Walk-UpBackpackingHigh Demand

Backpacking Zone Permit

Zone-style permit for backcountry camping. First-come at trailhead.

Other permits in Henry W. Coe State Park we can watch

“87,000 acres of the Diablo Range where the backpacking permit cannot be reserved at all - you register at the entrance, and the park says permits are usually available.”

How to get Backpack Permit

Backpack Permit is issued by the agency rather than through a booking calendar. Their page has the current process and any dates.

Official permit page

Planning another trip? See the permits we watch.

How to get Backpack Permit

Backpack Permit is issued by the agency rather than through a booking calendar. Their page has the current process and any dates.

Official permit page

Planning another trip? See the permits we watch.

Plan the full trip, not just the permit

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Add your dates and get a day-by-day plan: what needs a permit, what gear to bring, and one link to share with your whole group to coordinate every step.

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Backpack Permit Quick Facts

Permit RequiredYes

Booking MethodWalk-Up

Demand LevelHigh8/10

SeasonYear-round - Year-round

Cost$5 per person, per night for backpacking, plus $8 parking per vehicle per night ($6 at Hunting Hollow). Bring exact change. Vehicle day use is $8.

Backpack Permit Permit Facts

As of September 2026, Backpack Permit in Henry W. Coe State Park, California requires a permit issued via walk-up.
Backpack Permit is a high-demand permit, rating 8/10 on PermitSnag's demand index.
The permit season for Backpack Permit runs year-round.

Live availability activity →Do I need a Backpacking Zone permit? →

This permit is not bookable online

You get this permit in person at the trailhead or ranger station, or by phone. There is no online reservation to race for, so availability alerts do not apply. We still track key dates and season info for your trip.

Official permit page →

Key Information

Key Dates

SeasonYear-round - Year-round

Permit Details

TypeBackpacking

Booking MethodWalk-Up

Demand Level8/10

LocationDiablo Range, CA

Pro Tips

•Do not wait for a booking window - there is not one. Turn up at Coe Ranch or Hunting Hollow and register.
•On a busy spring or holiday weekend, arrive early and carpool. Parking is the constraint, and it decides which campsites are still free.
•Bring exact change. Card payment only works if the Coe Ranch Entrance Visitor Center happens to be open.
•Check coepark.net for current trail and water information before you commit to a route. Water here is seasonal and canyon-specific.
•Hunting Hollow parking is $6 a night instead of $8, which adds up over a multi-night trip.
•Have a second destination in mind. The park itself recommends being open to alternates depending on what is available.
•Weekdays are usually much less busy, in the park's own words - and the permit is the same either way.

What to Expect

Route Details

Route Type

Varies

Duration

1-4 nights

Difficulty

Strenuous

Highlights

•A first-come, first-served permit registered at an entrance - there is no reservation to make
•$5 per person per night, plus $8 parking per vehicle per night ($6 at Hunting Hollow), in exact change
•87,000 acres with very steep ridge-and-canyon terrain and long climbs
•Parking, not permits, as the real constraint on spring and holiday weekends
•Water sources that vary hugely by season, tracked by the Pine Ridge Association at coepark.net
•Dogs excluded from essentially the whole park outside the Coe Ranch Campground area

Best Time to Visit

Spring, which the park itself names as its busiest season, for green hills, running water and the wildflowers. Autumn is quieter and cooler than summer but drier underfoot. Summer is genuinely hot in the Diablo Range with limited water, and winter is cool and green but wet. Whichever you pick, check trail and water information at coepark.net first and arrive early on a spring or holiday weekend to get parking.

Hazards & Considerations

!Heat. Summer in the Diablo Range is severe and much of the route mileage is unshaded
!Water uncertainty: sources vary by canyon and by time of year, which is why the Pine Ridge Association publishes current water information rather than a static list
!Serious cumulative elevation change - the ridges here climb and drop repeatedly on any route worth doing
!Ticks and poison oak through the grassy and brushy sections
!Limited mobile coverage across most of the park

Weather Forecast

Trailhead (5,000 ft)

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Backcountry Tips

UV index 8. High altitude sun is intense—sunscreen and hat essential.
UV index 9. High altitude sun is intense—sunscreen and hat essential.

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View full NWS forecast →Mountain weather changes rapidly. This forecast is a guide—always be prepared for worse conditions.

How to Get This Permit

Check the agency page for the process

This permit is not sold online. Confirm where and when it is issued — and any fee — at California State Parks before your trip.

Arrive early

Walk-up permits are issued first-come, first-served, and quotas can fill early on weekends and holidays.

Have backup plans

Popular trailheads may be full. Know alternative routes or dates in case your first choice is unavailable.

Official permit page at California State Parks

Learn More

When to Go

Peak: March through MayShoulder: October through February

Conditions

Green hills, running creeks, and the wildflower display the park is known for. The busiest season.

Crowd Level

Extreme

Advantages

+Best water availability of the year
+Wildflowers
+Comfortable hiking temperatures

Challenges

!Parking availability is limited during the spring months and on some holiday weekends
!Best campsite selection goes to early arrivals
!Ticks are active

Difficulty Assessment

Physical Demand4/5

Fitness and endurance required

Technical Skill2/5

Climbing, scrambling, or specialized skills

Exposure Risk3/5

Steep dropoffs and fall potential

Navigation3/5

Route finding and trail clarity

Commitment3/5

Difficulty of bailing out mid-route

Best For

Backpackers who want real distance and real climbing within an hour of the South Bay, and who can plan a route around uncertain water.

Recommended Experience

Fitness for sustained steep climbs, and enough experience to carry and plan water in a dry range.

Not Recommended For

Anyone bringing a dog past the Coe Ranch Campground, anyone expecting reliable water in summer, and anyone who cannot arrive early for parking on a spring weekend.

About This Permit

Henry W. Coe State Park protects 87,000 acres of scenic hills and mountain ridges in the Diablo Range and is the largest state park in Northern California. A permit is required to backpack in it, and you register for one at the Coe Ranch and Hunting Hollow entrances, as well as the Dowdy entrance when it is open for the season.

You cannot reserve it. California State Parks answers the question directly: backpacking permits are first-come, first-served, and they are usually available. Spring is the busiest time for the park, so on a busy spring weekend the park recommends arriving early to secure a parking space and for the best selection of campsites, and being open to alternate backpacking destinations depending on what is available.

Fees are $5 per person per night for backpacking plus $8 parking per vehicle per night, or $6 at Hunting Hollow. Bring exact change. If the Coe Ranch Entrance Visitor Center is open for business you may pay by credit card.

Water is the planning problem here, not permits. The Pine Ridge Association maintains trail condition and water resource information for the park at coepark.net, and that page is the authority on which ponds and springs are holding water in the season you are going. Plan routes around it rather than around a map symbol.

Dogs are allowed only at the Coe Ranch Entrance in the Coe Ranch Campground, on paved areas, and on the half-mile Live Oak Trail. They are not allowed anywhere else in the park, which includes the Manzanita Point Hike-In Group Camps, the Blue Oak Equestrian and Hike-In Group Camp, the Poverty Flat Hike-In Group Camp, the Hunting Hollow Entrance and the Dowdy Entrance.

The Experience

Why It Matters

Henry Coe is the largest state park in Northern California and one of very few places in the Bay Area where you can walk for days without crossing a road. The permit system is the opposite of everything else in this catalogue: California State Parks answers "May I reserve a backpacking permit?" with a flat no. Permits are first-come, first-served, registered at the entrance. The scarce resource here is not the permit - it is the parking space on a spring weekend.

The Route

The Coe Ranch and Hunting Hollow entrances are open 365 days a year including holidays, and the Dowdy Ranch entrance opens seasonally with limited hours. You register for a permit at any of them. From Coe Ranch, the classic overnights run out to Manzanita Point and down into Poverty Flat, both of which also carry reservable group camps. Beyond that the park opens into 87,000 acres of ridges and canyons in the Diablo Range, and the Pine Ridge Association maintains current trail and water-source information on coepark.net, which is where you should look before choosing a route.

The Feeling

Steep, hot, oak-studded ridges that go up 1,500 feet and then straight back down, over and over. In spring the grass is green and the wildflowers are genuinely extraordinary. By July it is brown, quiet and very hot, and the ponds are the only water anyone is talking about. It is the closest thing to real wilderness within an hour of San Jose.

Trailhead Information

Coe Ranch Entrance / Headquarters

2,600 ft elevation

Primary

The main entrance and visitor center at 2,600 feet. Backpacking permits are first-come, first-served here and at Hunting Hollow, and seasonally at the Dowdy Ranch Entrance.

Restrooms

Water on site

Weak Signal

Before you rely on this water

Piped spring water at the Coe Ranch Campground. Backcountry water sources may be far apart — inquire at the visitor center about which springs are running, and purify all water.

Parking

$8 parking fee per vehicle per night for backpackers. Parking availability is very limited during the busy spring season. Register at the visitor center, or at the iron ranger when no staff is at the gate — bring exact change; credit cards only when the visitor center is open for business.

Getting There

13 miles east of Morgan Hill on East Dunne Avenue. The road beyond Anderson Lake is 10 miles of narrow winding road and the trip takes about 30 minutes.

Nearest Services

Morgan Hill, 13 miles west. Supplies are not available in the park.

Hunting Hollow Entrance

Alternate

Unstaffed southern entrance in Gilroy. Register and pay here before setting out; dispersed camping starts at least half a mile beyond the entrance.

Restrooms

No water

Parking

$6 parking fee per vehicle per night. Not staffed — fee payment is collected via self-registration envelopes, cash or check only. Bring exact change.

Getting There

4826 Gilroy Hot Springs Road, Gilroy. The Coe Ranch and Hunting Hollow entrances are always open, 365 days a year including holidays.

Nearest Services

Gilroy.

Dowdy Ranch Entrance

Alternate

Seasonal entrance northeast of Hollister off Highway 152, open weather-permitting daily 8 am to 6 pm into the fall months.

Restrooms

No water

Parking

$8 day-use fee. May close at any time due to rain, extreme temperatures, or lack of staffing.

Getting There

Open seasonally with limited hours; confirm it is open before relying on it.

Nearest Services

Hollister.

Rules & Regulations

•A permit is required to backpack, and you register for it at the Coe Ranch or Hunting Hollow entrances, or at Dowdy when it is open for the season
•Backpacking permits are first-come, first-served and cannot be reserved
•Backpacking fees are $5 per person, per night, and parking is $8 per vehicle per night, or $6 at Hunting Hollow - bring exact change
•Dogs are allowed only in the Coe Ranch Campground, on paved areas, and on the half-mile Live Oak Trail that connects the visitor center to the entrance parking lot; if camping in the Coe Ranch Campground, dogs must be with you in your tent or vehicle at night
•Dogs are not allowed at the Manzanita Point Hike-In Group Camps, the Blue Oak Equestrian and Hike-In Group Camp, the Poverty Flat Hike-In Group Camp, the Hunting Hollow Entrance or the Dowdy Entrance
•State and federal fishing regulations are enforced in the park, and it is your responsibility to know the current rules
•Vehicle day use is $8

Gear Checklist

Required

More water capacity than you think you need, and a filter. Sources vary by canyon and by season - check coepark.net before you pick a route
Exact change for the entrance station, since the visitor center is not always open to take a card
Sun protection. Much of the park is open grassland and oak savanna with long exposed climbs
Boots that handle steep, loose descents - Coe goes up and down hard
A stove, and a map you have actually read; the trail network is large and the signage is sparse in places

Plan Your Trip

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Gear Checklist

Required and recommended gear for Backpack Permit

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Shuttle Services

Trailhead transportation options

Browse all shuttles

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Guide Services

Experienced wilderness guides

Browse all guides

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Key Landmarks

Coe Ranch Entrance
The main entrance and visitor center, open 365 days a year, where most backpackers register
Hunting Hollow Entrance
The southern entrance, also open year-round, with $6 overnight parking instead of $8
Dowdy Ranch Entrance
The eastern entrance, open seasonally with limited hours
Manzanita Point
Hike-in group camps in the Coe Ranch corridor, reservable separately from the backpacking permit
Poverty Flat
Hike-in group camp down in the canyon below Manzanita Point

Safety & Planning

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Emergency Info

Emergency contacts, ranger station locations, and satellite communicator tips for Backpack Permit.

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Food Storage

Bear canister requirements, approved container lists, and rental locations for this permit.

Backpack Permit FAQ

Do I need a permit to backpack in Henry Coe State Park?

Yes. You register for a permit at the Coe Ranch and Hunting Hollow entrances, and at the Dowdy entrance when it is open for the season.

Can I reserve a Henry Coe backpacking permit in advance?

No. California State Parks says backpacking permits are first-come, first-served, and that they are usually available. What runs out on a busy spring weekend is parking, not permits.

How much does a Henry Coe backpacking permit cost?

$5 per person, per night, plus an $8 parking fee per vehicle, per night, or $6 at Hunting Hollow. Bring exact change - you can only pay by credit card if the Coe Ranch Entrance Visitor Center is open for business.

Where can I check water sources in Henry Coe State Park?

The Pine Ridge Association maintains trail condition and water resource information for the park at coepark.net. Water varies by canyon and by season here, so check that before choosing a route rather than trusting a map symbol.

Are dogs allowed on the Henry Coe backcountry trails?

No. Dogs are allowed only at the Coe Ranch Entrance in the Coe Ranch Campground, on paved areas, and on the half-mile Live Oak Trail. They are not allowed anywhere else in the park, including the Manzanita Point, Blue Oak and Poverty Flat group camps, and the Hunting Hollow and Dowdy entrances.

When do the Henry Coe entrances open?

The Coe Ranch and Hunting Hollow entrances are always open, 365 days a year including holidays. The Dowdy Ranch entrance is open seasonally with limited hours.

How big is Henry Coe State Park?

87,000 acres of scenic hills and mountain ridges in the Diablo Range, which makes it the largest state park in Northern California.

👥Community

Trail Conditions

No active conditions reported

Questions(2)

When is the best season to use a Henry Coe backpacking permit?

0 votes·1 answer·Apr 10

How does the Henry Coe backpacking zone permit work if there are no reservations?

0 votes·1 answer·Mar 5

Trip Reports(2)

Write Report

🏔️

Henry Coe Zone Permits in Late August: Heat, Dry Creeks, and First-Come Camping

Backpack Permit

3.0

Aug 14-17, 2026

Henry Coe backpacking in February: green-season zones before the spring rush

Backpack Permit

4.0

Feb 21-22, 2026

Photography Guide

Golden Hour

Late light across the ridges from a high point, when the oak savanna separates into layers.

Best Light

Spring mornings after rain, when the hills are at their greenest and the wildflowers open.

Beat the Crowds

Weekdays are usually much less busy - the park says so directly. Even on a busy spring weekend, the crowd is at the entrances and the first few miles; the park is 87,000 acres.