Tarantula Fest

The Pine Ridge Association at

Henry W. Coe State Park

Please refer to the Henry W. Coe State Park page on California State Parks website for the latest news on park restrictions and closures.

October 2, 2021 - 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Come to the Coe Park Tarantula Fest and rub elbows (so to speak) with some of our fuzzy, friendly eight-legged guests of honor. The event is held at the headquarters campground, which has breathtaking views across the ridges and canyons of the backcountry.

Take a leisurely nature walk with a volunteer naturalist and search for tarantulas, or go on a geocaching hike. Hang out at our kids' activities table and create Tarantula Fest keepsakes. Talk to volunteers from the Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation Center and listen to them tell you about their wonderful ambassador animals. Enjoy exhibits of other wildlife and the natural world around us.

Admission to the festival is free; however, our usual parking fees will be collected.

The festival will look a little different this year. Due to changes in state and county laws around cooking and serving food to the public, we will not be providing lunch. We encourage you to bring your own. Also, we will not hold a raffle this year.

Parking

ParkingLot_120x73

There is a parking fee for day use of $8 per car ($7 senior rate if someone in your vehicle is at least 62 years old). Please carpool to save yourselves some money and help us conserve parking space. This fee is charged by the State Park and it allows you to spend the entire day at the park.

Coe Ranch Visitor Center

visitctr

The Visitor Center at Coe Park is open every weekend throughout the year, and it's often open on Fridays and Mondays, especially during the busy months of spring. It is located about 13 miles from Highway US 101 on East Dunne Avenue east of Morgan Hill.

The building is staffed by park rangers and volunteers who can give you information about the park and help you plan backcountry outings.

In 1953, Sada Coe Robinson bequeathed her beloved Pine Ridge Ranch as a parkland dedicated to the memory of her father. In 1971, Sada funded the design and construction of the Visitor Center, which has served the public well for over 25 years. During those years, however, the park has grown immensely in size (from 12,221 to almost 87,000 acres) and in popularity. For more history on Pine Ridge Ranch, see Pine Ridge Ranch - The Beginning.

Getting There

Map to Coe

Coe Park is in the Inner Coast Ranges east of Morgan Hill, a town about 15 miles south of San Jose on U.S. Highway 101.

Highway 101 has three Morgan Hill exits. The middle one, East Dunne Avenue, is the one you take to get to the park. Heading south on 101, take the exit, turn left at the stop light, and cross over 101. Heading north on 101, take the exit and turn right.

You'll be heading east and climbing into the hills through residential areas for the first three miles. At the top of the first ridge of hills, when you come to a Y in the road, look for a sign that says "Henry W. Coe State Park, 10 miles." You'll bear right at the Y.

The road crosses a bridge and follows alongside Anderson Reservoir for a ways. Then it turns into a narrow, winding, scenic mountain road.

Note: If you're going to be driving a large mobile home or pulling a trailer, keep in mind that the road to the park has narrow, almost one-lane sections and several tight hairpin turns and blind curves. If you're used to navigating narrow, winding roads and you drive cautiously, you shouldn't have any problems. However, if you've had little experience with such roads, you may want to reconsider your plans.

For passenger cars, Coe Park is about a 30-minute drive from Highway 101.

Programs and Events

Coe Park Events

Volunteer!

Are you interested in learning more about Henry W. Coe State Park and sharing your knowledge with park visitors? How about helping out with annual events or maintenance of springs and trails? If so, visit our Volunteer page.

Support Coe Park

We rely on your generous support. Thank you!