Campgrounds and RV parks near East Foothills, CA

Hiking dominates the inland side of the trip. Henry W. Coe State Park welcomes backpackers, equestrians, mountain bikers, day-hikers, and anyone seeking quiet solitude in a nearly untouched setting. The park has 250-plus miles of trails and fire roads, with elevations ranging from 710 to 3,560 feet. Closer to the valley floor, Anderson Lake County Park and Coyote Lake County Park add reservoirs for fishing and shoreline picnicking. A multiuse 20-mile hiking and biking path runs directly in front of Coyote Valley RV Resort, offering easy access to outdoor activity. Morgan Hill and the surrounding valley support wineries, tasting rooms, and farm stands, while downtown San Jose, the Lick Observatory road up Mount Hamilton, and the Santa Cruz coast are all within an easy drive.

The South Bay has a Mediterranean climate, so timing matters more for comfort and trail conditions than for snow. After a rainy winter, wildflowers bloom in profusion from February through March, and by April the color is rampant, with blue lupine, California poppies, gold fields and baby blue eyes spreading across the landscape. Spring and fall are the most comfortable months for hiking the inland foothills, with mild days and cool nights. Summer heat is the main planning factor: backcountry hikes become strenuous in afternoon highs that often push into the upper 80s and 90s, and fire restrictions tighten. Wood and charcoal campfires are prohibited during wildfire season or may be banned at any time without notice if dangerous conditions warrant it. Winter brings most of the year's rain, soft ground on dirt roads, and the occasional storm closure, but the valley-floor RV parks operate year-round. Spring is the most popular time of year to visit Coe, with fabulous displays of wildflowers, and camping is permitted all year. Weekend demand peaks in spring and during summer holidays.

Expect two very different camping experiences within a short drive. The valley-floor RV parks are paved, level, full-hookup properties geared to highway access and big rigs. Coyote Valley RV Resort is located just off Highway 101 and has room for big rigs, with premium campsites 60 feet long and 30 feet wide. Sites tend to be quiet aside from nearby train horns at night, so light sleepers may want earplugs. The Coe Ranch experience is the opposite. Coe Ranch Campground sits at roughly 2,600 feet, with about 15 sites including 5 tent-only, is open all year, and 10 sites can accommodate RVs and trailers up to 22 feet. All sites are considered primitive, with no showers or hookups. Cell service in the backcountry is unreliable, summer afternoons are hot and exposed, and the park is home to a fascinating variety of plants and animals, including the elusive mountain lion, so standard food-storage and wildlife precautions apply.