Best Equestrian Camping near San Jose, CA

Clean, bathrooms near by. Very relaxing and away from San Jose.

Pros: Lots of sites. Pretty area. Facilities well maintained. Cons: We stayed here several times because of its proximity to San Jose. Almost every time time, though, it was crowded and noisy. Also there are lots of wild pigs! In my opinion, it’s a last resort campground.

The first time here, we put a table cloth and some small items on the picnic table at our site, then left to run an errand. When we returned, someone else was camping in our spot. :0/  Luckily, there was another spot available so we moved and all was well. Still surprised that someone would do that, though.

YOU CANNOT CAMP HERE. However, this gorgeous state park has dozens of beautiful trails winding through cattle country and down along streams and ponds in the Dinosaur Point area.

NO WATER. Note that there is no safe potable water at the park, so if you're hiking, bring plenty to drink.

NOT DOG-FRIENDLY: Dogs are allowed on leash in the parking lot only. You cannot hike with your dog here.

VERY HORSE-FRIENDLY: The park is especially friendly to horses, because the lady that donated the land was an equestrienne. There is a corral at the main parking lot area and the park is fenced for livestock. They make a point of stating that although the water in the creeks and ponds is unsafe for humans, it is safe for livestock and horses. (The one exception to the no camping rule, actually, is when those on horseback are allowed to camp during special events.)

Sibley Regional Preserve

San Francisco East Bay residents actually have a volcano in their backyard at Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve. Originally called Round Top Park, Sibley shares with Temescal and Tilden Parks the distinction of being one of the East Bay Regional Park District's original parks.

The Sibley backpack camp is a small, primitive hike-in site for a maximum of 15 campers (although this would be super cramped in my opinion, unless it a bunch of small kids), a moderate 0.2 mile walk from the parking lot (NO VEHICLE ACCESS). The site has basically 360 degree views of Mount Diablo, Vollmer Peak and Tilden Park. There are only two tent pads - approximately 10'x25' and 10'x20'. Site has 2 picnic tables, 1 serving table, and a pit toilet close by which was very clean and well maintained.

During the day you’ll have lots of people walk semi/sorta by the campground, but there is no reason that anyone would walk through your area as if they did they’d tumble off and down the side of a nice steep hill…

 No wood fires or BBQs are allowed; only camp stoves are allowed for cooking, your night time enjoyment.

 Drinking water is 0.2 miles from camp at the trail head so keep that in mind before it gets too dark to hike back and forth for a drink.

There are several trails providing tons of access throughout the preserve. The 31-mile East Bay Skyline National Recreation Trail, part of the Bay Area Ridge Trail system, traverses the preserve along the ridgeline between Wildcat Canyon and Anthony Chabot Parks. Round Top Road goes from the Sibley visitor center to the top of Round Top. Round Top Loop Trail circles Round Top peak. Volcanic Trail, once a quarry haul road, contains most of the stops on the self-guided volcanic tour.

 Dogs are allowed throughout this section of the park and in camp on leash but are not allowed on the adjacent Huckleberry trails. Also, the EBRPD lists, dogs “must be under owner's control at all times” and must not disturb other animals or park visitors, but I definitely saw a lot of loose well behaved dogs running free.

Bikes are allowed on the fire trail, but there are lots of hikers and dog walkers in this park so be mindful. Also, Horses are allowed but there is no hitching rail and no water troughs in the park (or at least that I saw anywhere).

If you decide to try and bike be mindful that most trails are hiking and equestrian only. A few trails are multi-use. Bicycles are not allowed on narrow-gauge trails, except on the Skyline Trail between the Sibley visitor center and Old Tunnel Road. Bicycles are allowed on the wider-gauge fire trails and paved roads but are not allowed on Sibley Round Top from EBMUD water tank road junction to top of Round Top Peak.

Vehicles must be parked in the staging area and display a valid overnight parking permit: 3 parking permits are included in the reservation and will be mailed 5 days in advance. No additional parking permits are available. Otherwise, you can actually get here via public transport by Taking the AC Transit CB bus to the Mountain Blvd stop, them walk about 3 miles to the park.

While you can check if it’s already reserved online. Reservation must be completed at least 5 days in advance by calling 1-888-EBPARKS or 1-888-327-2757, press option 2.

This site is a nice hidden gem that many won't know even has a campground. While tiny and available only for a small number of campers, if you can get a spot booked well in advance, you'll have the place nearly all to yourself. Located just off of 680, you'll take Bollinger Canyon Road where you'll head just north of Las Trampas Stables before coming to a round-about where there's ample parking for about 30 cars (no worries, overflow parking on the street is allowed). 

From the parking lot, there's 3-4 hiking trails to take, but the one to the campsite is the only one heading south from the parking lot. You'll have to hike all your gear in from here, and it's about 150 yards, so not all that bad, but the pathway is a bit choppy in places, so you'll want to carry most of what you've got on your back (or head!). There's just a few simple amenities at the campground, where I could only count 6-8 or so places to park a tent. Once you're all set up, take the hiking trail straight up to Las Trampas hiking ridge (there's only one trail up from your campground, so if you're not panting, then you're heading in the wrong direction). Pass the cows grazing in the meadows to climb clear to the top for a most spectacular view of Eastbay and nearby Mt. Diablo. 

The other 2-3 trails that you'll find here are all worth taking and all fairly easy-to-medium in difficulty, but anyone heading up to the ridge, will find at many places it is steep and can be difficult hiking (just apply the icy hot after your hike!). As for the campground itself, it is bare minimum - the ground is relatively flat, but the entire space is encased in a barbed wire fence area playpen to keep the roaming cattle and other wildlife from coming near the area. When we were there we saw deer, cattle, raccoons and many other four legged vermin running around the area. Inside of the pen though, there's 5-6 stone picnic tables, a water fountain, only a single locker to place your food (so first-come, first served!) and a double-mounted grill. 

All in all, if your aim is to spend 2-3 days scouring Las Trampas ridge, then this is a great place to call home for a few days, but it lacks the amenities and natural serenity that you would normally expect when outbacking here in Cali. And if you get tired of the campfire food, it's SO easy to just head into nearby San Ramon for a classic In-N-Out burger (it's a staple here in Cali, but I'm not from here, so I don't get what all the fuss is about: sorry California, but Johnny Rockets burgers from Chicago still win out!) or for the best bite around, try out Zachary's Chicago-style Deep Dish Pizza (this Chicagoan approves!) and a frosty cold mug of Anchor Steam to wash it down with. 

Happy Camping!

The sites were large and clean. Showers are free only one shower per restroom though so be prepared to wait. No cell service, ride up the mountain is nauseating. They do not sell ice but firewood is available for $13 a bundle. Not much to do in the park. Lots of beautiful wildlife.

Campsites are fairly spare, with some having shade. There is an interesting Ranch House and Museum that showcases the life of Joseph Grant and his offspring, with many eccentric and macabre details of their history in the area.

Great park with hiking, great views of Mt. Hamilton and a lake up the road a way, there’s also a mansion & rose garden on the property, shower & bathroom are clean, there are nights to gather and stargaze.The tent spaces are sizable & you can have a fire. Some seasons there are wild pigs running around everywhere.

Nice bathrooms no tokens needed, hot water, clean sink for dishes. Lotsa shaded oak spaces. Good trails.

We camped here for one night to test our pandemic project...a van conversion. We had never been here before but will definitely come back. We came in November, just in time for a temperature drop and some nice gusts. I’m not going to hold the chill against this area because I didn’t dress accordingly.

We had a great site and there was no one on either side of us. The bathrooms were a short walk down hill. They were clean with flushing toilets. There camp ground was quiet and it was mostly couples or small family groups. The hiking is quite beautiful and the woodpeckers were busy storing acorns.

Great backpacking getway.  Many day hikers here but you can backpack as well.  I camped on a beautiful ridge.

The hike is uphill.... it starts along a creek/river which is referred to as Little Yosemite.  Fun creek area with lots of water/rock formations. Then climb and climb the hill.  I stayed at Hawk's Nest on the ridge.  There is another route in but used this one due to the creek access at the beginning appears more scenic.

The sites are primitive and the water source questionable and unreliable. I hiked in

all the water I needed.

A permit is required as well as a reserved camping spot. There are other sites beyond Hawk's Nest all along the ridge lines.

We were surprised when we made it to this campground- that it was built on the side of a hill. The walk-in sites may be different, but all of the pull in sites were extremely off-level (even with all our blocks we couldn’t get close) and the roads through the campground itself is so steep/narrow and windy that it would be extremely difficult to back in (we watched someone get stuck while trying). There wasn’t a flat tent spot at our campsite either. Finally, we arrived after dark (in November that was pretty early) and it was difficult to find your way into and out of the campground due to lack of signage. We were extremely disappointed with the quality of the sites here and would not recommend.

This is a primitive campground, no showers only vault toilets and restroom near visitor center ( 2 min walk from campground) both decently clean. Water for washing dishes is available. Spots are not close to each other so there is privacy. It is small, quiet, surrounded with beautiful views. Good hiking trails and good opportunity for bird watching, wild flowers viewing and plenty of deer around. From main road it takes about 35 min drive up the hill through narrow road which is paved but I don't think it is appropriate for RVs. It is a bit of hassle getting here but worth it! If you are car camping I advice NOT to choose drive in spots as it is not leveled but the parking where you have to walk to your camp spot is okay.

We had a great weekend camping trip at Coe Ranch - thanks to being at one of the sites with a bit of shelter and shade. Beware that many of the sites have neither of these things, and can be really exposed.

I’d recommend sites 10-12, 13 looked ok - and sounds like other folk recommend the ones down the hill a bit.

Great backpacking park. Only go in the fall, winter and spring. Summer is way to hot and dry. There are so many sites you could go on a trip for a month and  never stay at the same spot. Lots of wildlife, flowers, amazing views and stars. Be prepared for hills though. The saying goes, "you dont go to Henry Coe to train for the Sierras, you go to the Sierras to train for Henry Coe." I can personally say last trip we did over 1200ft of elevation in under 2 miles. But well worth it, just plan your trip carefully.

Nice close to home

Campsite 10/11 are great if connected, with the only view in the place. Other sites are secluded but cornered off with not much view.

Bugs! Lots and lots of flies, wasps and mosquitos here. Keep your trash and cooking in your car to be safe, wasps will swarm quickly.

Pit toilets are at the top of the campground, full of flies and paper was empty.

Wildlife! You’ll see plenty of deer and tiny foxes at night scrambling for snacks.

Lovely drive up, no cell service.

site #8 should NOT be a site. It is situated just feet from the holding tanks for the vault toilets. Somebody did not think through this site. Breathe in the fresh scent of raw sewage as you attempt to enjoy food being swarmed by all the flies in camp that had previously been sitting on said sewage. Drift off to dreamland as your tent is filled with and subsequently sharpens your awareness of the state of the bathrooms.

Seriously, this was bad. This is a review that came at the end of a 5 week camping trip where we stayed in 9 different campgrounds. We are lifelong campers. I have NEVER left a bad review of a campground. This was bad. Again, almost every site in this campground is great and has lots of privacy. Site #08 is a mistake and should be used for additional parking at most.

Henry Coe is a completely underrated state park. There are ample opoprtunities for backpacking and bikepacking. The lakes throughout the park are beautiful to camp by and there are facilities (toilets) at different locations throughout the park. Most water can be filtered from the lakes. It is really hot in the summer and plenty of poison oak. There is also a lake of shade in many locations! Overall, great many places to explore and fun to visit and backpack through.

This small and quite campground is our favorite in Bay Area. Each site has a picnic table and a fire pit, with enough of trees and privacy. Campground is really small with only 20 campsites. The camp is a great base for hikes and bike rides all over the park, but also great just to enjoy the campground. There is a small visitor center close to the entrance, with a few souvenirs and some snacks and drinks. Visitor Center only takes cash. Overall, this place is a great spot to run away from Bay Area noise and rush.

You’d have to get to ranger station to obtain permit for use of campground on the day of your trip, so arriving early or on time at ranger station in the morning is helpful. Once you get the campground permit you then can hike into your destination. There are people who would camp anywhere if they can’t find campground after sunset. We camped at Skeel’s Meadow which is by a creek for fresh water usage (and refreshing to soak your feet in!). No facilities so mark a tree and follow LNT guidelines. No campfire allowed.

Henry Coe State Park is easily accessible from the San Francisco Bay Area for a weekend getaway or short camping trip.

The Coe Ranch campground has several tent-only campsites that can be reserved online ($8 transaction fee, $20/night), and the campground has parking for vehicles in a small parking area ~20-100 feet from the campsites. Campsites at this campground are aesthetically pleasing, with oak and pine trees around the perimeter of the campground, and there are scenic views of oak woodlands and the valley below. The picnic benches are conveniently located and provide a nice space for eating while camping at the site. Toilets are easily accessed from the campsites. Campfires are allowed in the fire rings only during non-fire season (no campfires during summer months). Dogs are allowed at the Coe Ranch Campground.

Henry Coe SP has many great hiking opportunities, with beautiful wildflower displays in March and April, and also numerous opportunities for enjoying the beauty of the plants and wildlife seen along the hiking trails which are very accessible from the campground. Near the Coe Ranch campground there is a camp book store, which has some items for sale, including many field guides to wildlife and plants in the park. When the store is open, there is often a ranger available to answer questions about the park.

My only compliant is that at the site we stayed at (CR005) the ground is quite compacted, so if you do not have an adequately thick sleeping pad, the ground may be uncomfortably hard to sleep on. Normally I have no trouble sleeping on the bare ground at campsites with a thin sleeping pad, so this was surprising. Bringing an extra pad may be a good idea if you are prone to sleep problems when the ground is too hard.