I can't express just how much I adore this park; it's easily my favorite in the entire Bay Area. The vastness of this place is awe-inspiring, and it's brimming with an abundance of stunning vistas. As for wildlife sightings, I've had some remarkable encounters. From playful turkeys to elusive wild pigs, even a rather startled Rattle Snake (don't worry, we kept our distance!), a coyote that seemed to be exploring its own adventures, graceful deer, and a bobcat that simply left me in awe. I've hiked on nearly every trail this park has to offer, and I just can't seem to get enough of it. It's one of those places where you want to return time and time again. The park's diverse beauty and its resident wildlife create an irresistible pull that makes every visit a unique and memorable experience. If you're a nature enthusiast, this park is an absolute must-visit! read more

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I spent Christmas and New Years with my family in this beautiful place, we paid for almost 2 weeks to park our RV and it was very affordable. The spot have a very hot water to shower, electricity and a campfire to light, while you look at the beautiful landscape at night, I highly recommend it to get out of the city for a while and get some fresh air. read more

Coyote Lake Harvey Bear Ranch County Park - Hiking Near Me - Gilroy, California

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. WTHeck 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. Oh yea don't forget to bring your wood. read more

Whenever we have a weekend to ourselves, we plan to go hiking and/or explore. We knew we were going to Garlic World so we searched for a park in Gilroy. We both found this place and decided to check it out. Our first stop was the visitor center. It's small but extremely well done. It appears to be set up for nature classes for kids--lots of education. We wanted to hike around the lake so we talked to the ranger. She said there wasn't a trail around the lake but said we should park at Sandy Beach and walk along the shore. On the way there, I think we saw at least 11 deer. The view around Coyote Lake is gorgeous. And it was such a beautiful day. Hardly anyone around so it was extremely peaceful. Perfect for us. There are loads of picnic tables everywhere. We were kicking ourselves for not planning ahead that day. I would love to return and definitely bring a picnic lunch. read more

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Nice place to camp if you can handle all the wild pigs! My fiancee and I went camping here the last weekend in September. The campsites were very crowded as all campsites were sold out that weekend. Each campsite comes with a fire pit, storage lockers for food, picnic tables, and a spot with running water. The bathrooms located on site are actually pretty clean, which was a nice surprise. The scenery is very nice, peaceful, with a nice view of Coyote Lake. However, night time is very noisy. The wild pigs will constantly walk around and raid all the campsites looking for food. If you wake up at all during the night to go to the bathroom, it will look like Old MacDonald's Farm with pigs everywhere. Seriously, I saw so many of them. They are very loud and annoying and are not afraid of humans. Make sure to lock up your food in the storage lockers they provide or else the pigs will trash your campsite over night. Even one spec of food left out will cause the pigs to come out in masses. The campsites are also really close to all the hiking trails. I didn't get a chance to hike this time around, but would love to come back and explore the trails. I probably wouldn't camp again because there are way too many pigs here for my liking. read more

Coyote Lake Harvey Bear Ranch County Park - Hiking Near Me - Gilroy, California

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We've took out our jet skis @ Coyote several times but this is our first time camping. Whatever you do don't dismiss the wild warnings! The first night, I left my unused grill on the picnic table and @ 1 am a pig knocked off the table and tried to eat my water container and hand sanitizer! Of course, we woke up and scared it away. So don't leave anything out @ night! I think furniture is ok though. Then when I woke up in the morning at least a dozen of them were grazing in my campsite! I could hear them snorting. read more

Wonderful smell! That is my best memory from this fantastic lake. Even more than the majestic look and quietness of the lake, the smell of high end fresh shower gel got registered in my pituitary! So good, don't know exactly from what trees (not eucalyptus for sure, those also smell so good, this was more pine but still a different kind of pine that I am used to). Go and tell me! We went bike ride, but then we realize (my bad) that is mostly for mountain bikers and the small loop for cruise bikes was far from our entrance, as they have several. This lake and park is a wonder for everybody: campers, boaters, fishermen and women. Family oriented, it is a perfect place to camp as the bathrooms are awesome. This place is worth the $6 it cost to enter and I can't believe it is so close to San Jose! Definitively my favorite green area so far in Gilroy. There are so many picnic areas that is difficult to feel you are in a crowd (we felt very 'in solitude' event though we saw tons of campers in the camping area, but you can definitively have a picnic solo or as a date and you will be in solitude). You will also share space with wildlife, so pretty views, well taken care of park and facilities, tons of miles of hiking opportunities and you won't even need a shower when back home because with that smell you will think you went to a spa instead. read more

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Great place. Not super crowded, even over the holiday weekend. Would highly recommend.

Very beautiful view out there . Perfect for camping and fishing and hiking too! Also bring dogs too :)

Went to Coyote Lake Harvey Bear Ranch Co Park Mendoza Ranch Entrance on Sat 1/31/15. FREE parking at this and Harvey Bear Ranch Entrance, at the Coyote Lake Entrance you gotta pay (don't know cost). Parking lot as one pit toilet. Bring toilet paper because they can run out! They did have paper seat covers to use. We did maybe 10 miles total, lots of hiking. From the Mendoza Ranch Entrance, went up Coyote Ridge Trail to Mendoza Trail - down to the Rancho La Polka Trail a 1.4 post sign, though map says 1.0 loop. There are 2 picnic tables there, scenic vista, and many official bird nests. Then we went up on Mummy Mtn Trail - nice scenic views and 3 picnic tables - 1 in the sun (best views), 2 in the shade lower down the trail (views not that good). After lunch we went on the Valley Oak Trail (flat trail) saw lots of deer running, then up on Coyote Ridge Trail (steeper trail) all the way back near the parking lot. Though we were tired, we did the Roop Pond Trail 0.3 ea way to see a big pond, 2 benches to sit on. It was out and back to the pond. About 58 miles from my place in Fmt, 1hr drive each way, returning home is always worse lots of traffic. read more

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This place is a rip-off! This is not a review about the RV park itself, it is about a policy that was NEVER told to us from the get go. We booked a stay for about 10 days about a week ago. We are unable to make it due to personal reasons. Hubby called to cancel because of the reason stated above. They told hubby that they were going to charge us a 25% cancellation fee because we could not give them a 30 day notice! WTF!! So they kept $115 of our hard earned money... how are we supposed to know about a policy if they don't tell you upfront when making reservations? That is, in my mind, WRONG. 100% wrong and should be illegal. Had we known, we would never have made reservations. So if you make reservations, and something comes up, say a death in the family, or sickness, or anything of that nature, do not make reservations here. Life happens, and to take advantage of that, is a scam. As long as we have been rving, and as many places that we have stayed, I have NEVER come across something such as this. Usually it is a 48hr to a week out that a campground gives you to cancel. F*$k you and your scam. Hope you sleep well at night...... read more

This is my go to, over the night camping. My friends and I would go here several times a year to camp after work and leave the next day to work. It's always dead during the week, which I love, especially during the winter and fall. It's cold but I love it. The lake goes up and down. Last time I went it had a good amount of water, not sure if there is fish. I'll have to try next time. Such a nice place. Vast and peaceful. That is the rare thing about car camping these days, you don't quite get a good view or a meadow. read more

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This county park has it all: a lake for watercraft (bring your own boat) and fishing, camping, picnic sites, and 33 miles of multi-use trails. Because all these things cost money to maintain, parking costs $6 for a day pass. However, there are two lots where parking is free: at the Harvey Bear Ranch entrance off E San Martin Ave, and at the Mendoza Ranch entrance off Roop Rd. These two lots connect with trails only. HIKING: ------------- We parked at the Mendoza Ranch lot, which is a gravel lot with a drinking fountain and a portable toilet. This parking lot connects to the Coyote Ridge Trail, which then runs along most of the length of the park and connects with other trails. Most of the trails were not shaded, and elevation gain was minimal to moderate. Some of the smaller trails are choppy and not suitable for running, so be careful that you don't trip or roll your ankle. The Mummy Mountain Trail at the south end of the park has a great vantage point of the lake. This point is labeled as the only scenic vista on the online version of the park map, though the physical map available at the park shows more vista points. Odd. CAMPING: ------------- On a return visit, the wife and I came here for camping. All 73 camp sites are located at the Lakeview Campground at the south end of the lake. There are campsites for cars and RVs, as well as one group site that accommodates 10 cars. There are three restroom facilities and one shower facility with multiple shower rooms. Faucets for potable water are distributed amply throughout the campground. We booked the north-most site (#45) which seemed to be the furthest from its neighbors. The site was fine except for not being completely flat, so our tent sat on a slight incline. Each site has a firepit, picnic table and storage locker. The overall amenities are not bad for a modest fee of $34. Plus, camping overnight allows for an early start on lake activities and hiking the next morning! read more

Went for camping in early October. What the other reviews said are true: there are wild boars/pigs that will walk through camp, and there is (dried) boar poop around. It honestly wasn't that big of a deal - we locked our food up, shooed away the one or two boars that got close later when we had a fire and smores going, and swept away some of the poop from our tent with our shoes. For a quick car camping place, it was a solid spot, with people nearby but not terribly crowded. They were out of firewood, so call ahead or bring your own (Safeway is right by the highway, ~20 minutes away). For hiking, it was great. The trails are right by the campsite, and they are quite uncrowded - we only saw a couple mountain bikers nearby. and no other hikers. read more

I love this location. My family and I go here every time we visit Gilroy. We try to visit every month, so believe me when I say that this is our go to spot. It is family friendly & a great location to camp. There is a lot of wildlife and the fishing is excellent here. The scenery is breathtaking, but recently we have noticed that the scenery has dried up a bit due to the recent drought. Hopefully it starts raining soon so the trees and grass come back to li read more

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Definitely a nice place to camp. The bathrooms are clean and have soap, water, toilet seat covers (gasp) and a hand dryer. Lots of trash cans, bear bins, water spigots and places to spread out. We joined our extended family on a quick overnight trip. The road to this place was definitely winding and challenging at parts. We drive it after dark so just be aware that the final 2 miles into this place is a slow driving must. The parking station was automated and accepts cards. We paid $10 for the additional vehicle overnight fee. Worth it. There is so much wild life here that it felt like we were camping in Jurassic Park. Wild boar, deer, raccoons, quail, crows, wild turkeys...so much to see at dusk and dawn. They are used to people and get really close but don't pay much mind to your presence. The boars have left quite a mess with some grassy areas so finding a flat spot for a tent can be rough. We were definitely treated to an early morning courtesy of the turkey calls, but it was fun. Lots of animal sights and sounds if you're into that sort of thing. The lake is low so don't plan on boating. There are some really cool trails for hiking though and you could spend a morning, like me now, just chilling at the fire pit enjoying the view of the mountains and wildlife roaming. I'm told it gets super hot and dry in the summer, so take advantage of the lingering warm weather now. read more

Coyote Lake Harvey Bear Ranch County Park - Deer in the morning - Hiking Near Me - Gilroy, California

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Wilson: Who's Harvey? Miss Kelly: A white rabbit, six feet tall. Wilson: Six feet? Elwood P. Dowd: Six feet three and a half inches. Now let's stick to the facts. "The first thing I look for in the Sunday papers is who is below the Mendoza line." -- George Brett, who helped popularize the term Mendoza Line for sub .200 hitters. After the 11 mile hike in Big Basin, I needed something a bit less strenuous and acting on a tip for a Santa Clara County work peer, headed over to Harvey Bear Ranch County Park/Mendoza entrance. This fit the bill perfectly as I was a bit stiff from yesterday's adventure. Using the Coyote Ridge/Mummy Mountain/Mendoza South trail as my loop, I had a fun four mile hike (usually loop is 3.6 miles but I forgot my phone in my car so had to backtrack to retrieve it) that with the perfect winter weather was quite enjoyable. The loops starts with a gradual incline that may be tough at first but really is only a moderate elevation gain. However your work is rewarded with stunning views in all directions. To the left is the agricultural areas of the Santa Clara Valley and to the right are beautiful vistas of the Coyote Lake area. Most of this loop is in shade as it takes you through beautiful oak groves that occasionally have a picnic bench resting underneath although no one was using them today. Pity too because it was a perfect day for it. You can add additional mileage to this by hiking over to the other areas of this park including the New Ave. entrance or Coyote Lake areas. Dog friendly, I saw numerous couples with dogs and it also has excellent mountain biking. Santa Clara County's collection of public parks is certainly stunning in its variety! I only gave this park 4 stars though because I imagine in the summer the views are less pristine and most likely more snake and bug activity. But in the Winter and Spring, it is quite lovely. There is a memorial to a light plane crash that killed a couple and two small children in the immediate area. Most people pass by without stopping but I took the time to pause and pay my respects. I later looked up the accident and it was a classic case of a newly licensed pilot not knowing his limits, and making the decision to fly, when he should have stayed home. Very tragic. read more

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Very disappointed and a lot of wasted gas. It is best to follow Google Maps instead of Garmin or the road signs, as a drove to two other sites before managing to come to the visitor center. The visitor center itself was tucked away in the mountains as well, and because of a power outage both the toll machine and visitor center were closed today. There were signs to various areas of the park, but the directions to the visitor center were unclear. Looks nice though, plenty of portapotties. The non-visitor center areas didn't have toll booths, so you might be able to get a short walk for free. read more

Very clean, nice size spaces both length & between sites. No Internet to speak of. Sadly there's very little water (summer & fall) in the "lake". However, it's a relaxing park. Close to our house. A great weekend change of scenery. read more

Such a beautiful place! Beautiful views and saw lots of wildlife! We saw many campers there bringing in the New Year and saw some fishing happening too. Bathrooms were clean and grounds were clean around the park! Did we just discover a hidden gem? I believe so!!!! My dogs were even in heaven! My son has already asked when we will be heading back! And bonus...on the way in the park we passed Blended winery!!! So of course we wrapped up the day with wine tasting! Just a wow kind of day!!! Happy New Year!!!! read more

Coyote Lake Harvey Bear Ranch County Park - Such a gorgeous park!!! I never knew this hidden gem was here! Felt like we were many hours away from city life!!! Who knew? - Hiking Near Me - Gilroy, California

This use to be a great place to camp but its changed since the wild boars were introduced... The campsites are literally infested with boar poop and it disgusting. It makes setting up tents tough and when you have to use the restroom at night, you're gonna step on them no matter what. At night, they raid campsites all night, you can hear them causing mayhem. read more

We like to go there for camping and fishing. Nice place for relax . Alone with nature. Quiet evening , nice dinner with bonfire, with my lovely man , romantic atmosphere ... What more could you ask for ? read more

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First time back in about 20 years plus. Not a whole lot has changed but one thing 20 plus years ago we didn't have 300 pound boars running through the park. It's a shame that these boars are not afraid of humans. Parks department should manage them better. There are so many. It will take some kid being gorded by one of these animals getting in between the babies and it's mother before Santa Clara parks department will do anything. Heads up make sure you put any ice chest anyway food or not they will just get into them with waters and sodas. Keep your eyes on your kids and dogs. read more

This place is a very well hidden Gem 40 miles south of San Jose. Did not expect such a nice location when I pulled in. Bathrooms and showers are very clean almost spotless. If you book the right site number you'll have awesome views of the lake.. woke up and fell asleep too deer and baby doe running about happily. Everything from foxes to cows to wild pigs it's all there if you want to see it. The only reason I did not give 5 stars would be because the yellow jackets are relentless. Within seconds of the meat hitting the grill you are inundated. Recommendation bring a screen room pop up tent and do all your cooking and eating inside there. Great place will be going back over and over. read more

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Ok ,this place is pretty nice . If you look and find a good shaded ,flat campsite ,you have a good being of a enjoyable camp experience. A lot of site are lake front sites "beautiful site " The wild life is every where ,way cool !!! The staff is great all the way around . There is trash and fresh water ,close to all the sites. The only things that may be said to be not so great ,are the size of some of the sites and the lack of flatness and the closeness of the next site.also the showers are not that great and they close the only shower house at sun set . All in all this is a pretty good camp site and if you are in the area and camping ,this place is high on the list of places you should go. read more

Just returned from camping. Great weekend. Feels like your miles away from town but it's just minutes. This place would be great if you like to fish. We did see many groups here for fishing. Some spots super close together, may is pretty accurate for space. Bathrooms and showers super clean. We visited in April, I can see in summer would be so hot!!! Lots of wild life in park. I wish people would come to camp to relax and chill. Not blast music and let there kids run around screaming. We go away to relax not here loud noise. Please explain kind campers!! Great place!! Have fun read more

My wife's family lives just around the corner so we've hiked up into the hills a few times. Being from Missouri and living in Dallas, I don't necessarily get jaded with the views around San Martin. The hills themselves are beautiful but they also give great views of the surrounding towns when you make it up into the hills. read more

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This spot has always been a great fishing, and boating location. But, this year has been really bad for fishing. I swear there are no more fish in this lake. I've tried relentlessly to catch, and I'm skunked everytime. Earlier this year we were catching a lot of very small black bass, but no more of those anymore. I have seen a couple people catch fish here but they're usually carp. Even the carps have been fished out. It might have something to do with the people that were here several times a week keeping everything they catch. They do not stock this lake ever. The area is very nice, lots of wildlife. I saw mt lion prints all over the shoreline on multiple occasions, so be careful. read more

Pros: Like the wild flowers in the spring time and the cattle. The rangers are very friendly. Cons: They do charge a $6 parking fee. The toilet could be improved also. read more

Great piece of nature. Have gone here multiple times. Enjoyed the trails, deer, and wild turkey. Watch out for cows.

Campers beware!, This place was an absolute joke. So my friend booked a campsite in RV section that came up under tent camping when we looked online. I called to confirm that it was an RV site and we had tents the park office said it was ok and that we would just have to pay the difference. On the map it looked as the spot we reserved was a little secluded, I explained we were having a bachlorette party of 5 girls, he laughed. So 2 hrs after we got there and finally set our tent up in the middle of everyone!! The Rangers come by and tell us we cant camp there, So explained to him I confirmed with the office and there we other people in tents around us. Then they tell my friend she cant cuss in the campsite because she dropped an F bomb due to trying to set up the tent. Then we were told you have to go to bed at 10pm, NO smoking in campgrounds NOT EVEN A Vapor!!! wow, showers are from 8-8pm then doors are locked. Dont even think about walking down to the water you are not allowed to go in the lake NOT even a toe! I wake up a 7am to catch a Ranger taking pictures of our cars because we had bachlorette writing on the windows, I was like can I help you? He laughed then we saw him constantly driving around, he stopped talked to us asked if we were married and who the bride was. Oh 3 rangers bum rushed a campsite at around 9;30pm because a baby was crying REALLY!!! This is a camp detention site. At around 11am the next day we were in our campsite playing games and here come rangers again, really they spent more time b.sing with us then watching everyone else, my friend asked if they wanted a jello shot since they kept coming by hanging out. Then we were told someone called and complained on us at 12noon so we cant have a radio on but yet no one close to us complained our neighbors even came visiting us. So no raadios during the day. We had enough of all the bs couldnt even enjoy our party. We were told there was a Probation Officer staying by us but yet he wasnt around, he probably complained because he heard me talk about how he pulled in the park cussing and yelling at his wife in front of all!! Mind you this was a bachlorette party for an 18 year old so not a lot of bad stuff was going on just girls trying to camp without their hubby's and have fun. CAMPERS THAT LIKE TO HAVE FUN DO NOT GO HERE IT IS A DETENTION CAMP AND NOTHING TO DO JUST SIT IN YOUR TENT!!! BORING. Even if I brought my family my kids could not be kids and there is no having fun we would of been kicked out. Long story short we packed our stuff and finished the girl party elsewhere. read more

Please note that this review is for how we were treated by the park rangers, not the park itself. To whom it may concern, We moved to Gilroy just barely a year ago and still have been exploring areas of Gilroy. Today we decided to visit Coyote Lake Bear Ranch County Park. We have been hiking on the other side of the park a few times and enjoyed visiting the park. We have seen a lake from hiking and wanted to check it out to see if there was a small beach around it and decided to bring our 3 small dogs along for the ride. We made our way through the park and found the lake but there was no beach. We decided to check it out anyways and looked for signs indicating pets were not allowed but we did not see any so we made our way to the water with our 3 small dogs, all of which were on leashes. A few moments later we were called back to our vehicle by two female park rangers and were cited for not having a parking permit. We acknowledged that since we did not have a parking permit that we are responsible for the fine, which we will pay. However, it was the way we were treated by the park ranger with ID# P108, which has prompted my complaint. We were told 3 separate times within a 5 minute conversation that our dogs needed to be on leashes while in the park, which they were. When we responded to her false accusation each time that they were on leashes, the park ranger finally snapped back at us indicating that wasn't what she saw and that it was our word against hers. I am appalled that not only were we called liars but it gave the impression she had the final say and there was nothing we could do about it. I understand park rangers might not be expected to be friendly but false accusations and rude comments are uncalled for, even for a park ranger. In addition, the fact that she couldn't see our small dogs on a leash from 200 feet away is alarming that she felt confident enough to make such a strong accusation which was not even true and makes me question the physical standards that park rangers are expected to have, especially regarding their vision. If she truly couldn't see that our pets were on leashes then this could be a danger to herself and those within the park. I will add that I did accidently drop one of the leashes as we made our way back to our vehicle and called for my dog to come over to me. I do not consider this as my dog being unleashed and to say so is a slap in the face for something that did not happen intentionally. Anyone who knows me knows my dogs are on leashes at all times unless at home or in a gated dog park. Not even on a dog friendly beach or in our front yard do I allow my dogs to roam without being on a leash. I truly do not appreciate being called a liar. The question I would like to bring to this ranger is what reason would we have to lie? We were not getting a ticket for our dogs so we would not be arguing to get out of a fine. Sadly, I no longer feel comfortable coming to this park if this how visitors are treated. I do not know if my complaint will have any value to those who are reading this but at the very least I hope no one experiences the degree of frustration from false accusations that we experienced today. I understand that park rangers are doing their job but this situation could have been handled differently. We truly felt unwelcomed and will not be returning. read more

So I have been camping for many years now and this is one of the nicest camp grounds I have seen in California. It is located about 15 minutes from a Walmart and shopping center and it is 10 to 12 minutes from the Gilroy outlets. My family and I actually shopped daily for our meals so we didn't have to pack so much stuff. Normally we don't camp when we come up north but this was a very affordable way to go to San Francisco and have an adventure all at the same time. San Francisco is a short drive from the grounds and so is San Jose. I came here unknowing about the grounds or the area but I was very pleased with the experience. I loved how quickly you are immersed into the wilderness and the city disappears. Every day we were there we were greeted by deer's, blue Jays and the variety of wildlife. I do have to mention that we arrived on a Wednesday and there were only 3 other families so the wildlife might not be as abundant. * Pros: o Lake side camping o Good amount of shade over most campsites o Clean bathrooms when crowds are low o Free clean showers near RV camping area o Easy access to trails from campsites o Food storage cabinets(bring your own lock) o Lots of bear proof trash cans and cabinets o Camping area is small so less people o Lots of wildlife and Deer's are constantly walking near campsites o Paved roads and parking for 2 cars * Cons: o No swimming in lake o Campsites are close together so when campgrounds are full it gets loud o Showers don't have temperature controls o Showers are only near RV area read more

This place has so much potential but it gets ruined by overly strict rules and overly zealous park rangers. No swimming, dogs must always be on a very short leash, the lake seems to be to low to enjoy so there is more mud than water. It really is too bad because it is a really nice place close to San Jose but be ready to be hassled by rangers for every thing. They wanted us to pay the inspection fee plus a daily launch fee to carry a 4 person raft to the lake. Lame! Not going back! read more

Harvey Bear Ranch is a great resource for County residents; nice trails great views, easy access, and nice amenities. The only reason I don't give the park higher reviews is primarily due to a single factor--cattle. I subscribe to the park lands philosophy of multiple use (hikers, bicyclists, equestrians, boaters, fishers and campers) and I understand that to manage the various biotic habitats on site that a certain level of livestock grazing is prudent in order to encourage native wildflowers, promote habitat for endangered species and manage fireload. But, if I'm honest, I'd have to say that it appears that the primary goal of the ranch is beef production. Cattle are there year-around, trails and hillsides pockmarked, cow pies EVERYWHERE, obstinate cattle dozing on the trails. This is why I, like many, many County residents I talk to don't visit the park as much as they'd like. I go to Coe instead. there must be a better way to manage resources and provide for a better experience for us park users. read more