Words by Loureen Murphy
Phone won’t stop buzzing? Blood pressure rising along with the size of your to-do list? Take note of Sada Coe’s words: “The murmuring hills sighed and whispered … I felt compelled to stop and listen.” Sada is the reason that Henry Coe State Park exists. This 87,000-plus-acre gem weighs in as the largest state park in Northern California. And much like a giant gemstone, Coe is a multi-faceted treasure.
If you’ve never heard of Coe Park, you’re not alone. The park has gone unnoticed by some neighbors for 25 years or more, according to Richard Todd, the uniformed volunteer who shows us around. Yet newcomers and park regulars confirm that once you enter Coe’s modest gate just minutes from the freeway, you transcend the madness below. A sense of peaceful quiet settles in.
As Richard leads me and my husband up the Monument Trail, the Menlo Park resident tells us he signed up for the park’s Uniformed Volunteer training on his very first visit. Its environmental study program pairs with practical skills like trail clearing, emergency reporting and matching hikers with the right trails for their experience level. The oak- and pine-studded hills offer something satisfying for everyone, Richard says. Visitors with limited hiking ability may walk a quarter-mile to relish the vista and breathe the fresh air while resting on a trailside bench. Hardier souls can test themselves on the rigorous Mt. Sizer loop, a worthwhile trek across hardscrabble terrain taking up to nine hours. “People can’t grasp the size of 87,000 acres, but when I tell them we have 250 miles of hiking trails, they get it,” Richard shares.
Photography Courtesy of: California State Parks / Mushroom Photo Courtesy of: Loureen Murphy
As we near the secluded monument to the park’s namesake, Richard points to the Middle Ridge and beyond it, Blue Ridge, the “crown jewel” of Coe. The park rewards those willing to go deep and wide with views of lakes and waterfalls, glorious vistas of the Pacific on one side and the Sierras on the other. Photographers might capture glimpses of black-tailed deer, bobcats, eagles or a stunning rainbow of wildflowers.
The monument honors cattle rancher Henry Willard Coe. Though he thought ranching would be too hard for a woman, his daughter Sada Sutcliffe Coe proved a capable rider and ranch hand. She operated Coe’s Pine Ridge Ranch, first with her husband and later on her own. Convinced that the only way to preserve the land and its heritage was to share it with the public, Sada deeded it to Santa Clara County in 1953. The stories and poems she wrote left another kind of profound tribute to the ranges and bygone lifestyle that she loved.
At the park’s southeast end, the 1860s discovery of hot springs drew entrepreneurial families Roop and McDonald. They created a resort hotel that, at its peak, drew up to 500 guests a day. Like Sada Coe, William McDonald left a trove of prose and poetry about the place and the people who flocked to it. In 1938, Watsonville farmer Kyuzaburo Sakata bought and remade the resort into a distinctive Japanese-style haven. After World War II, he welcomed returning internees to the Gilroy Yamato Hot Springs to refresh and rebuild their lives. Now a national historic landmark owned by the state park service, it’s been closed to the public since 2003 due to budget constraints.
Photography Courtesy of: California State Parks
Start your adventure
To explore Coe on foot, plan a self-guided hike or sign up for guided tours—or opt for overnight backpacking treks. Backpackers need to get a permit in person (first-come, first-served). For campers, there are both drive-in and hike-in sites. Lock down your site at reservecalifornia.com or by calling 800-444-7275.
If you prefer to saddle up, you can access equestrian trails from any of Coe’s entrances. Drive in with your trailer at some sites, or pack-in at others. The six designated horse camps offer corrals and nearby water sources. For those ready to roll, mountain bikes make a great way to traverse Coe’s ridges. To plan your best route and avoid restricted areas, download a map at the Visitor Center.
Photography Courtesy of: California State Parks
Fancy an al fresco fish dinner? Coe’s lakes and ponds teem with bluegill, largemouth bass, green sunfish and more. Cast your line in a creek and you may land a rainbow trout, but make sure you have a valid California fishing license with you. Check coepark.net/fishing for details.
As I conclude my visit, the final lines on Coe’s monument encapsulate the power of this spectacular park: “May these quiet hills bring peace to the souls who are seeking.” Or, as our guide Richard puts it: “If you’re open, you’ll feel something special here.”
Park Trivia • On a clear night, you can see the Andromeda Galaxy with the naked eye. • The smooth trunk of a madrone feels cool to the touch, even in 100-degree weather. • The Monument Trail is the only place in the park where you’ll find granite.