Coyote Lake - Harvey Bear Ranch County Park

Coyote Lake - Harvey Bear Ranch County Park spreads across the hills east of Gilroy. Its centerpiece, the three-mile-long, 449-acre Coyote Lake, is known for fishing for black bass, bluegill, black crappie, channel catfish, and carp. From mid-April to mid-October it is open to power boats, limited-power boats, and other floating craft for waterskiing, jet-skiing, sailing, and paddling, with launches from 8 a.m. to 30 minutes before sunset; the lake closes to all boating the rest of the year. The launch ramp, two miles north of the visitor center, has two docks and a three-lane concrete ramp. Swimming is not allowed, and the park stays open 24 hours a day for shoreline fishing.

The visitor center has exhibits of local wildlife, including live native reptiles, amphibians, and fish, and it is where visitors pay fees, buy annual passes, check in to campsites, and buy firewood. Rangers lead programs monthly, and on Saturday evenings from Memorial Day weekend through September they hold campfire programs. The Lakeview Campground has 73 reservable RV and tent sites, 18 with electric and water hookups, plus free hot showers.

The Bear and Mendoza Ranch sections add 35 miles of hiking, biking, and equestrian trails through oak canyons and along grassy ridges with views of the southern Santa Clara Valley. The park is home to rare western pond turtles, California tiger salamanders, and Bay checkerspot butterflies, and 219 bird species, including bald eagles, have been recorded. Day use runs from 8 a.m. to sunset, with a vehicle entry fee at the main entrance; the Harvey Bear and Mendoza Ranch entrances have free parking.