Jackass Peak is a beautiful knoll above Coyote Creek in Henry Coe State Park. From there you can get views of chaparral and riparian habitatas. Though short, it's beauty is spectaclar.

Getting There

Take Highway 101 to Morgan Hill. Take East Dunne Ave and head east. Drive ~13 miles to park headquarters. WARNING-NARROW, WINDY ROAD.
Check in at the visitor center or pay iron ranger.

The costs are:
$5/vehicle Day Use
$3/person/night Backpacking

Hike on the Corral Trail (starts near visitor center) for .6 miles. Here you have three choices:

-the shaded Forest Trail on the north side of the ridge= 1.2mi
-the open, hilly Manzanita Point Road on the center of the ridge= .9mi
-the open Springs Trail on the south side of the ridge= 1.3mi

At the ends of the trails, they meet again. Turn right onto the Poverty Flat Road. You will descend down to Coyote Creek and Poverty Flat (a good campsite), where you will ford the river, and then climb out of the canyon. You take the road for about 2.5 miles. A knoll will be on your right. Hike across the meadow to the summit.

The total hike is about 4 miles one way.

Red Tape

No fires, hikers must register, camp in designated sites only.

Camping

If you wish to spend the night at a campground, there are sites at the visitor center.

If you wish to backpack, Poverty Flat, mentioned above, is a good site. You can also hike past the peak and turn right on Mahoney Meadows Road and take a short hike down to Los Cruzeros, another great campsite. Bring a water pump to pump out of rivers and springs.

External Links

http://www.coepark.org Information
http://reserveamerica.com Car camping reservations