Best Hiking Trails in Morgan Hill

We moved to Morgan Hill three years ago and one of the first things we did was lace up our hiking boots. The trails here surprised us. You can chase waterfalls in the morning, walk a flat paved path with the kids after lunch, and still have time to plan a weekend backpacking trip into one of the biggest state parks in California. All within a fifteen-minute drive of downtown.

Here’s our honest rundown of the best hiking trails in Morgan Hill, from the easiest strolls to the trails that will test your legs and your water supply.

Uvas Canyon County Park: Waterfalls Without the Crowds

This is the one we tell every new neighbor about. Uvas Canyon County Park sits tucked into the Santa Cruz Mountains west of Morgan Hill, and from late November through April, the waterfalls are running. The Waterfall Loop Trail is about one mile and hits several falls along Swanson Creek: Basin Falls, Upper Falls, Black Rock Falls, and Granuja Falls. After a good rain, the sound of water fills the whole canyon.

The trail is short but uneven in spots. Roots, rocks, a few creek crossings. Bring shoes with grip. If you want more distance, the Contour Trail adds another mile and a half to make it a 2.7-mile loop with ridge views above the canyon.

Parking costs $6 per vehicle. The park opens at 8 a.m. and closes at sunset. Weekend mornings fill up fast in spring, so we usually aim for a weekday if we can swing it. Check current conditions with Santa Clara County Parks at parks.santaclaracounty.gov before you head out, because the road in is narrow and one-lane in places.

Henry W. Coe State Park: 87,000 Acres of Backcountry

If you want solitude, Henry W. Coe is the place. It’s the largest state park in Northern California at 87,000 acres with over 250 miles of trails, and on a Tuesday morning you might not see another person for hours. The main entrance is at 9000 East Dunne Avenue in Morgan Hill. Just drive up Dunne Ave past Anderson Lake and keep going until the road dead-ends at the visitor center.

Fair warning: the terrain is not gentle. Coe is famous for steep, exposed ridges, rattlesnakes in the warm months, and very little shade. Bring more water than you think you need. The park charges $8 per vehicle.

For a first visit, try the Flat Frog Trail loop from the visitor center. It’s about 5 miles round trip and gives you a feel for the terrain without committing to an all-day trek. In spring, the wildflowers on the ridges are worth the drive alone. The Pine Ridge Association runs the visitor center on weekends and their website has trail maps and current conditions.

For the experienced crowd, Coe offers backcountry camping at $5 per person per night. You can string together multi-day loops through some of the most remote terrain in the Bay Area. We did a two-night trip to Mississippi Lake last spring and saw more deer than people.

Coyote Creek Trail: The Easy One Everyone Loves

Not every hike needs to make your calves burn. The Coyote Creek Trail is a paved, flat, multi-use path that runs about 15 miles from Anderson Lake County Park north toward Hellyer County Park. It follows Coyote Creek through open grassland and riparian corridors, and it is wide enough for bikes, strollers, and runners to share the path without crowding.

We walk a section of this trail at least once a week. Morning light on the creek is beautiful, and we regularly spot herons, hawks, and the occasional coyote (fitting, given the name). The path is paved asphalt and at least eight feet wide, so it is wheelchair and stroller accessible for most of its length.

Anderson Lake County Park, where you can pick up the southern end of the trail, is at 19245 Malaguerra Avenue in Morgan Hill. The park opens at 8 a.m. and closes at sunset. No fee for trail access in most sections.

El Toro and Mayfair Ranch: Ridge Views Close to Town

If you live in Morgan Hill, you see El Toro every day. It’s the hill with the \"M\" painted on it. The El Toro Trail is about 1.9 miles with 561 feet of elevation gain. It’s a solid workout on a steep, exposed hillside. On clear days, the views from the upper trail stretch across the whole valley.

One note: parts of El Toro are on private property, and the city signed an agreement in late 2025 to work toward formal public trail access. Check with the City of Morgan Hill for the latest on which sections are open before you go.

Just south of El Toro, the Mayfair Ranch and Longwall Canyon Loop is a favorite for people who want something longer. It runs about 4 miles and takes you along rolling ridges, then drops down to Baldy Ryan Creek before climbing back. The trail is well-maintained and mostly moderate in difficulty. Spring mornings here are perfect. Cool air, green hills, birdsong in the canyon below.

You can find trailhead info on AllTrails or the City of Morgan Hill parks page.

What to Know Before You Go

Spring is the best season for Morgan Hill hiking. The hills are green, the waterfalls are running, and the temperatures sit in the 60s and 70s. By June, the grass turns gold and Coe starts getting dangerously hot. Summer hikes work fine on the shaded Uvas Canyon trails or the tree-lined sections of Coyote Creek, but save Coe and El Toro for cooler months.

Ticks are real here, especially on grassy trails from February through May. We always do a tick check after every hike.

Parking fills up at Uvas Canyon and Coe on spring weekends. Go early or go on a weekday. And carry more water than you think you need, especially at Coe. There is very little shade once you leave the visitor center area.

Hit the Trail

Morgan Hill has trails for everyone. Waterfalls for the family, paved paths for the morning jogger, and 87,000 acres of backcountry for the weekend adventurer. We are still finding new routes after three years here, and that’s part of what makes this valley special.

If you want more local guides like this one, join us at South Valley Spotlight. We cover the trails, the food, the news, and the neighborhoods that make Morgan Hill, Gilroy, and San Martin worth calling home.