Tips for Henry Coe

[paul]

I am thinking about going to Henry Coe SP next spring sometime, and wondering if anyone has tips on when to go, where to go, etc. Thanks in advance.

[Schleppy]

How many days do you have? Coe is a wonderful place. A huge expanse and an overlooked triumph of conservationism. Not dissimilar from the Ventana Wilderness but with more open valleys/ridges and a little less rugged.

Cautionary note. It's not the friendliest of wildernesses and many people will not like it at all. Some real drawbacks and the camping kind of sucks.

The best time of year is after the rainy season has tapered off for a few weeks. Earlier, it is super muddy and the high water makes some of the prime spots inaccessible. Late March or early April is roughly the peak season opener. It becomes not-so-fun around late May or early June as the water dries out and temps shoot up.

Spring has plenty of water in the lakes and water ways. There are also a host of springs around the park with collection tubs maintained by volunteers. It's green grass and rolling oaklands on the exterior

The biggest issues with spring? Poison oak, rattlesnakes, and ticks. All three are EVERYWHERE. Cowboy camping is not advised on account of the snakes and ticks. Poles or a staff are useful to let snakes know you're there. Treated clothes and repellent work to fend off the abundant ticks in spring. If you are susceptible to poison oak, be sure to have a system in place to deal with it. Really, it's all over the place.

Man, there are so many great places tucked back there. The Narrows are super interesting and accessible in a day, as is nearby Cruzeros. Both are popular but well worth seeing. Wilson Peak is a great place to see wildflowers and witness great views. If you have several days, the Orsestimba Wilderness is about as remote a location as one can find west of the Sierra. It's a rare glimpse into what California may have looked like before development. There are a couple lakes back there and you wont likely see another soul.

I tend to avoid the two hot-spots (Kelly Lake and Coit Lake) which don't have much good camping. Actually, the camping in Coe is generally unremarkable. Flat spots out of dead fall danger are at a premium. Proximity to water limits things too. Personally, I feel dry camping on a remote ridge is the way to go. You just gotta carry water from the nearest source.

The volunteers at HQ are friendly people and can help you out a lot with current conditions and spring viability. The other main entrance at Hunting Hollow is best suited for accessing the interior quickly and with less people via Wilson Ridge or Wagon Road, both of which involve a big initial climb. HQ provides for an easier entrance. There are also multiple camping opportunities within a few miles of HQ.

I've never seen a cougar there, but know a few people who have awesome stories. They are definitely around. Other wild life you might encounter are coyotes, deer, and various lizards. Tarantulas are only about in the fall. Oh yeah...boar. Those are probably the most frightening, though never heard of an issue.

[c9h13no3]

Wilson Peak—>Pacheco falls is a good time in the spring.

Last week of March, first week of April is typically Coe’s wildflower peak.

Bikes are allowed, but be ready for some hike-a-bike.

Everything Schleppy says rings true to me as well.

[oleander]

Be prepared for constant hills, up-and-down-and-up-again. For me, a few short miles are plenty.

In a low-snow year, I experienced perfect conditions on a sunny weekend at the end of *February.* Because Coe browns out/gets hot in the spring faster than the other Bay Area backpacking destinations, personally I might hesitate to even go there in April, unless it's a good rain/snow year.

[paul]

I don't mind a lot of up and down, and the snakes are fairly easy to avoid I think. But all the talk about ticks and poison oak gives me some pause. I have been looking for info elsewhere as well, and both of those get plenty of mention. I am used to plenty of poison oak being around from my usual bay area dayhikes, and I am pretty sharp eyed about it. I wonder if it is worse at HC than what I am used to in Marin? And the ticks , sort of same question, as folks talk about ticks where I usually dayhike but I never have issues - perhaps because I am always in long sleeves and long pants. I may have to get some permethrin. Hmm..

[Wandering Daisy]

I have posted several trip reports in the "Beyond Sierra" sub-forum. The photos probably do not show up on older reports because I quit Photobucket. If you would like to see the photos I can re-post them.

Henry Coe has changed over time due to frequent wildfires. Some vegetation grows back quickly, but the north part of the park was very severely burned and still shows lots of burn scars. There are some sections on the south part that also have burn scars.

If you are really allergic to poison oak, I would hesitate to go there. You really cannot avoid getting into it unless you stay on the major roads. I always wear knee-high gaiters and put rubber bands on my shirt cuffs so the ticks cannot get under my clothes. Even then I pick up a few. You just have to thoroughly check yourself every night before going into your sleeping bag. I totally agree that a creepy-crawly proof shelter is essential. I have used a bivy sack but always had the netting zipped up. I have not had problems with mosquitoes, but I usually go early, Feb-March-early April. It is very humid, always lots of dew and often morning fog. I would say that ticks and poison oak similar to any coastal area, but without the coastal breezes. The farther east you go in, the less coastal it gets.

I disagree that the camping sucks. I have always found some really nice camps. They are often on lumpy grass so just take a good sleeping pad.

I prefer to go out of Hunting Hollow. Partly because I drive up on the south side of the park from I-5. I really hate bay-area traffic. The fees are a bit less. Going out from headquarters is more crowded, but the trails are still quite nice. You can get to the central part of the park either way.

The wildflowers are amazing in April. I have also gone as early as late February. You just have to check water conditions. Generally, water sources are sketchy from June to the first big fall/winter rains. There us beautiful moss hanging on the oak trees year-round.

There is a really good website that keeps track of water sources. Just "google" Henry Coe water conditions and I think it will pop up. This website also gives good information on trail conditions. It is a volunteer group's website, not the state park website.

Absolutely get the official park map. The USGS maps are useless. You really have to stay on trails and USGS trails are generally wrong. You get around on a few major dirt roads and interconnected trails. The trails and junctions are well marked. It feels very wild when you get back in a day or two.

[paul]

I got the map from the Pine Ridge Association, which the park recommends. Updated in 2023. I believe they are also the source for the water info you mention, they have an interactive water source map on their website, and trail conditions info as well.
If I go, it would most likely be March or April.

[c9h13no3]

The only time I’ve gotten poison oak in Henry Coe was going off trail to a waterfall that required some bushwhacking. Bushwhacking in non-riparian terrain at Coe is generally not so bad. The PO is worse in the Santa Cruz mountains or Marin, IMO.

The ticks are worse in Coe than Marin, but manageable, similar to Big Sur & the Ventana. Some repellent & vigilance usually takes care of it.

And yeah, Coe burns. But idk, it seems natural there and I don’t find that it subtracts from the scenery as much. The grasses and flowers were annual anyways. The 2020 SCU complex was low intensity in the southern part of the park.

[paul]

Sounds like the poison oak I can deal with. I do react pretty strongly to it, but I am very good at avoiding it, even when it is all around, and I stick to trails unless I am up above the kind of elevations where it might be lurking. And permethrin, gaiters, wristbands and gloves ought to handle the ticks. Not concerned about burn scars. I find the regrowth that goes on pretty interesting.
Starting to sound like all this stuff is manageable now that I know what to expect.

[Schleppy]

It's definitely all manageable. I wear shorts and t-shirts out there, taking precautions.

Ticks are on or off in Coe. Might go on a trip and see nothing. Might come across a swarm in tall grass where they're all over me. Liberal use of picaridin and permethrin does the trick. The ticks drop right off. Pretty cool to witness! Still recommend doing a self inspection before bed.

Some Coe trails are fire roads. Some are single track. Some are totally unmaintained. Chose your level of risk. You can always turn back. I've walked up popular trails in spring where it was easy to spot but also understand that I was brushing against it every now and then despite all vigilance. It's a diverse landscape, and poison oak can be from 0 to 9.5.

Like you, I am susceptible to poison oak. Very susceptible. Over the years, I've had one systemic reaction and many other less severe but intense reactions. While better at managing/avoiding it with experience, I still get minor rashes regularly. I'm considering trying to inoculate myself. That's a whole other post!

I'm on Bay Area trails a lot and would say parts of Coe are just as bad as walking down a neglected trial in Marin, or Oakland, or San Mateo, or Mt Diablo, or Santa Cruz...or anywhere around here. It just seems to be one of the dominant plants below 6,000'. Nothing to do but be ready for it.

I have a system for multi-day trips into places like Coe, or Big Sur, or Ventana, where I don't want to be turned away by a poison oak choked trail. It adds 'bout half an hour of extra daily chores and self-care. Annoying, yes. It works for me and allows me to enjoy these places.

I'm sure you'll be fine. Coe is great, and an excellent way to get ready for summer in the Sierra.