Oaks along a ridge near the northern entrace
Mountain biking

 Henry Coe
 and Santa Clara County Parks
- China Hole - Middle Ridge - Kelly Lake - Grant Ranch - Almaden Quicksilver -
- Alum Rock - Pacheco Pass - Photos - Links - Home -

Once a self-sufficient ranch in the coast range, the area is characterized by a series of steep grassy ridges with gentle streams meandering slowly along the valleys. Wildflowers create an impressionists dream in the spring, where gentle brushstrokes of deep purple, yellow, and white accent the hillsides between shadows of oak trees on the sunny green fields. Likewise in the fall, rusty fallen oakleaves darken the yellow grasses; and except in mid-summer the weather is usually mild, given the higher elevations. But beyond the pleasant appearance lies a palpable attitude of freedom, wilderness preservation, and detachment from civilization.

"There are practically no easy trails for bikes" warns the official website, and it gives you a fair idea of what to expect. But it doesn't mention there are practically no intermediate trails either. It is hard to imagine a more vertical place, at least in California, where aerial views show endless steeply-pitched ridges crammed together in this northern section of the coastal range. The hardest trails in most places would in Henry Coe be those rare occasions where fate at long last takes a pity on flailing quadriceps with a grind that can actually be barely sustained in the granny gear. Fire roads pay no heed to contour lines as they roll mercilessly over ridge after ridge; and singletrack is an unsettling mix of chutes, rock gardens, root lattices, switchbacks, and poison oak-- sometimes all at once-- plus the occasional wild animal darting surprised from the brush. Here is a good place to go when everywhere else in the bay area becomes so numbingly simple you can hardly stand to ride at all. But for the rest of us mere mortals, aspiring to transcend our weekend warrior status, Henry Coe offers the perfect balance of a hidden pastoral paradise and lactate-laden hell.


Northern Entrance: Mahoney Meadows and China Hole

"Between fight or flight, in any surprise encounter, flight always precedes fight by at least a few seconds, which may have saved our bacon when the wild boar leapt from the bushes alongside the trail. It darted a few dozen feet up the hill, a racing torrent of muscular steam, every bit our size and weight but with a much more dangerous jaw. We could only give thanks for this little quirk in mammalian instinct as we passed peaceably by. He turned to watch as we coasted down gentle singletrack, through the spring grasses and oak woodlands, under brilliantly lit leaves radiating a white glow in the dimming light of the afternoon sun. Within moments we would be navigating treacherous switchbacks, passing crosswise along precipitous hillsides, descending into the steep and narrow canyon, tightly twisting ever downward to a little secluded realization of Eden. Here, a gentle boulder-strewn creek would flow narrowly through granite outcroppings that artistically framed the valley floor." (b. April 25, 2004)

Directions: The China Hole trail is a scenic and relatively moderate singletrack by Henry Coe standards that, not far from the park headquarters, switchbacks down a rather steep portion of the Coyote Creek canyon wall and up the other side, connecting Manzanita Point to the meadows atop Mahoney Ridge. By car, take 101 south to Morgan Hill, take the East Dunne offramp and turn left, then drive 13 miles on mostly twisty mountain road, up to the park headquarters. On bike, to make a loop of it, having already done the Middle Ridge trail, we descended Poverty Flat road, rode over Jackass Peak, down to Los Cruzeros, then up to Mahoney Meadows taking the Lost Spring singletrack, up to Mahoney ridge, then returned on the China Hole trail and Manzanita Road back to the park headquarters.

Profile: Imagine a steep V-shaped ravine, where singletrack switchbacks down one side, crosses the creek, and switchbacks up the other side, and you have the China Hole Trail. Consequently, the apex of our circuit (elev. 2800) is right at the beginning. Manzanita Road and Poverty Flat Road descend quickly to Poverty Flat (elev. 1200), which actually is flat, somewhat remarkable for Henry Coe, and lasts for maybe a city block before ascending sharply to Jackass Peak (elev. 1800). Then it descends just as fast down to Los Cruzeros (elev. 1200). Then you'll cross a series of steep ridges on Mahoney Meadows Road, and after the second one you'll have the option of the Lost Springs singletrack route. The sign says it's the "preferred" route-- yeah, if you prefer poison oak, ticks, and mosquito bites on overgrown, spooky, and steep switchbacks. The alternative is the final, near vertical ascent on Mahoney Meadows Road, which if pressed for time is probably the fastest way even if you have to push. From Mahoney Meadows (elev. 1800), the China Hole trail is a long, fairly gradual route up to the crest (elev. 2000) then down to China Hole (elev. 1100), technical only because of the tight switchbacks. The way back up the other side is similar, climbing 1200 feet in 2.6 miles, on a remarkably stable 9% grade. Back on Manzanita Road (elev. 2300), it's a final 500 vertical feet of stepwise climbing back to the headquarters. This route was about 15 miles total, and by my math at least 3100 feet of climbing (600 feet to Jackass peak, 600+ feet along Mahoney Meadows Road, and 1900 feet total along the China Hole Trail and Manzanita Road back to the start).

Comment [9]: Poverty Flat Road and Jackass Peak isn't the nicest part of the park, and at least a couple times while climbing Jackass Peak I wondered how it got that name. Strangely there were no wildflowers this time of year which when in bloom add a pleasant dimension. But there is lots of low-key singletrack, and the area around Mahoney Meadows and China Hole itself, tucked deep down inside the Valley, is one of the prettiest little spots in all of the Bay Area. Back to top.

Web Page - Map Link (125K GIF) - Photo Exhibit


Northern Entrance: Middle Ridge Trail

"Dodging branches through the shady manzanita groves halfway down the Middle Ridge Trail was reminiscent of Snow Whites escape from her wicked stepmother. Branches ripped at my helmet and backpack, and even caught my wheel along an overgrown switchback. The Middle Ridge Trail was an insane descent along highly technical singletrack. Initially the trail was just dangerously eroded as it passed through oak meadows, but that was nothing in comparison to the intense downhill on very steep, slippery, and rocky switchbacks with long falls for any misstep going down the latter half. As always, in Henry Coe it was easy to be distracted by abundant wildlife and lively strokes of Autumn colors accenting the hillsides. Having left from the visitor's center late in the afternoon, the steep ups and downs were resulting in a slower ride than we planned and dusk was already upon us by the time we reached Poverty Flat. The fire road back to the ranger station was so steep in places that not even the cougar darting across our path could make me go faster than a crawl. Night had fallen by the time we reached the top of Pine Ridge, and lucky for us the moon was full for the final stretch along Manzanita Point Road. Wildlife seemed more active as dusk turned to night. Deer, wild boar and a fox were silhouetted against the last remnants of sunset, or ran amongst the moonshadows cast by the oaks." (b. September 29, 2001)

Directions: To get to the northern entrace of Henry Coe follow 101 south to Morgan Hill and take the Dunne Road exit. Turn eastward and follow it 12 miles until it ends at the Henry Coe State Park headquarters. You can only park in their lot and it's $2 per car for day use. Fortunately for us, it is not gated at night. They also ask how many people are in your party so they know how many to search for when your car is still there a few days later. From the ranger station, take the Manzanita trail a short distance to the Hobbs trail. Pass Frog Lake as you climb up Middle Ridge, then turn southward on the Middle Ridge trail. Descend to Poverty Flat, follow the creek downstream a mile to China Hole, then return along the China Hole Trail to Manzanita Road.

Profile: Remember Hotwheels? Remember those orange tracks you used to string together and clamp to a table, with loop-de-loops and turns all over the floor? Well for this ride, think Hotwheels. The Coe Headquarters is at 2640 feet, and after a short ride along Manzanita Point road the Hobbs fire road begins a sharp ascent to the Henry Coe monument at 3000 feet in a half mile. After a similarly steep downhill ride to Frog Lake the Hobbs trail mellows out until you turn onto the Middle Ridge Trail at 2800 feet. Now, lower your seat... a lot. Any necessary medical care will be a long time in coming so this probably isn't the best place to test your limits. You'll drop a net 1600 feet in 4.1 miles, which doesn't sound so bad until you're there. Once you reach Poverty Flat (elev. 1200), you can turn right to follow Poverty Flat Road for 1.6 miles to to the top of Pine Ridge (elev. 2320). But it's much easier and far more scenic to take the China Hole Trail (elev. 1100) for 2.6 miles up to Manzanita Point (elev. 2300), and then Manzanita Point Road back to the start (elev. 2800).

Comment [8]: If we were into technical single track then we'd give it an extra point, and if the colors were a little better like in spring or late fall it would have done even better. Henry Coe is a pleasant and peaceful place, and I saw several wild boar, a fox, whitetail deer, an owl and a cougar all on a single ride. While riding here demands a lot, it rewards your effort well. If you thrive on this sort of ride, and have good brakes and suspension, then you'll have little to complain about. Otherwise, just allow extra time to finish. We saw some fall colors in late September, but they will probably be better developed in a month. Back to top.

Web Page - Map Link (125K GIF) - mtbREVIEW.com


Southern Entrance: Kelly Lake

"Resting at the banks of the pond, looking at the 'no signal' warning on my cell phone, I felt at long last my bike had taken me into the wilderness. Edging toward dusk, we headed back, and hadn't gone far when we stopped in our tracks. On the trail ahead were two wild turkeys. The hen was heading up to a boulder pile with a cock in close persuit. With a strain he would ruffle his feathers and fan his tail, like the Thanksgiving pictures, which appeared to be a kind of courting maneuver. What the Thanksgiving pictures don't really capture is how large and majestic he looked, entirely undeserving of the "turkey" connotation. I admit, if we had been hunting he would have made for an easy shot, but his turkey brain was occupied with much weightier matters. While we were impressed by his show, the hen would have none of it, and kept making her way up the steep hillside almost oblivious to his presence. He would obediently relax his feathers and follow, then catch up and do it again. Meanwhile we heard turkey calls from the opposite hillside, which we figured was another male, and he seemed to angrily gobble back. Despite his persistence, the hen hardly gave him a second look, and soon they were both far away. We wished him the best and moved on." (b. April 24, 2001)

Directions: By car, to get to the southern trail head, follow 101 S to Gilroy. Take the Leavesly Road exit and follow it east several miles to New Avenue, turning left, then turn right on Roop Road a couple blocks later. Follow Roop Road into the hills, and it becomes Gilroy Hot Springs Road. You will cross a couple bridges, but park when you get to the old wooden bridge. The the trail starts there. On bike, ride the Coit Trail all the way to Kelly Lake (it will follow Coyote Creek for a couple miles then turn inland toward the ridge). Return the way you came.

Profile: Coyote Creek is at 1040 feet, and riding along it there is one gradual 200 foot climb, descending back to Coyote creek before turning eastward toward Coit Ridge, which takes you to 2470 feet over 4 miles, then drops you back down a 1 mile grade to Kelly Lake at 1840 feet. At no place does the grade become terribly steep, and the road itself is in good condition.

Comment [9½]: particularly in the springtime. This stands as my favorite ride yet. When wild flowers are in bloom on green hillsides and the little creeks trickle through, you have your own slice of paradise. While Henry Coe is well known to bikers around here, we saw only one other the day we went so I hesitate to call it a mecca. All the better. Back to top.

Web Page - Map Link (121K GIF) - mtbREVIEW.com


Between Henry Coe State Park and the preserves of the Midpeninsula Open Space District lies a patchwork of historical and natural areas managed by Santa Clara County Parks. Many are small parks surrounding local reservoirs, but a few are large enough for good loops to be had. Some connect with larger parks (such as Steven's Creek and Montebello, and Ed Levin and Mission Peak), which are described elsewhere. Only 10 of the 30 parks allow off-road biking at all, and of these only Grant Ranch and Almaden Quicksilver are large enough to make a bike worthwhile. As expected, singletrack is off limits, as are a number of fire roads, and equestrians seem favored over mountain bikes. Hopefully trails in some of the larger parks will eventually be opened (like Sanborn Skyline and Mount Madonna). Like Midpeninsula OSPs, helmets are mandatory. Alum Rock is a San Jose municipal park whose short loop, without a lot of climbing, with some singletrack, can be enjoyable as well.


Joseph D. Grant County Park: Hotel and Canada de Pala Loop

Line Shack at the northern tip of the ride "The song of the meadowlark was a sound I hadn't heard in years. Like an old pop tune crackling on an AM station, it brought me back to a bygone era with the blue VW parked to the side of a country road in a silence found only outside the city where the crunching gravel underfoot was crisp and distinct. Suddenly, without expectation, came a liquid melody of such design as to compete with the sweetest piccolo riff in the finest symphony. The temperate breeze carried across acres the running notes that danced high on the treble clef and ended in a quick sticatto. Quiet returned as quickly as it was broken but the delicate sound was etched deeply in memory. Today the native wildflowers blooming on the hillsides provided stark evidence of spring, and as we rode atop the ridge eager serenades echoed between the distant oaks. Beyond the music and color, grassy ridges wound downward between ravines to lakes and meadows on the floor below." (b. April 21, 2002)

Directions: Not far north of Henry Coe, in the foothills below the Mount Hamilton obervatory, this route rolls along grassy hills to a scenic ridgeline spanning the park. By car, heading south on 101 or 280, take 680 north a couple miles to the Alum Rock exit. Follow that a few miles to Mount Hamilton Road, turn right, then go 8 miles to the Grant Ranch ranger station. It costs $4 to park in the lot and I think it's gated at sunset, but you can park along the shoulder. For an easier but just a beautiful ride, there is another parking lot a few miles further at the top of the ridge where you can skip the Hotel climb and begin the ride there. On bike, we followed the Hotel fire road past Circle Coral up to Eagle Lake. The Foothill Pine and Bonhoff trail continued to Twin Gates on Hamilton Road. From there, Canada de Pala trail follows the ridge to Line Shack, then the Pala Seca trail looped back Canada de Pala. From the crest, the Los Heucos trail offered a quick route back to the parking lot.

Profile: The first 1.6 miles of the Hotel trail drops 100 feet to Circle Coral at 1400 feet. It continues to Eagle Lake, climbing 500 feet in 1.7 miles. Here the trail meanders up and down the gentle hillsides, in other words the climbing proceeds in a stepwise fashion often on 12-15% grades. The meandering gets worse after Eagle Lake, with steep downhill sections now matching the uphill exceeding grades of 20% both ways, netting a mere 500 feet in 2.1 miles. While the burning climbs are mostly brief, it adds up real fast. At Twin Gates, the Canada de Pala trail quickly climbs another 200 feet after the parking lot, but the rest is pretty mellow along the 4.5 mile course to Line Shack at 2600 feet. There is one last 300 foot grind over .7 miles (at least it's gradual) to the high point of the ride at 2900 feet where the Pala Seca trail begins. The rest is fast descent where the rolling turns and uphill sections now serve as natural brakes. The Los Huecos Trail is a very fun 1100 foot drop in 1.8 miles overlooking Grant Lake. Overall, 16 miles. The fire roads were in good condition-- the main hazard is cows standing on the trail around blind turns.

Comment [9]: Given the geographic proximity, this ride begs comparison with Henry Coe. I found myself debating whether this is my new favorite trail, but Henry Coe still holds the crown with it's remoteness. Grazing cattle, fences, a rusted 50's pickup and the everpresent Lick observatory added some charm but I never had the sense I was fully in the wilderness. Still, Grant Ranch represents the Central Coast about as picturesque as you can imagine. Back to top.

Web Page - Map Link (220K PDF) - mtbREVIEW.com #1 and #2 - Photo Exhibit


"Since I know(or knew) every foot of the Grant Ranch long before the current park existed, I thought I'd give you a quick and dirty on the use and history of the ranch from about 1958 to 1971.. This was a ranch leased to a group of men, the principle being my grandfather, Dr. Joseph B. Josephson, during the deer season, typically august and september. It was leased for the season, through a warm relationship between him and a Mrs. McCrurry, who, I think was joseph Grant's granddaughter. The so called "line shack" was not that at all. It was the lodge or cabin we ate and slept in while on weekend hunting trips. It was built sometime in the early sixties,late fifties I believe. I spent much time as a kid from age eight to about thirteen there during the hunting seasons. I shot my first deer there in August, 1970. I have and always will have fond memories of the ranch, before it became a bastion of mountain bikers and day hikers. We had every canyon and road named for a person or event. It is a shame to see our deer lodge rotting away like it is. -Dave Wiefels" (5/15/05)


Almaden Quicksilver Mines

"The leaves unfurled by the subtle ways oaks sense the timing and climate of early spring. Thriving in this mercury laden soil the sudden growth cast a fresh and radiant green, and here the hillsides seemed just offset from what reality should be, like a painting whose primary colors stay bright and undiluted, and form derives solely from varied hue. Rounding a corner into the late sun, the backlit foliage blasted through wide pupils carving bright, upside down, and backward outlines deep within the eye. As meaning came to the visual forms they fragmented into parallel thoughts-- whereby sensing their relation among others collapsed into awareness of a branch passing quickly by. Having been riding in shadows on flat road across east-facing slopes, we now turned up toward the ridgeline with open views of the reservoir below. Through this animistic portrait of stones, wood, grasses and leaves we hurried to see the mining shafts in the fleeting remnants of day." (b. March 8, 2003)

Railway near the April Tunnel, and yes, you get to ride across the tracks. Directions: This route follows the one legal bike loop that circumvents the ridge, comprised of Mine Hill Road and Randol Road, with a potential detour along Castillero Road out to Hildago Cemetery. By car, take 280 south to Cupertino, then take 85 south toward Gilroy. Get off at the Almaden exit, and follow Almaden south. You'll eventually make a right turn onto "Old Almaden" and keep going south. Just past the residential area is a dirt parking lot, which is the Hacienda Entry. On bike, grab a map at the entrance, and follow Mine Hill Road up the ridge. At the junction of Mine Hill and Randol Road you can go either way. We've done both: Mine Hill Road gets you up to the exhibits faster, but probably turning right on Randol Road first makes for the better ride. Randol Road takes you out to Guadelupe Reservior, then return up Mine Hill Road to Bull Run. From there, make sure you catch the April Tunnel, and the San Cristobal Mine, definately those two, and maybe the Hildago Cemetery. It isn't anything special-- they removed all the of grave stones-- but the ride out is rather nice.

Profile: From the Hacienda Entrance (elev. 500), it's a 1.2 mile burn to the junction with the Randol Trail (elev. 1000). The climb is a very steady 8-9% grade on smooth wide dirt road. Randol Road is nearly 4 miles, and begins and ends at the 1000 foot contour (rising to about 1100, and descending to nearly 800). It is painless heading out on it; personally we found the up-and-down climbs more noticeable on the way back. From the reservior it is 2.2 miles to the high point, Bull Run (elev. 1500), with most of the climbing in the first mile or so-- again around 8-9%, the climbing here never gets too out of hand. From Bull Run it's a fun descent past the mining exhibits before you return back to the start. It's a 10 mile loop. Add two more, a mile each way, if you ride out to Hildago Cemetery; from Bull Run it's almost all downhill to the cemetary (elev. 1300), with a few steep but brief climbing sections on the way back.

Comment [7½]: Not a technical ride in any sense, but a fine workout that offered great views of San Jose and the surrounding hills. In early March the oak forest was a brilliant green, and the old mining ruins add some flavor making for an all-around enjoyable ride. Back to top.

Web Page - Map Link (145K PDF) - mtbREVIEW.com - Photo Exhibit


Alum Rock Park: North Rim Trail and Todd Quick Loop

"When I ride, I let go. Everything building up... gone, like shutting off and rebooting the brain. So as the wet, mud, cold, and passing viruses kept me indoors more often than not this past winter season, it all kept piling up, weighing me down, slowly losing clarity, swallowed by a deeper hole, until with the emergence of warm breezes and brilliant green hillsides I could at long last return again to my therapeutic outlet. Now this short loop along the shadowy valley and grassy hillsides wasn't about to work through any major issues, but it was enough-- a ray of hope-- until bike and body could revive to face the promises of a glorious spring." (b. March 7, 2005)

Directions: Alum Rock Park stretches the length of a tight, steep ravine, tucked away between the base of Mission Peak and the foothills of the Coastal Range. For mountain biking, there is a short loop that heads out along the creek, then back along the northern wall nearly a couple hundred feet above the valley floor. The Todd Quick trail is a singletrack loop that climbs up the valley wall a little further still, and the Boccardo trail, which we did not ride, because we didn't know about it until we got there and then it was nearing sunset, climbs another thousand feet of vertical all the way up to the ridgeline. By car, from SF, take 280 south to where it becomes 680, exit Alum Rock Road about a mile later, head east, and follow Alum Rock Road all the way to the back entrance of the park. On bike, descend the service road to the main picnic area near the visitors center. Follow the trail upstream along Penitencia Creek to where the bike legal portion ends, backtrack, and where the main road begins, turn right heading up the North Rim Trail, which will return to the main picnic area. Feel free to add the Todd Quick loop branching from the North Rim Trail, whose start was clearly marked. From the high point of the Todd Quick loop, the out-and-back Boccardo trail continues upward to the hills above.

Profile: The fire road along Penitincia Creek has a mild, continuous grade between the park entrance (elev. 400), to the endpoint (elev. 650) where it crosses the creek and the South Rim trail begins. The east end of the North Rim Trail (elev. 500) rises nearly 200 feet on a brief, fairly steep, but short climb, then keeps mostly flat, just under the 700 foot contour until it descends to the picnic grounds. Midway along the North Rim Trail, the Todd Quick loop rises 250 feet further to the Boccardo Trail (elev. 900) over half a mile or so, maybe a little longer, with plenty of switchbacks but otherwise technically unremarkable singletrack. The Boccardo Trail climbs another 1000 feet in 1.5 miles, though having not ridden it we can give no further details. The Lariet Trail, at the end of the North Rim Trail, becomes singletrack with some *very* tight, steep switchbacks and other seriously technical spots, which I'd skip unless you have a BMX. All told the ride was around 7 miles.

Comment [6½]: Though brief, it's actually a very pretty park. The Penitencia Creek + North Rim Trail loop makes a fine, quick date ride. Add the Todd Quick loop if your date was okay with the initial climb up the North Rim Trail. For a good workout, throw in the Boccardo Trail, which we plan to do the next time around. Back to top.

Web Page - Map Link (1.41 Mb PDF) - mtbREVIEW.com - Photo Exhibit


Pacheco Pass State Park

"The bunch grasses atop Spikes Peak rustled loudly in the chilling winds from the sea, unopposed by the occasional oak scattered across the rolling hills. The visible landscape for miles all around offered a rare privacy by its remoteness; and exposure before greater forces. Trying to get around a memory card error on my digital camera, to no avail, I knew deep down that no picture could possibly capture the moment, so felt no regret despite the lost potential. But this extra time forced a little pause, offering a moment of sober clarity through the lively chaos of everyday existence." (b. May 1, 2005)

Directions: This is a small, remote, and beautiful park way out on the eastern fringes of the Coastal Range, in the foothills on the cusp of the San Joaquin Valley. The only thing we knew about it when we arrived is that there is like 20 miles worth of bike trails, so mainly we went just to explore. By car, take 101 south to Gilroy, then 152 east a few miles past Casa de Fruta to Dinosaur Point Road. The park entrance is no more than a mile off the freeway, marked by clear, prominent signs. There is a $5 self-pay fee, and the park closes at sunset with a gated lot, but there is plenty of parking just outside. On bike, grab a xeroxed map at the main parking area. There are three natural loops which organize around Spikes Peak, the high point of the park. For all three, ride up to the summit along Spikes Peak Road, being sure to turn right up a steep little grade at the first major fork (if you pass Pigs Pond you made the wrong turn). At Spikes Peak, there are three options back: the Canyon Loop Trail; Dinosaur Lake Trail which goes by the windmills to the east; and Whiskey Flat Trail along the rolling oak savannas to the west. You'll see it all from Spikes Peak-- go with your gut once you get up there. The loops are short (the Canyon Loop was a total of 6 miles from the park entrance) so you might want to combine two of them, like Whiskey Flat, then back up to Spikes peak, then Dinosaur Lake, for example.

Profile: It's a hilly park, so net elevation changes won't tell the whole story. Still, although we reversed the canyon loop and rode down Spikes Peak Road back to the start, the ride up it didn't seem like it would be too bad. Well, we can't really say what riding up a trail is like unless we did it, but from the parking area (elev. 1400), it's a two mile ride up to Spikes Peak (elev. 1927) atop a ridge, and the grades seemed pretty doable except for one gruelling section about a half-mile into the climb, another steep part later, and some roller coasters. That's what the climb seemed like riding down it-- I'm sure it's really much worse. From Spikes Peak you can descend east into the canyon (elev. 1100), or west to Whiskey Flat (elev. 1400), both of which involve very steep descents, almost perpendicular down the slope. Then whichever way you head back expect plenty of ups and downs. Trails for the canyon loop were a mix of doubletrack and smooth singletrack, hardly technical at all.

Comment [7½]: Pacheco Pass is a little gem. It could easily score higher once we explore more of the park, which we almost certainly will later. We just did a quick loop through the central area to get a feel for the place. For not a lot of work you get a whole lot of scenery and splendid islation. Back to top.

Web Page - Map Link - mtbREVIEW.com - Photo Exhibit


Photos
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An old tractor near the Henry Coe Visitor's Center, located at the site of the old homestead. This is in late September, where gentle splashes of fall colors can be seen on the opposite hillside. (Kind of hard to see here, they showed up better in real life.) At night the lights from Gilroy and Morgan Hill can be seen in the valley beyond.

Midway down the Middle Ridge Loop in Henry Coe, the Manzanita forest began here. Already the ride had been hard enough, little did I know what was in store. The trail goes through here somewhere.

In Grant Ranch, climbing out of the valley on the Hotel trail, almost at Eagle Lake. Look carefully between the trees on the expanded view and you'll see the fire road in the distance.

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Links

GORP puts Henry Coe in California's top 10 single track. The trail they mention was the one we took, but there wasn't much if any single track. There is single track elsewhere though. "Pure bucolic indulgence"? Dang, wish I thought of that one.

So what's the deal with Gilroy Hot Springs? Signs on the 101 offramp offer directions and mileage, but once you get there, it's just some 'no trespassing' signs. Discovered right after the Civil War, apparently it was once a busy little spa. Some buildings are visible as you ride along Coyote Creek from the southern entrance.

Did you know Gilroy in 1870 was the tobacco capital of the United States, and in the 1920s was the prune capital? Now it's the garlic capital! My, what distinction will Gilroy achieve next?? This and more fun facts in the history of Gilroy...

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