Office holiday closure

Our office will be closed December 23-January 3. Open space preserves remain open!

Looking over a rocky outcropping covered in orange poppies across a green grassland dotted in oak trees towards a hillside and bigger green valley beyond, under a blue sky with fluffy white clouds.

Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve

About this Preserve

Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve

  • Bikes must travel one-way around the Arrowhead Loop Trail. In December 2024, bikes travel counterclockwise. In January 2025, bikes travel clockwise. 

Hours: 

Sunday - Saturday | 7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Facilities:

  • Accessible all-gender restroom
  • Picnic tables
  • No trash cans
  • No drinking water

Location:

550 Palm Ave., Morgan Hill, CA

Parking & Transportation:

  • Free parking lot (27 regular spaces, 2 accessible spaces)
  • Free horse trailer parking available. Reserve horse trailer parking (optional) on our Reservations & Permits page.

Accessibility accommodations:

Everyone deserves equitable access to nature. Please visit our Accessibility page or email ada@openspaceauthority.org for questions, concerns or specific accessibility resource requests.   

Emergency Information:

For emergencies or to report suspicious activity, please call 911.

Due to the sensitivity of this habitat, dogs and drones are not permitted anywhere on the preserve. 

Activities
Accessible Trails
Biking
Connecting to Nature
Environmental Education
Hiking
Horseback Riding
Download Map
A dirt trail leads through lush green grass and into a woodland of oak trees, under a bright blue sky with fluffy clouds.
The 4-mile Arrowhead Loop Trail meanders past rare serpentine rock outcroppings, through grasslands and forest canopy composed of oaks and California bays.
A red-tailed hawk flying against a bright blue sky background, with its beak open in a call.
A favorite location for birdwatching, Coyote Valley is home to soaring red-tailed hawks, golden eagles, yellow-billed magpies and many other species.
mountain biker in fluorescent green shirt on dirt trail
Mountain bikers are encouraged to grab a bike bell from the preserve kiosk. When biking on the trail, remember to yield to hikers and equestrians, and to slow down and ring your bell when approaching others from behind.
An equestrian using a western saddle sits atop her blue roan quarter horse mare. Her horse has a white blaze on her face. The rider is wearing a reflective safety vest and a helmet. A hiker stands next to her and is giving the horse a pat on the neck. The hiker is wearing a beanie, sweater, shorts, tall socks and running shoes.
Please note that it is common for visitors to access the preserve using public transportation, bicycle, or on horseback. Be kind and SLOW DOWN <10 mph for pedestrians, bicyclists, and horses on Palm Avenue. When sharing the trail with horses, give lots of space and to avoid spooking the horse by accident, always announce yourself when approaching from behind.
A field of yellow and orange California poppies growing amongst tall grass, with green hills and a blue sky in the background
Spring months bring dazzling wildflower displays across Coyote Valley's meadows and hills.

Know Before You Go

Preserve Highlights & Features

Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve is located at the western edge of the Coyote Valley, which provides a greenbelt between San José and Morgan Hill. While only 20 miles from downtown San José, this preserve offers true rural and breathtaking nature experiences for all. Recreation amenities include a multi-use trail for hikers, mountain bikers and equestrians.

The 4-mile Arrowhead Loop Trail meanders past rare serpentine rock outcroppings, through grasslands and forest canopy composed of oaks and California bays and runs along seasonal creeks that spring alive in winter. Enjoy stunning views of Mount Hamilton, Mount Umunhum and the entire Coyote Valley. A favorite location for birdwatching, Coyote Valley is home to soaring red-tailed hawks, golden eagles, yellow-billed magpies and many other species. Spring months bring dazzling wildflowers blanketing hillsides and meadows. In 2015, the Arrowhead Trail was certified by the National Park Service as an official interpretive site of the historic Juan Bautista de Anza Trail, providing visitors an opportunity to learn more about the expedition.

Coyote Valley is one of the Open Space Authority's top 10 priority natural landscapes remaining in Santa Clara County that is critically important to protect from development. The area’s many conservation values include resilience to climate change, a rich cultural history, valuable water resources, exceptional recreational opportunities, farm and ranchland and critical wildlife linkages that allow animals to cross between the Santa Cruz Mountains and the Diablo Range. Learn more about our work in Coyote Valley.

A dirt trail leads through lush green grass and into a woodland of oak trees, under a bright blue sky with fluffy clouds.
2015
Opened to the public
hiker with walking sticks on dirt trail
4
miles of trails
A dirt trail winds through lush green hills dotted with dark green oak trees, in the distance a rainbow arcs over farmland below
348
acres protected

Upcoming Events at this Preserve

There are no events for this preserve at this time.

Related Nature

Here are some of the plants and animals that other visitors have observed at this preserve and recorded in iNaturalist. Protected species may be excluded and some species may not yet have been observed.

Funding for this Preserve

In 2010, the Open Space Authority permanently protected Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve for $3.5 million, paid for by the agency.

The Open Space Authority is currently making accessibility improvements to the Heart’s Delight Trail and other facilities at Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve. The total cost of the project is $1.4 million, with $800,000 funded by the Federal Community Project Funding, $200,000 from Santa Clara Valley Water District’s Safe, Clean Water Project D3 Trails Grant Program and $400,000 from the Open Space Authority’s Measure Q and Measure T.

Learn More

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