Location: County: Santa Clara. Nearest City: Gilroy. See map 2.

Campsites, facilities: The Lakeview Campground provides 64 reservable campsites with two restroom facilities and fresh tapwater, and firepit barbecues. RVs are allowed, but there are no hook-ups. There is one campsite dedicated to wheelchair access. Over 75 first-come, "first-serve" picnic tables are available year round.

Reservations, fees: Call 1-408-358-3751 to make a camping reservation. Vehicle entry fees are collected year round. Fees are required for camping and are also required for boating. Fees are posted at the entrance kiosk.

Contact: Phone Coyote Lake County Park at 1-408-842-7800 or fax 1-408-842-6439.

Coyote Lake County Park
10840 Coyote Lake Road
Gilroy CA 95020

Operating hours, seasons: The park is open year-round from 8 a.m. until sunset.

Directions: Coyote Lake County Park is located off Gilroy Hot Springs Road in the Mount Hamilton Range foothills, east of Highway 101. To reach the park, take Highway 101 to Gilroy. Take the Leavesley Road exit. Follow Leavesley Road east 1.75 miles to New Avenue. Turn left onto New Avenue and proceed north for .6 miles to Roop Road. Turn right onto Roop Road. Roop Road eventually turns into Gilroy Hot Springs Road. The park entrance is approximately 3 miles from New Avenue. Turn left onto Coyote Reservoir Road, the park visitor center/ranger station is about one mile from Roop Road.

Weather, clothing: Hot dry summers, cool wet winters; average of 25 inches of rainfall annually. Spring is the most temperate time to visit the park with cool to warm days. Summers are hot and dry with the latter parts of summer (August and September) being hottest. Fall starts out hot but cools quickly in November and December. The winter can be variable with mild cool dry days alternating with cold wet ones.

Trip notes: Coyote Lake County Park. The 796-acre park; which features a three-mile long, 635-acre lake; provides camping and boat launch facilities nestled in the Mount Hamilton Range. The reservoir provides opportunities for power and non-power boating and fishing. The lake covers 688 acres and is stocked with a total of 24,000 trout on a biweekly basis from late winter through spring; the lake also provides a decent fishery for bass and contains unstocked populations of bluegill and crappie. The boat launch ramp is located one mile north of the visitor center. As of August 9, 1999, only 20 launches per day of personal watercraft (jetskis) is allowed due to high MTBE levels found in the water. Shoreline picnic areas are provided along the western shore of the lake. Barbecue facilities are provided in the southern half of the park. The reservoir is stocked with trout. Two hiking trails are available along the lakeshore. The park visitor center and ranger station, located near the park entrance kiosk, features a display on local wildlife and Ohlone Indian culture.

 

 

 

Where to go Camping

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Miwok Lodge 439