Henry W. Coe State Park

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Henry W. Coe State Park
IUCN Category V (Protected Landscape/Seascape)
Location:	Santa Clara and Stanislaus counties, California, USA
Nearest city:	Morgan Hill, CA
Coordinates:	37°11′18″N, 121°32′42″W
Area:	86,000 acres (348 km²)
Established:	1958
Visitation:	40,000 (in ????)
Governing body:	California Department of Parks & Recreation

Henry W. Coe State Wilderness (Orestimba Wilderness)
IUCN Category Ib (Wilderness Area)
Location:	Santa Clara and Stanislaus counties, California, USA
Nearest city:	Morgan Hill, CA
Coordinates:	37°13′37″N, 121°23′34″W
Area:	22,000 acres (89 km²)
Established:	1985
Governing body:	California Department of Parks & Recreation

Henry W. Coe State Park is a California state park located in Santa Clara and Stanislaus counties. It contains over 86,000 acres (348 km²), making it the largest state park in northern California, and the second-largest in the state (after Anza-Borrego Desert State Park near the U.S.-Mexico border). Managed within its boundaries is a designated wilderness area of about 22,000 acres (89 km²). This is officially known as Henry W. Coe State Wilderness, but locally as the Orestimba Wilderness.

Henry W. Coe State Park's land area is larger than that of the nearby Santa Clara Valley. This is remarkable, considering that the park is only about a one hour drive from San Jose. Despite its vicinity to this large population, the park receives only about 40,000 visitors per year, and is not well known among San Francisco Bay Area residents.

1 History
2 Geography
3 Plant life
4 Animal life
5 Development and facilities
6 Recreation
- 6.1 Events
7 References
8 External links

[edit] History

Henry W. Coe State Park began as the Pine Ridge Ranch, a private cattle ranch of 12,230 acres (49.5 km²). It was the home of Henry Willard Coe, Jr. and his family from 1905 until his death in 1943. Coe left the ranch to his son, Henry Sutcliffe Coe, who sold it to the Beach Land and Cattle Company of Fresno County in 1948.

The ranch's road network was greatly expanded during this time. Coe's daughter, Sada Coe Robinson, re-purchased the ranch in 1950 and donated it to Santa Clara County in 1953, when it became Henry Willard Coe County Park. It became a state park in 1958. Additional adjacent lands were added, and for many years, the park's size stood at 13,000 acres (53 km²). Indeed, many currently available state road maps still show the park in its 13,000 acre (53 km²) configuration. The park expanded considerably in the early 1980s with the purchase of adjacent properties to the east and south (the Gill-Mustang and Coit ranches, respectively), bringing the size to 67,000 acres (271 km²). In the early 1990s, the Redfern Ranch added some 11,000 acres (45 km²) in the south, and since 2000, lands to the west have been purchased for inclusion. The park is still growing.

[edit] Geography

Coe Park, or Henry Coe, as it is affectionately known by staff and frequent visitors, consists of a series of high ridges separated by steep canyons, with occasional level valley bottoms and distinct peaks. Most of the ridges run around 600 to 900 m (2000 to 3000 ft) in elevation, with canyon bottoms usually around 300 to 450 m (1000 to 1500 ft) above sea level.

The highest point in the park is on the northernmost boundary, at about 1090 m (3560 ft) elevation. This point may be considered to be on the slopes of Mt. Stakes, which is a mile north of the park's northern boundary. (Mt. Stakes itself, at 1159 m (3804 ft), is the highest point in Stanislaus County). The lowest point in the park is at the Bell Station access point in the southeast; this is only a little above 90 m (300 ft) in elevation. Since this is a mere strip of land along a road right-of-way, it is often not thought of as an integral part of the State Park. The lowest point in the main body of the park is the place where the North Fork of Pacheco Creek flows out, at about 220 m (710 ft) elevation, also in the southeast corner.

Prominent ridges and peaks in the park, from west to east and north to south, include Pine Ridge, Middle Ridge, Blue Ridge (with Mount Sizer the highest point), Rock House Ridge, Bear Mountain, Bear Mountain Peak, Robinson Mountain, Rooster Comb, Palassou Ridge, Mahoney Ridge (and Mahoney Meadows), Willow Ridge, Pacheco Ridge, Mustang Peak, Walsh Peak, Willson Field Hill, Wasno Ridge, Burra Burra Peak, Willson Peak, Rock Springs Peak, and Phegley Ridge.

Looking west over Hunting Hollow, at the south end of the park

The area encompasses parts of three major watersheds: Coyote Creek, Orestimba Creek, and Pacheco Creek. Coyote Creek is fed by Grizzly Creek, the Little, Middle, and East Forks of Coyote Creek, Kelly Cabin Canyon, Grizzly Gulch (not be confused with Grizzly Creek), and Hunting Hollow. Coyote Creek flows into Coyote Lake and Anderson Lake, and then north through San Jose into the San Francisco Bay. The South Fork of Orestimba Creek originates in the park, and is fed by Red Creek, Pinto and Robinson creeks, and Lion Canyon. After joining the North Fork outside the park, it flows out to the San Joaquin Valley, where it joins the San Joaquin River. The latter runs more or less north and, if it were not diverted, would flow out to San Pablo Bay. The North Fork of Pacheco Creek also originates within the park, and it is fed by Mississippi Creek. Cañada de la Dormida independently reaches Pacheco Creek outside of the park boundaries. If not diverted, the waters of Pacheco Creek would eventually reach Monterey Bay via the Pajaro River. There is a fourth, minor watershed within the park: the small creeks of the Upper San Antonio Valley in the north flow into San Antonio Creek north of the park. This, in turn, joins Arroyo Valle, which flows into Alameda Creek, then flows into San Francisco Bay west of the city of Fremont.

The creeks are all seasonal; none of them flow year-round, though all have holes in which water may be found during all seasons. Depending on rainfall and temperatures, the creeks generally flow from November to May. After heavy rainfall, the creeks can become impassable raging torrents, though usually they are not difficult to ford if one does not mind getting wet or (in winter and early spring) cold.

The park contains dozens of reservoirs created by the former ranch owners for watering cattle and for recreational fishing and hunting. The largest is Mississippi Lake, at about 130,000 m² (32 acres) and 1.2 km (3/4 mile) long. Other notables are Coit, Kelly, Jackrabbit, and Paradise lakes.

Topographic maps with GPS-generated trail maps can be found at an unofficial site here: Bill Levey's site. More detailed, easier to read topographic maps of the park's more popular western area can be downloaded at this other unofficial site: [1].

[edit] Plant life

Besides its size, the park is notable for a mostly intact flora. Unlike many other Bay Area parks, there are no large stands of non-native trees or shrubs. There are forested ridge-tops and slopes interspersed with chaparral and grasslands, with some creeks supporting distinct riparian vegetation.

Native trees which dominate the park include Valley Oak (Quercus lobata), Blue Oak (Q. douglasii), Coast live oak (Q. agrifolia), Canyon Live Oak (Q. chrysolepis), Interior live oak (Q. wislizenii), Gray Pine (Pinus sabiniana), Ponderosa Pine (P. ponderosa), Pacific Madrone (Arbutus menziesii), California Laurel (Umbellularia californica), California Buckeye (Aesculus californica), White Alder (Alnus rhombifolia), California Juniper (Juniperus californica), Blue Elderberry (Sambucus mexicana) and California Sycamore (Platanus racemosa). Big-berry Manzanita (Arctostaphylos glauca) reach remarkable size within the park (over 20 feet (6 m) tall) and can grow as either small trees or large shrubs. Other prominent shrubs at Coe are Chamise (Adenostoma fasciculatum), Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia), Coyote Brush (Baccharis pilularis), California Sagebrush (Artemisia californica), Eastwood Manzanita (Arctostaphylos glandulosa), Yerba Santa (Eriodictyon californicum), Buck Brush (Ceanothus cuneatus), California Gooseberry (Ribes californicum), Fuchsia-flowered Gooseberry (Ribes speciosum), and Mountain Mahogany (Cercocarpus betuloides).

Of the trees, Blue Oak is the most common and widespread. It is most noticeable in the eastern side of the park, where it often forms pure stands. In other areas it may be dominated by other trees, but if the habitat will support trees, Blue Oak is usually there. Gray Pine is also almost ubiquitous throughout, but curiously, is absent in much of the far southwestern portion, perhaps because of the influence of summer fogs rare elsewhere.

Ponderosa Pines on summit of Pine Ridge, May 1978

Ponderosa Pines dominate parts of three ridges in the west: Pine, Middle, and Blue, usually crowning the summits, but often extending down into cooler canyon slopes. They are rarely very dense, and visitors who are used to seeing forests of ponderosas in the Sierra Nevada may come to two opposite, and fallacious, conclusions: 1) That the pines were logged, and all we see left is a small percentage of survivors; or 2) that they were all planted. In reality, there is no evidence (stumps, historical accounts) that any significant logging took place. Nor does the relatively wide extent of the stands and the great variety of age groups support a tree-planting theory. Most likely, the pines are a relict of a broader distribution during cooler climates. When the climate warmed, the only places the trees could survive was up on the high cooler ridges and shady slopes where they grow today.

Chamise is undoubtedly the most abundant shrub in Coe Park, covering acres of hot, dry slopes and poor soils.

[edit] Animal life

Wildlife in the park is abundant. Large mammals making their home within Coe include Mule Deer, Tule Elk, non-native Wild Pig, Coyote, Grey Fox, Bobcat, and Mountain Lion (aka Cougar, Puma). Smaller mammals include Raccoon, Striped Skunk, Beechey Ground Squirrel, Black-tailed Jackrabbit, Badger, and Brush Rabbit. About 170 species of birds have been recorded in the park. Among these are: Red-tailed Hawk, Golden Eagle, Turkey Vulture, Raven, Scrub Jay, Steller's Jay, Great Horned Owl, Acorn Woodpecker, California Quail, Western Bluebird, and the non-native Wild Turkey. Common reptiles include Western Pond Turtle, western fence lizard, Northern Alligator Lizard, Western Skink, Coast Horned Lizard, Pacific Gopher Snake, Western Kingsnake, Western Rattlesnake, Ringneck Snake, and Western Aquatic Garter Snake. Amphibians most seen (or heard) include Pacific Treefrog, the non-native Bullfrog, and California Newt.

[edit] Development and facilities

Coe Park has few facilities. The most developed area is at Coe Headquarters located at the historic Pine Ridge Ranch. Besides several historic ranch buildings, there is a visitor center that features exhibits about the old ranch life, a small bookstore, and a registration/information desk. A 20-unit campground on a nearby open area provides spaces for tents and small recreational vehicles. About the only other structures at Coe Headquarters are water tanks and two employee residences. This area is at the end of East Dunne Avenue, about 14 miles east of downtown Morgan Hill.

Another access point is the Hunting Hollow parking area just off Gilroy Hot Springs Road. This area is more primitive, with no piped water available and only a chemical toilet.

About 2 miles north on Gilroy Hot Springs Road is the Coyote Creek entrance. This entrance has no parking or facilities of any kind. Currently, it can only be used by arranging to be dropped off by car, or by parking at Hunting Hollow and walking up the road.

A fourth access area is under development at the Dowdy Ranch, with access via the unpaved Kaiser-Aetna Road from Bell Station. This entrance is currently open, but normally requires a long walk or ride up from Route 152. During the annual Coe Backcountry Weekend a limited number of vehicles are permitted to drive up this road as far as the Orestimba Wilderness.

A future entrance is to be located in San Antonio Valley in the northernmost part of the park, though it will likely be many years before funds are available to do this.

[edit] Recreation

Most visitors at Coe Park hike or mountain bike on the numerous trails within the park. There are about 200 miles (300 km) of dirt roads and trails in the park. Some of the dirt roads are wide and well engineered, some are narrow and rutted, and some are so overgrown as to be easily missed. Recently constructed single-track trails are usually well maintained, and in general, the closer to Coe Headquarters the more such trails there are. More remote trails are often just old jeep roads overgrown to a single-track width; others were created solely by repeated use, especially by equestrians. These were often made with insufficient forethought and often suffer moderate to severe erosion problems, or may be overgrown and difficult to follow much of the year.

Henry Coe also provides exceptional backpacking opportunities. The park is so large and there are so many roads and trails, that one could plan a route covering ten miles per day, at a different campsite each night, and go two weeks without ever using the same trail or dirt road. Coe is the only park in the San Francisco Bay Area where this is possible. Permits are required, but are usually easy to obtain except on busy spring weekends.

The park is considered mountain bike friendly since there are only a few miles of trails off limits to them (though this includes the whole of Orestimba Wilderness, but this is too far away for most bicyclists to reach on a day ride anyway). It is not unusual for as much as half of park visitation on a given day to consist of mountain bicyclists, though this is normally closer to 30%. Equestrians also make use of the trails, though they account for less than 1% of all visitation. As in all state parks, hunting is prohibited, but fishing is allowed. Motorized vehicles are also prohibited in the backcountry; exceptions are law enforcement or maintenance staff, and a few dirt roads are designated rights-of-way for neighboring property owners and their guests.

Spring is the most popular time to visit the park, with its moderate weather, green hillsides dotted with colorful wildflowers, and flowing creeks. Summer is usually too hot and dry for most people to enjoy the area, though the nighttime weather is pleasant and the sky usually clear for star-gazing. Fall, from about mid-October through early November, is also a pleasant time to visit. There are also mild days between rainstorms in winter at Coe, which seldom has any snow.

The most common danger when visiting the park is usually exhaustion from attempting to hike or bike too many steep trails in too little time, or with too little water or food. Additionally, there are many ticks of several different species (though Lyme Disease is rare in the area), as well as a few poisonous rattlesnakes.

[edit] Events

The park's non-profit support group, the Pine Ridge Association, sponsors two popular annual events, a Mothers' Day Breakfast and the fall TarantulaFest. The latter consists of a traditional outdoor barbecue with live music and a celebration of the hairy arachnids which inhabit the park, the gentle tarantulas commonly seen in the fall there when males are wandering about looking for the burrows of females in order to mate with them.