and I. Person to cast their line out the farthest wins or whoever gets the most nibbles, but no fish wins. Anyways, besides not catching anything ever, this was a really pretty lake. If you're not us, you'll probably catch something the first time you go. read more