Camping

Camping at Henry W. Coe State Park

Coe Ranch Campground

Drive in camping is available at the Coe Ranch Entrance campground at the end of E. Dunne Avenue. The campground is located on top of an open ridge at 2,600 feet, has views across the ridges and canyons of the backcountry and into the southern part of Santa Clara Valley.

Each of the 19 drive-in campsites has a picnic table and fire pit with a grill grate. Standard Primitive Sites have a parking spot adjacent to the picnic table. Tent Primitive Sites have a parking spot near where you camp.  Vault toilets and potable water are near each site.  There are restrooms (with flush toilets, sinks and mirrors) in the Visitor Center a short walk away.  There are no showers or RV hook-ups.  There is a maximum of eight people per site and one vehicle is included in the camping fee. 

Reservations: Campsites can be reserved on line at www.reservecalifornia.com by calling Reserve California at
1- 800-444-7275.  We have one ADA accessible site (003) that can be reserved if you are disabled.  Sites that haven't been reserved are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.  The campground tends to fully book on Saturday, and many Fridays, during spring, summer and holiday weekends. 

Dogs are allowed in the Coe Ranch campground, on paved roads and on one trail from the Visitor Center to the overflow parking lot 1/2 mile west of the park entrance off E. Dunne Ave.


Backpacking
Henry W. Coe State Park contains over 80,000 acres of rugged backcountry for hike-in camping. One could easily plan an overnight trip or a weeklong excursion, hiking 10 miles a day and camping at a different site every night. The park offers designated backpacking campsites with 1 to 7 1/2 miles of the Coe Ranch Entrance and dispersed camping in outlying zones and at least 1/2-mile beyond the Hunting Hollow and Dowdy Ranch Entrances.

Backpacking permits are required and issued on a first-come, first-served basis at the Coe Ranch and Hunting Hollow Entrances - as well as seasonally at the Dowdy Ranch Entrance. Permits are usually available year-round, though we recommend registering early in the day if arriving during the busy spring months or on a holiday weekend. Parking availability is also very limited during the busy season.

Backpacking fees: $5 per person, per night (up to 8 people max.) and $8 per vehicle, per night ($6 per vehicle, per night at Hunting Hollow). State Park Annual Passes cannot be used for camping fees, as they are for day use fees only.

Dogs are NOT allowed in the backcountry.

Ground fires are NOT allowed in the backcountry.

For help planning a backpacking trip, please visit Backpacking Recommendations.

 

Group Camping
Coe Park has eleven hike-in group campsites for groups of 9 to 50 people at some sites.  Each Manzanita Point group site is primitive with picnic tables and a nearby vault toilet.  The Manzanita Group camps do have fire rings which can be used when fires are allowed.  You must bring in your own wood, wood collecting is not allowed.  Manzanita Point Group camps are located 2 to 3 miles from the Coe Ranch Entrance.  The Poverty Flat hike in group site is located 4 miles from Coe Ranch Entrance; groups of 9 to 25 people can camp there.  Poverty Flat has one vault toilet available, and no fire ring as fires are not allowed.  Dogs are not allowed at any of the group camps.

Vehicle access to Manzanita Point Group Camps is by a dirt road.  Park staff will close the road to vehicle access if the roads have become unsafe due to darkness or inclement weather.  Vehicle access is also restricted to driving equipment to your site and leaving the vehicle at the site for the duration of your stay.  Plan to have enough water and supplies to last the duration of your stay.  More than one trip by a vehicle(s) of people and supplies is not allowed.  Group camp vehicles must arrive at the park 1 hour before sunset to gain vehicle access to your site.
 

When camping at Manzanita Point, you are allowed to drive in two equipment vehicles.  You are not allowed to shuttle campers back and forth to the campsite; campers must walk or bicycle to the campsite.  Campers with special needs can make arrangements with park staff for access.  Call park for details (408) 779-2728.


Potable water is NOT available at Manzanita Point or Poverty Flat Campsites. 
When group camping at the Poverty Flat site, you cannot drive equipment to the site.  The road is not suitable for public driving access.  Fires are not allowed at Poverty Flat as well.

To make a campsite reservation contact Reserve America at www.reservecalifornia.com or by calling 1-800-444-7275. 


Fires
If wood and charcoal fires are allowed you must bring your own wood or purchase it at the Visitor Center.  Fires may be prohibited without advance notice if there is a risk of wildfires.  For current regulations regarding campfires click here.

Ground fires are NOT allowed anywhere in the park. Fires in provided fire-rings are permitted only at Coe Ranch Campground and at Manzanita Point Group Camps. Wood and Charcoal fires may not be allowed in fire-rings depending on fire conditions. Contact park for further details.  Wood collecting in the park is prohibited.

Coe Ranch Campground Pictures