Coyote Lake Harvey Bear Ranch County Park - Gilroy, California

What to Do?

Summer fun and adventuring outdoors in Gilroy means boating at Coyote Lake! Whether you’re planning a Bay Area road trip, want to go camping for the weekend in Gilroy, fishing in Gilroy, boating for the day in Gilroy or are looking for hiking in Gilroy, Coyote Lake Harvey Bear Ranch has it all. There are several great Gilroy wineries close by to go tasting or pick up a bottle on your way to go camping in Gilroy, too! Whether you’re looking for a hiking trail that’s easy to social distance in Gilroy or go for a walk outdoors in Gilroy, Harvey Bear is your best bet!

Coyote Lake Harvey Bear Ranch has 6,695 acres of regional recreation area, a 449-acre lake for fishing and boating and 33 miles of trails for you to enjoy. Let’s start with your hiking options!

Hiking Trails

Gilroy Harvey Bear trails are great for hikers, runners, mountain biking, biking and equestrians. Harvey Bear also has a flat, two mile paved loop off Foothill Ave and E. San Martin Ave. If you’re looking for an easy place to keep an eye on the kids, let them loose with their bikes and get some exercise yourself, the Martin Murphy Trail is the way to go!

You’ll also find some truly incredible hiking trails in the rolling green hills with cows and oak trees at Harvey Bear. If you’re looking for dog-friendly hiking trails in Gilroy or equestrian trails near Gilroy, Harvey Bear County Park is friendly to both!

Fishing and Wildlife

Coyote Lake Harvey Bear Ranch is known for having a world class population of black bass, bluegill, black crappie and Eurasian carp. If you’re looking for a fishing day trip, you’ll definitely want to head towards Coyote Lake.

Coyote Lake is a bird watcher’s paradise with over 219 different species of birds, including bald eagles. Besides birds, Coyote Lake Harvey Bear Ranch County Park is also home to numerous reptiles, amphibians, insects, mammals, black tailed deer, turkeys, wild pigs and even mountain lions.

Coyote Lake

Did you know Coyote Lake is 3 miles long? You can go power boating, jet-skiing, water-skiing, sailing, canoeing and kayaking! The lake is closed between mid-October to mid-April and is open for reservations only. It may also be closed for water activities during drought conditions, so check before you go. Please keep in mind; swimming is not allowed by order of the Santa Clara Valley Water District.

Camping

There are campsites for RV and tent campers at Coyote Lake. Each site has a table, grill, fire pit and food storage locker. RV sites have electricity, water hook-ups; and a dump station is located nearby for your convenience. As well as something else that is so rare to camping you’ll be shocked… drum roll please… hot showers are available to all campers, too! Skip the baby wipes and pack some soap! When planning your trip, make sure to check online or call to see what campsites are available.