Chesbro Reservoir County Park

Chesbro Reservoir County Park sits in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains west of Morgan Hill, a short drive from both Morgan Hill and Gilroy. It is a quiet place for shoreline fishing and wildlife watching around the reservoir. There are no designated trails or picnic sites, but the main entrance on Oak Glen Avenue has free parking and restrooms.

The reservoir was formed by damming Llagas Creek. The Mutsun Ohlone used the area for thousands of years before Europeans arrived. The land later fell within two Mexican land grants made by Governor Figueroa: the 8,927-acre Rancho Ojo de Agua de la Coche ("pig spring"), granted to Hernández in 1835, and the 22,283-acre Rancho San Francisco de las Llagas, granted to C. Castro in 1834. Both ranchos were eventually acquired by Santa Clara County pioneer Martin Murphy, and by 1860 they had been patented to his grandson.

Chesbro Dam was built in 1955 as part of a countywide push to secure water for the valley's growing population. The reservoir is named for Elmer J. Chesbro, a local doctor who was president of the South Santa Clara Valley Water Conservation District at the time. It captures water from the Llagas Creek watershed to recharge underground aquifers, which supply wells for homes, farms, and industry.

The park is open from 8 a.m. to sunset, there is no entrance fee, and leashed dogs are welcome.