Gilroy, perched between the Diablo and Santa Cruz mountains in the south end of Santa Clara County, calls itself the “Garlic Capital of the World,” and hosts the annual Garlic Festival each July. Temperate weather and a beautiful setting make Gilroy an ideal spot to pitch your tent.
Uvas Canyon, located on the eastern side of the Santa Cruz Mountains, is just west of Gilroy. The 1,133-acre park offers a wooded setting and 25 campsites with a limit of eight people and two cars to each site. Drinking water and restrooms are available, but there are no showers or RV hook-ups. No wood fires are permitted, but you may build a charcoal fire in the fire pit provided at each site. Pick up a trail guide to hike the six miles of trails, including a short waterfall loop. The campground is open year-round with a maximum stay of 14 days. Reservations are strongly recommended.
Uvas Canyon County Park
8515 Croy Road
Morgan Hill, CA 95037
(408) 779-9232
sccgov.org
Coyote Lake-Harvey Bear Ranch sits to the east of Gilroy in a 4,595-acre park surrounding the 635-acre Coyote Lake. In addition to 74 campsites, the park offers a boat launch and 19 miles of trails for hiking, biking or horseback riding through the oak forests. Boating and fishing are allowed, but no swimming is permitted in Santa Clara County parks. Campsites are provided with a picnic table, barbecue/campfire pit and food locker, as well as drinking water and nearby restrooms with showers. Reservations recommended.
Coyote Lake-Harvey Bear Ranch County Park
10840 Coyote Lake Road
Gilroy, CA 95020
(408) 842-7800
sccgov.org
This park provides full-service amenities for RV camping right in the city of Gilroy. The 176 sites surround a recreation area, store, swimming pool, laundry facility and restrooms with showers. The picnic and barbecue area is near additional restroom and shower facilities. Daily, weekly and monthly rates are available and all sites include utilities, satellite television and wireless Internet service. Surroundings are somewhat sparse, but the location is convenient.
Gilroy Garlic USA RV Park
650 Holloway Road
Gilroy, CA 95020
(408) 848-8081
gilroygarlicusarvpark.com
Located north of Gilroy close to Morgan Hill, Coe State Park’s 87,000 acres, much of it wilderness, make it the largest state park in Northern California. The park is open year-round for hiking, backpacking, camping, biking, fishing and horseback riding. Twenty primitive campsites near park headquarters are each equipped with a picnic table, fire pit and nearby pit toilets and running spring water. Restrooms are a short walk away, but no showers or hook-ups are available. Backpackers may choose from 18 areas, some with multiple sites, but check on the availability of water and outhouses. Camping is also permitted in designated backpacking zones. Group sites for 10 to 50 campers are available and located a 2 to 3-mile hike from the visitor center. Spaces are generally available, but reservations are recommended for busy holiday weekends.
Henry W. Coe State Park
9000 East Dunne Avenue
Morgan Hill, CA 95037
(408) 779-2728
coepark.org
