How to Get a Manzanita Point Permit
Eleven hike-in group camps two to three miles from the Coe Ranch Entrance, where up to two vehicles may drive your gear in — conditions permitting.
Check Manzanita Point permit availability2.5 miles
Distance
moderate
Difficulty
About Manzanita Point
Manzanita Point offers eleven hike-in group camps at Henry W. Coe State Park for backpacking groups of 9 or more, a 2 to 3 mile hike or mountain bike ride from the Coe Ranch Entrance. Each camp is primitive, with picnic tables and a nearby vault toilet, plus a metal campfire ring usable when wood and charcoal campfires are permitted. There is no potable water at Manzanita Point, so group campers should plan to carry in enough water and supplies to last their stay. Unlike the park's individual backpacking permits, these are reservable. Reservations for the hike-in group camps must be made a minimum of 7 days in advance through ReserveCalifornia. The rate is $75 per night including a maximum of 5 vehicles, with $8 per additional vehicle. The vehicle rule is the practical detail that makes this camp work for groups: conditions permitting, up to 2 vehicles may drive in via a gated one-lane dirt road to carry equipment and supplies. They must then stay parked at the group camp for the duration and drive out once at checkout — shuttling people or supplies is not allowed. Staff prohibit vehicle access when the park has received or is expecting significant rainfall. Wood and charcoal campfires are permitted seasonally in the park-provided metal rings at Coe Ranch Campground and Manzanita Point, but as of 12 June 2026 they were banned for the remainder of wildfire season. Dogs are not allowed at any of the hike-in group camps.
Manzanita Point is how a group samples Henry Coe's backcountry without everyone carrying everything. The park describes it exactly that way: for backpacking groups of 9 or more who want to sample the backpacking experience without necessarily having to hike in all their gear.
The Experience
Oak and manzanita on a ridge above the canyons, with the whole Coe backcountry dropping away east. Hot in summer, and no water at all.
Manzanita Point offers eleven hike-in group camps for backpacking groups of 9 or more. The campsites are a 2 to 3 mile hike or mountain bike ride from the Coe Ranch Entrance. Each camp is primitive, with picnic tables and a nearby vault toilet, and a metal campfire ring that may be used when wood and charcoal campfires are permitted. Wood gathering is not allowed, so campers must bring their own wood or purchase it at the visitor center.
There is no potable water at Manzanita Point, so group campers should plan to carry in enough water and supplies to last their stay. This is the constraint that shapes every trip here.
Vehicle access exists but is tightly controlled. There is limited vehicle access via a gated, one-lane dirt road; conditions permitting, up to 2 vehicles may drive in to carry equipment and supplies. Once driven in, group camp equipment vehicles must remain parked at the group camp through the duration of the stay and drive out once upon checkout. Shuttling people or supplies to and from the group camps is not allowed. Vehicles must arrive during business hours and no later than one hour before sunset, and park staff will prohibit vehicle access when the park has received or is expecting significant rainfall.
What to Expect
Eleven separate group camps for parties of 9 or more
A 2 to 3 mile hike or bike from the Coe Ranch Entrance
Picnic tables, a nearby vault toilet and a metal campfire ring
No potable water at all — everything is carried or driven in
Up to two gear vehicles allowed in, conditions permitting, then parked for the stay
$75 per night including five vehicles
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Permit Requirements
For backpacking groups of 9 or more.
Reservations must be made a minimum of 7 days in advance through ReserveCalifornia.
$75 per night, 5 vehicles maximum included, $8 per additional vehicle.
Up to 2 vehicles may drive to the campsite, conditions permitting; they must remain parked at the group camp through the stay and drive out once upon checkout.
Shuttling people and/or equipment and supplies to and from the group camps is not allowed.
Group camp vehicles must arrive during business hours and no later than 1 hour before sunset. Driving in after sunset is not allowed.
Park staff will prohibit vehicle access when the park has received or is expecting significant rainfall.
Dogs are NOT allowed at any of the hike-in group camps.
Wood gathering is not allowed; campers must bring their own wood or purchase it at the visitor center. Ground campfires are NOT allowed anywhere in the park.
As of 12 June 2026, wood or charcoal campfires are not allowed for the remainder of wildfire season; gas stoves, gas grills and portable gas fire pits are permitted.
Gear & Preparation
Required Gear
- •All drinking and cooking water for the whole group and the whole stay
- •Gas stoves, which remain permitted when wood and charcoal are banned
- •Your own firewood, if campfires happen to be allowed
- •Sun protection for exposed ridge country
- •A group gear plan built around at most two vehicles
Recommended Gear
- •Large water containers, since two vehicles can carry a lot of water in
- •Long sleeves and long pants tucked in against ticks, which can carry Lyme disease
- •Electrolytes for summer days above 90 degrees
- •A weather check, since rain closes vehicle access entirely
- •Headlamps, given the one-hour-before-sunset arrival cutoff
Hazards & Safety
No potable water at Manzanita Point.
Hot, dry summers bring highs above 90 degrees, and in the summer it can reach over 100 F in the park.
Ticks are active in winter and spring and can carry Lyme disease.
Ticks, poison oak, rattlesnakes, wild pigs and mountain lions all live in the park.
Significant rainfall closes vehicle access to the camps.
Seasonal creeks can overflow, becoming extremely dangerous and impassable elsewhere in the park.
Best Time to Visit
Spring and fall are the most temperate and enjoyable times to visit the park. Spring is greenest and busiest; autumn is stable and quiet. Summer means over 90 degrees on an exposed ridge with every litre of water carried in. Book at least seven days ahead, and watch the forecast, because rain closes the gear-vehicle road.
100+ wilderness permits, extensive backcountry experience
This guide is based on personal experience obtaining wilderness permits and is regularly updated to reflect current policies and strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a Manzanita Point permit?
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Manzanita Point permits require advance reservations. Book online as soon as reservations open for your desired dates.
When is the best time to visit Manzanita Point?
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Spring and fall are the most temperate and enjoyable times to visit the park. Spring is greenest and busiest; autumn is stable and quiet. Summer means over 90 degrees on an exposed ridge with every litre of water carried in. Book at least seven days ahead, and watch the forecast, because rain closes the gear-vehicle road.
How difficult is Manzanita Point?
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Groups of nine or more who want a real backcountry night in the largest state park in Northern California, with the option of driving gear in. Good for introducing a group to backpacking terrain.
What gear do I need for Manzanita Point?
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Essential gear includes: All drinking and cooking water for the whole group and the whole stay, Gas stoves, which remain permitted when wood and charcoal are banned, Your own firewood, if campfires happen to be allowed, Sun protection for exposed ridge country, A group gear plan built around at most two vehicles.
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