The Annual Henry Coe Backcountry Weekend is this Friday, April 26 - Sunday, April 28. I purchased a 2 night backpacking ticket, but my group has fallen apart at the last minute.

https://coepark.net/bcw

For one spectacular weekend this spring, Henry W. Coe State Park will again open the gate at Bell's Station on Highway 152 east of Gilroy. The Coe Backcountry Weekend, held in the little-traveled east side of the 87,000 acre park is scheduled for April 26 - 28. The event, sponsored by the Pine Ridge Association and the California Department of Parks and Recreation, allows visitors vehicle access to a remote and beautiful area.

Hikers, mountain bikers and equestrians have a unique opportunity to see and enjoy an area isolated from the park's Morgan Hill entrance by long distances and rugged terrain. The east side of the park has beautiful spring wildflowers, great fishing, and scenic trails, some with breathtaking panoramic views of the Diablo Range. The ridges and valleys are broader and easier to travel than the steep terrain in the western part of the park, and you can plan day trips to areas that normally require several days of strenuous backpacking, places like Mississippi Lake and the Orestimba Wilderness.

During the weekend, you can explore on your own or you can participate in group activities, such as guided hikes and horse back rides, wildflower walks, and bird watching strolls. To help you make the most of your visit, we'll provide brochures, park maps, and all sorts of information at visitor booths near the Pacheco Creek crossing and at the Orestimba Corral.