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Coyote Lake Park
Rating Details »
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
5 reviews for Coyote Lake Park
Camping here is definitely car camping. The sites are located in a flat, open area with minimal tree cover, so your site will border two or three others.
Although I usually prefer more 'natural' camping, I enjoyed camping here.
First, there is plenty to do within the park - so once you've parked your car at the campsite, there's no need to move it. There are some trailheads within walking distance of the campsites. The hike we went on had some great views.
Second, they host a lot of fun-looking events. We were there during one of the 'Star Events', where they bring in telescopes and you can go star-gaze! Quite fun! They also host movie nights, hikes, etc.
Third, and this may not apply to everyone, but after our afternoon hike, we drove out to the Gilroy In-n-Out :)
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Camped here this past weekend, had a decent time.
We were a group of about thirty people and had four or five campsites located in the Lakeview Area. These sites are located fairly close to one another and because of that, you can easily encumber another campers site without knowing it...we did and received a warning from the Ranger that we needed to stay on our side even though our neighbors didn't complain or mind hanging out with us (Oops!) Since camping arrangements are so close the Rangers are strict about noise level and with a large party it was hard to keep the noise down past ten...
There are showers which are free (yay! love it) and clean. The bathrooms are cleaned regularly and fairly close to the campsites, Food lockers. electric outlets for RV's and great trails for walks in the evening. Overall it was nice, however I like camping to feel a little more "woodsy" so I prefer places like San Luis Reservoir.
Pro's: Clean, plenty of shade, showers and flush toilets for campers, quiet, close to home but still feels "out there". Easy car access, no need for a truck or 4x4. Lots of sheriffs, in the winter they sell firewood. They have two large no wake zones. There are wild pigs, cows, turkey, frogs, ducks etc that are fun to watch. They also allow dogs.
Con's: Jet skiers and power boaters tear up the water and make an otherwise still and clear lake into a choppy muddy mess, even the no wake zones get hit. This lake is so small that it should really have a 10-15mph speed limit throughout. With Anderson so close by, I doubt many would mind. I've been there 3 times now and I can guarantee that you will have an encounter with the sheriff, especially if you are camping. Even if you are doing nothing wrong, they will ask for fishing licenses, camping permits, or just come around to remind you not to gather firewood or be loud at night. They help to keep the park clean, quiet, and safe, but they are also kind of overbearing. It is especially alarming at night because they hide in dark spots and watch people. If your walking down to the lake for some night fishing and someone pops out of the bush to check your license it really gets your heart going. The fishing is ok but it's going to get worse because they have stopped stocking trout. The park does it's best to stay clean, but there are a few coves that people love to go to at night and trash with beer cans and wrappers and such. They don't allow slingshots, which probably won't bother most people, but I find it to be a fun way to pass the time while camping so that was kind of a bummer.
Summary: Great place to camp. It's best enjoyed in the off season and early morning. Early morning is when all of the critters are active and there is a nice low fog over the lake. It's like something out of a movie or post card. It's too small for serious power boating or jet skiing. Good for cruising around, but by the time you get up to speed you're at the end of the lake. It's probably better enjoyed at low speed or in a kayak. Check the rules before you go, this is a county park and they have their own unique set of rules. There are 2-4 sheriffs on duty at this very small lake, so it is easy to get in trouble for making an honest mistake. For instance, I found out the hard way that it is illegal to split logs (even if you brought them from home), and a friend got in trouble for parking in what looked like a dirt parking spot.
AKA Anderson Lake Junior. Coyote Lake is smaller and (for most) farther away than its downstream cousin, and as such it's a whole lot less crowded--while they do have a per-day launch quota, they never seem to reach it. A simple tube-shaped lake, 3 miles long, wedged between grassy, oak-studded ridges, it's a little on the small end for motorsports but it's the perfect size to circumnavigate in a kayak (takes about 3 hours). The scenery is pretty homogenous aside from the bucolic valleys that rise from both ends. There's also quite a few hiking trails on the west side of the lake, which you can also access from San Martin Ave in Gilroy. But, with the temps being in the high 80's, I was here strictly for the cool water.
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I bass fish at this lake regularly during spring and summer. The lake produces more bass over 10 pounds for it's small size than just about any lake in northern california, if not the country!
Coyote lake allows personal watercraft, motor boats, and water skiing but you should call ahead to the ranger station if you are planning to use the boat launch to place your craft in the water during the winter and spring because they tend to close the ramp due to low water levels.
Besides Coyote lake being an outstanding bass fishing lake, Coyote is also stocked by the DFG with catchable rainbow trout.
One thing that makes Coyote lake unique to any of the other Santa Clara County run lakes is that it allows night fishing all night, but only from the shore.
Coyote lake park also has overnight camping facilities with nice size spaces. If you plan to reserve a space in the summer, I recommend one of the spaces that has the main road right behind it because they provide the most tree shade.
I do know that Coyote lake park does have some hiking trails, but I've never used them, but I can imagine that they are beautiful like the rest of the place.
So if you're looking to catch a huge bass, try some night fishing, or get the boat afloat, I highly recommend Coyote lake... just don't tell anyone about this bay area's best kept secret ;-)
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