Local parks offer options – even on the busiest holidays
When it comes to camping, the three biggest weekends of the year
are Memorial, Labor Day and the Fourth of July
– which means that trying to find a campsite on those weekends
without a reservation is like trying to find someone wearing a 49er
jersey at a Raiders’ home game.
Local parks offer options – even on the busiest holidays
When it comes to camping, the three biggest weekends of the year are Memorial, Labor Day and the Fourth of July – which means that trying to find a campsite on those weekends without a reservation is like trying to find someone wearing a 49er jersey at a Raiders’ home game.
This weekend is the start of America’s most patriotic holiday, which culminates with the Independence Day holiday on Tuesday.
And while almost every city, county and state park and recreation area from the coastal beaches to the Sierra Nevada are expected to be full, the fact that the holiday falls on a Tuesday offers some hope to last-minute vacationers that don’t have a concrete plan.
“It’s not as bad this particular year,” said Santa Clara County Parks spokesperson Donette Lucas. “We do have some availability. The mad rush is when the holiday falls on a Monday. That’s when it’s the worst, but many people have to work on Monday this year, so we’re actually more full on the weekend and do have some openings on the third and fourth.”
Anyone looking to camp locally in either Santa Clara or San Benito counties does have a few options left on the table but they’d better make up their mind quickly as the few coveted sites that are left are all on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Santa Clara County
In Santa Clara County there are five parks where camping is allowed. They are: Mount Madonna Park between Gilroy and Watsonville, Uvas Canyon in Morgan Hill, Coyote Lake in Gilroy, San Juan Skyline Park in Saratoga and Grant Ranch in San Jose.
Although the entire county has only about 400 sites, all of the parks still have some spaces available this Monday and Tuesday.
“Campers definitely like to wait to the last minute,” Lucas said. “We’re used to it. We try to do our best to accommodate everyone, but we suggest that you call the park directly first before heading to any one of them.”
For the readers of this paper, the easiest Santa Clara County parks to get to are Mount Madonna, Coyote Lake and Uvas Canyon. The closest parks in San Benito County are Fremont Peak and the Pinnacles Campground.
Mount Madonna is a heavily wooded 3,600-acre park that’s laced with scenic redwood and Douglas fir trees and outstanding views. The picturesque park overlooks the Santa Clara Valley to the east and the Monterey Bay to the west. Mt. Madonna is located on Highway 152 (Hecker Pass Highway), 10 miles west of Gilroy.
Morgan Hill’s Uvas Canyon is a heavily wooded park of 1,133 acres nestled in upper Uvas Canyon on the eastern side of the Santa Cruz Mountains. This mountain park offers hiking, camping and picnicking most of the year.
If you’d like add a little boating or fishing to accentuate your camping experience, Coyote Creek in Gilroy is the easiest to get to. The 4,595-acre park features a 635-acre lake for boating. The park also includes 13 miles of horse, bicycle and hiking trails. It is nestled in the Diablo Range east of Gilroy.
“All of the parks in this county have their own separate charm,” Lucas said. “It’s really subjective. All of the parks are beautiful in their own way; it just depends on what you like.”
Campsites with hookups in Santa Clara County are $25 a night, single-family sites with drive-up pads are $18 a night, and walk-in sites are $10 a night.
For information on camping at any of the Santa Clara County Parks, call 408-355-2201.
Another local option is Henry Coe State Park. Located in the Diablo Range overlooking Morgan Hill and the south Santa Clara Valley, Henry Coe is the largest state park in Northern California with more than 87,000 acres. The park is known for its spacious and largely undeveloped expanse of ridges, canyons, creeks, valleys, and vistas.
The park’s campground is located on top of an open ridge at 2,600 feet, which offers breathtaking views across the ridges and canyons of the backcountry that lead to the Central Valley.Â
Sites that haven’t been reserved are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Campers are encouraged to call ahead, especially this weekend, before heading to the scenic park. The park’s phone number is 408-779-2728.
Santa Cruz County
The good news is that Santa Cruz County has some of the most scenic, ocean side camping areas in the country. In all, the county that invented surfing has 14 coastal parks from Watsonville to San Mateo.
The bad news is that all of them are completely booked all four days this holiday weekend.
“We have a reservation system that takes reservations seven months in advance,” said Kirk Lingenfelter, section superintendent for the Santa Cruz County Pajaro Coast Section. “I would suggest trying Big Basin this weekend or Henry Coe. If those options are exhausted, I would suggest trying one of the KOA campgrounds. Unfortunately, we are booked out seven months in advance here.”
San Benito County
Fremont Peak State Park in San Benito County is one of the few parks in the area that doesn’t take reservations. Campers wishing to get a site are encouraged to get to the park early.
The park’s 3,169-foot elevation offers campers excellent views of the Monterey Bay from its hiking trails in the grasslands of the higher peaks of the Gavilan Range.
Other views include the San Benito Valley, Salinas Valley, and the Santa Lucia Mountains east of Big Sur.
The park also features an astronomical observatory which is open for public programs on selected evenings. The park is located 11 miles south of San Juan Bautista at the end of San Juan Canyon Road.
Fremont Peak does not allow trailers or large RVs. The park has 10 family campsites and 40 picnic sites, each with table and stove and pit toilets. Patrons are encouraged to bring bottled water. During the summer, campers can also enjoy informal campfire programs and nature hikes. For additional information, call 831-623-2465.
Located on the east side of the Pinnacles National Monument, the Pinnacles Campground became part of the national park in March of this year. The picturesque park is known for its chaparral-covered Gabilan Mountains, which are the remains of an ancient volcano. Massive monoliths, spires, sheer-walled canyons and cave passages define millions of years of erosion, faulting and tectonic plate movement at the park.
Within the monument’s boundaries lie 26,000 acres is a variety of wildflowers. A rich diversity of wildlife can be observed throughout the year.
The rock formations of Pinnacles National Monument divide the park into East and West Districts which are connected by trails.
Facilities at the campground include a convenience store, swimming pool and hot showers. Depending on the number of campers, tent sites range in price from $10 to $35 a night. RV hookups are from $15 to $40 a night. Dogs are allowed. For additional information, call 831-389-4462.
