Willson Camp and Peak, Grizzly Gulch at Henry Coe

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Henry W. Coe State Park

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Willson Camp and Peak, Grizzly Gulch at Henry Coe

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Difficulty: Difficult
Length: 11.9 miles / 19.2 km
Duration: Full day

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Overview: The massive Henry Coe State Park has many adventures, but "beginners beware!" Easy hikes are available from both Hunting Hollow parking lots and the Park HQ on Dunne Road. This particular loop, from the south-western Hunting Hollow area, gives a memorable experience and a memorable leg workout!

After a leg-burning trek up to Willson Camp and Willson Peak, you descend gently on a rarely-used trail and complete your loop in the forest along a seasonal stream.

Tips: Bring plenty of drinking water, and be sure to tell someone where you are and when they should panic! Willson Peak Trail, in particular, gets very few visitors.

This area of California is home to mountain lions, rattlesnakes, ticks, and the occasional scorpion. Staying on the trail, during daylight hours, will help you avoid these creatures.

Points of Interest

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Hunting Hollow Parking

Bring some small bills with you for a self-service parking fee at this large, flat parking lot. Porta-potties are available, but bring your own water!

From here to the Windmill area there are several stream crossings, which are completely dry in the late summer, but could be knee-deep in the spring.

PachecoFallsHike_2010_06_19_001.jpg Photo

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Windmill

A few steps off your route will being you to a picnic table and a classic old windmill. Don't stop for long, as your journey is just beginning! Now, the leg-burning, sun-drenched ridge climb will begin!

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Willson Cabin

Have a seat on the porch of this old cabin and rest your weary feet. You've just accomplished the most arduous part of your day. Just a few feet above the cabin is a modern vault toilet (not the one in the picture!), plus a spring-fed faucet that operates most of the time. (filtering or sanitizing is recommended).

After you're rested, head uphill to the trail junction and follow the signs to "Willson Peak", which is still several hundred vertical feet above you.

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Willson Peak

Willson Peak is a relatively flat meadow area. Follow the "people trail" to the open area, which includes 2 bronze benchmarks and a small pile of stones. Retrace your steps to the trail, and turn left onto "Willson Peak Trail" and start your descent towards Grizzly Gulch. (Note that this next section gets very few visitors and is a narrow path through the grass. Your socks will likely pick-up some "travellers")

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Grizzly Gulch

After your huge descent from Willson Peak, you're now turning left and loosely following Grizzly Gulch downstream for much of the remaining journey. Grizzly Gulch can contain a sizeable amount of water in the winter and spring, but is completely dry in upper regions in the summer and fall.

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Gilroy Hot Springs (can't go there!)

From some portions of the trails to the east of the creek, you can catch faint glimpses of the old buildings of Gilroy Hot Springs. GHS is most famous as a former resort for Japanese-Americans throughout much of the 20th century. The owners also allowed a significant number of Japanese-Americans to live there after being released from WW2 internment camps until they could settle elsewhere. Unfortunately, it's closed to the public, but the "Friends of Gilroy Hot Springs" have organized work parties and visits.

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Rejoin the paved Gilroy Hot Springs Road

Your arduous journey is almost over! At this point, you rejoin Gilroy Hot Springs Road. Your car is parked down the road at the Hunting Hollow parking lot.