Green Hills and Wildflowers at Henry Coe State Park in Northern California

Last weekend, my husband and I enjoyed a gorgeous day of hiking among the green hills and wildflowers of Henry Coe State Park. At 87,000 acres, Henry Coe Park is the largest state park in Northern California. It’s located in Morgan Hill in the Diablo mountains.

Spring and fall are the perfect times to hike in Henry Coe. Summer gets very hot – over 90 degrees – and you must carry your own water. There are streams, but they tend to go dry in summer. I got as hot as I wanted to get on the day we were there; I can’t imagine going there in summer. But the day we went, the sky was blue, the hills were emerald green, flowers bloomed, and there was a nice spring breeze.

Our Hiking Route

Our hike began at the Coe Ranch Visitor Center at 9000 East Dunne Avenue., Morgan HIll, CA 95037. We received guidance and a map from one of the helpful rangers. Visitors should definitely check with a ranger to see what conditions are like. This is rugged country; in fact, backpackers must register at the visitor center.

Anyway, our 7.9 mile loop hike took us out the Corral Trail, left up the Flat Frog Trail to Frog Lake (lunch break here), up to the Middle Ridge Trail, then right onto Fish Trail, and right back to Corral Trail and the visitor center. This route took us up and down rolling hills but avoided steep climbs and downhills. There was quite a bit of shade and even a couple crossings of Coyote Creek.

The elevation gain was 1000 feet. Our highest point, at Middle Ridge, was 2900 feet (we began at 1670 feet). Our total elevation gain was 1230 feet. The warm weather and rolling hills challenged me, but I took my time, rested in the shade as needed, and drank plenty of water.

I really enjoyed our picnic at Frog Lake. Yes, there were frogs. I spied two bullfrogs as well as a few trout.

The Middle Ridge Trail took us through beautiful red-barked manzanita shrubs, some so big they were like small trees.

Fish Trail was nice because it intersected with an offshoot of Coyote Creek. Just when we were getting too hot, there it was, down in the shade. We took off our boots and socks and soaked our feet in the cold water. Awww . . .

Throughout the hike we loved looking at huge oak trees (they have so much character!) and lots of different wildflowers. This is a good time to go. Wildflowers should continue blooming through May.

If you go:

• Bring more water than you think you need. We brought two liters each. I would have liked to have had one more, just for safety
• Bring snacks and a picnic
• Wear a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen
• Wear long pants – the grass is tall, encroaches on the path, and there are lots of ticks (so I’ve been told). Also, the grass and shrubs can be rough on the skin.
• Bring a park map and make sure you’ve checked your route with a ranger.

One more thing:

The road to the visitor center – Dunne Avenue – is off HWY 101. It is a twelve mile, long and winding road to get to the visitor center. It is also narrow with steep drop-offs. Drive slowly and carefully.

For more information, visit the Henry Coe State Park website.