Hellyer Park & Coyote Creek Trail

Since I was a kid this was our go-​to park for any family gatherings.
Back in the day my grandpa would always bring the kids to the park to fish and play of the playground. I don’t think they have fishing here anymore, but the park is still great.
Perfect place to hold a bbq, birthday party etc.

I came here this morning. Paid $ 6 for parking because I’m from out of town and didn’t want to mess with trying to find somewhere to park. I really enjoyed this park and walking trail. There is a lake where ducks and geese entertained me for a while. I walked around the lake and then did four miles of the trail. It is very beautiful with lots of canopy and green everywhere. I felt safe by myself. There were other people there walking with friends, with babies, people on bikes and people running.

Came here recentLy to attend a kiddy birthday.
Parking is $ 6/​per car and there was no issue finding an open spot.
Lots of park benches and BBQ pits so I can see why this pLace is sooooo popuLar.
According to my gf, each party is onLy aLLowed 2 benches and it is seriousLy enforced.
I Like how the park is so spacious and the Lake is definiteLy easy on the eyes.
During our visit, there were park rangers who periodicaLLy made their rounds and picked up Litter. Who does that?
Im a fan! Great job on keeping the park in tip top shape, I wish more parks would put in haLf the effort they do here.

Ducks, ducks, and more ducks
Beautiful place (spacious, with a lot of grass), a huge pond, and a nice playground nearby (+many picnic tables)
Near the highway/​freeway, so it can be a bit noisy
Oh and there’s a nice, tree-​filled trail near a creek

Great running/​biking trail. Very flat, some slight hills. Park off of Blossom Hill Road exit (free parking). If you run towards East San Jose, you will get the lake, bathrooms, kid park, benches, and some additional parking lots (about 2.5 miles from the Blossom Hill lot). If you run towards Morgan Hill, you get a longer trail, and catch Bernal Road. If you run past Bernal Road, you catch a basketball courts, small children’s park, and a bathroom (about 3 miles from Blossom Hill lot). If you go further down, you will get the parking lot of the Coyote Creek trail. That is as far as I go usually, but trail leads to Morgan Hill park. Trail has some bikers, some runners, lots of casual walkers, and families on bikes.

I fucking love this place man. I’ve always gone to la raza park but the other day it was my first time at hellyer and I loved it a thousand times better.

Nice trails, grass area, people picnicking, kids playing… but seeing that like or whatever it was with zero water and all cracked was disheartening. There are so many people doing the long bike trails and enjoying the nice smell of the trees… just do remember you won’t see much water if that is your goal. Parking is not cheap ($ 6) and is not easy to park outside the entrance.

The northern end of the Coyote Creek Trail starts near the Tully Branch Library off Tully Road in San Jose, and follows Coyote Creek southward ending at Morningstar Drive in Morgan Hill (not far from Anderson Reservoir). I’ve used and will be referring to the segment of Coyote Creek Trail between Hellyer Park and Metcalf Road.
Access to Hellyer Park is fairly easy from US 101. It’s close to the freeway, and there is an exit onto Hellyer Road, very close to the park entrance. The park has quite a bit of parking ($ 6 at the time of this writing), and has picnicking and restroom facilities. A central feature of the park is a small lake that is very pretty (unless nearly dry due to drought) and is home for many aquatic birds. The trail has branches that access and circle the lake, going near picnic and parking areas. Just circling the lake is .57 mile (nearly a kilometer).
Following the creek southward, the trail goes in and out of shaded and open areas, sometimes almost rural, sometimes with modern industrial buildings on one side, sometimes near (or even under) US 101, sometimes with suburban neighborhoods on one side. The trail is paved and fairly wide. Because of freeway noise in some areas, music with ear buds at a reasonable volume would probably be more pleasant than without. At one point the trail crosses the creek, and there are some gently rolling hills. All in all, the segment of Coyote Creek Trail this review covers is very pleasant.
The times I’ve used Coyote Creek Trail have been weekend running-​walking races (once on Thanksgiving Day). I wouldn’t say the trail is heavily used, but did see quite a few bicyclists, runners, and walkers, singly and in small groups. I also saw one or two larger groups (less than 10) of bicyclists. The usage is not heavy enough to be even close to interfering with one’s own usage and enjoyment of the trail, but definitely enough for alertness to be necessary.
I don’t use Coyote Creek Trail frequently, as another, similar, trail is near my home, but I’ve enjoyed Coyote Creek Trail, and plan to do more races that use the Coyote Creek Trail.

1. good trail.
2. good tree shades.
3. small lake though.
4. 6 $ parking
5. would visit

After reading all the reviews for this trail, I had to go run it for myself. Yes, parking is $ 6 here, but there are several other places in the area that you can park in and just jump in the trail.
The trail itself is decent and relatively flat. It’s also pretty clean. If you start at the park, the view of the lake is scenic. But it was sad to see an almost drained lake because of the current drought California is in. Following this trail at the lake area had minimal shade. As the trail continues on, trees start to come in but in general this is not as shady as a trail mentioned in other reviews.
It is a quiet trail though you see occasional cyclists, runners, leisurely walkers, and dogs. Just make sure to keep your eyes and ears open since the trail goes through underpasses. During my run here, I did encountered a coyote pup trotting along the trail.

Awesome long, long, long bike trail. That’s what I was looking for and I got it! Thanks Unilocalers. The main things to know:
— Parking is $ 6 off Hellyer unless you know the secret spots, company lots etc.
— It is NOT mostly shady like I read here. If you’re going for 5+ miles, it’s all direct sun.
— It is mostly smooth and very flat with a few bumps that have caution signs.
— It is REALLY quiet and as you ride towards Morgan Hill, it’s sometimes just you for miles. It was a little creepy as a single rider and I’m not sure how safe it is.
— It is serene and peaceful. Loved the scenery, bridges, farmland. Very few riders/​people for a Saturday. I enjoyed most of the 26 miles immensely.
Clif Notes:
Bring lots of water. Don’t bring valuables in car. Bring a friend. Wear a sunscreen.
That’s my advice.

Great for long distance runners!
I’ve been struggling to find a place in the San Jose area to run and this place was exactly what I was looking for. The path is very long and it was nice to go for ten miles in one direction without having to worry about getting lost. It is also paved the entire way and clearly marked. While there are a few small hills, the trail is mostly flat and surrounded by pretty scenery. There are bathrooms, water fountains, and parks interspersed throughout the trail, making it perfect for when I needed a break. I would suggest it for anyone that has been looking to escape the streets for their runs.

I’m mainly writing my review about Hellyer Park. It is a great park! I haven’t walked/​biked the whole trail, but I should give it a try! I love walking my dog here. Not only is it super convenient for me because I live nearby, but it is very beautiful and clean! It is a dog-​friendly park. They have a couple posts with the dog-​poopy bags and there are various trash cans spread throughout the park to throw away your bags. I also love that there are a lot of trees. The shade from the trees definitely keep my dog and I cool from the heat!
Every time I go to this park, it is always very lively. People come here to walk their dogs, bike, fish, have parties and etc. Also, Hellyer Park hosts movie nights! I haven’t been yet, but it is definitely on my list to-​do!

I’ve been going to this park for years and just until recently, I noticed an overpopulation of ducks that took over the park. Unfortunately, that ruined my overall experience at this lovely park because I had to be meticulous with every step I took because there was duck feces covering the whole pathway. Overall, the park was lovely except for the ducks who took over the park.

Great Trail! It can go all the way to Morgan Hill.
Great for beginners too! I Highly recommend it.
The trail is mostly shady so it’s always good on hot summer days… The trail is cemented & there’s uphill and downhill every ½ mile or so but not so bad for beginners. I always have my gear on low so I could get my leg workout 5x harder.
If you are prone to allergies on tree pollen I recommend taking anti-​Histamine 30min before you start the trail. I forgot to take mine so I had to turn back after reaching the 2mile post.

+++review #1200+++
in keeping with my running theme for every 100 reviews, this review will be dedicated to one of my favourite trails in silicon valley.
i have run several races in the past 1 ½ years that originated from hellyer park, everything from a 5k to a half marathon, and i have to say, this is a great place to hold races!
pros:
+easily accessible to 101, just off the hellyer exit
+several dedicated parking lots inside the park
+picnic areas available near the lake, with picnic benches and bbq grills
+playground structures for the children
+park restrooms with toilet paper and running water
+nice rolling hills with lots of turns to keep you on your toes (literally!)
+some shade along the trail, great for the hot summer days!
+suitable for runners, walkers, dog walkers, and stroller pushers
cons:
–parking fee of $ 6, payable to the ranger upon entering the park
–no water fountains along the trail (at least, not that i’ve seen while running)
–trail is narrow at most points, generally only wide enough for one person to run in one direction, and another to run in the opposite direction (hard to run with your buddy if you are a pair and someone is running toward you)
i’ve read that the coyote creek trail extends about 15 miles from san jose all the way down to morgan hill. although i haven’t yet run the morgan hill part of the trail, this is something i’d like to do one day… who knows, maybe i’ll just run straight down 15 miles and back one of these days and hit the 50k mark!
happy running, walking, and hiking!

Great long trail that stretches from San Jose to Morgan Hill! An opening of the trail starts by Stonegate Elementary that goes through the Los Lagos Golf Course which then eventually reaches Hellyer Park where the beautiful lake is! You’ll come across bikers, runners, walkers, and people of all sorts. There’s these couples I’ve seen a few times now that walk the trail just to feed the stray cats!
I love that there’s a lot of shade to keep you cool during your long runs. I’ve been training for my half marathon on this trail. Whenever I need a bathroom or water break, I make sure to do that at Hellyer Park where the lake is. The bathrooms there are clean with tons of toilet paper and a lot of water fountains to choose from! That makes me a very happy runner :)!
The only con is that it does get scary when you’re running alone. There are a few homeless people that hang out around the creeks which I have nothing against but as a girl running by herself, it’s hard not to get paranoid.

Great park! I just moved up to San Jose with my husband and dog. Dog has been taking it pretty rough. Has not been pooping or wanting to go for walks. I read online that this park is dog friendly and has squirrels! My dog loves chasing squirrels… Drove over and paid $ 6 for parking (–1 stars, would be nice to have free parking) and was there for an hour plus going in circles chasing the squirrels! Will definitely take him back here when he is feeling down.
Didn’t see a lot of dog poop on the trails… but did see a lot of duck poops near the lake. Didn’t bother me and I am not going to dock them a star for something they can’t really control. I mean… it’s going to be a hard life trying to pick up duck poop!

Good: This park is HUGE. Lake, loooong trails that go around, picnic tables, parking lot, lots of grass, trees, and dog park for big and small dogs. Nearby street parking on the other side of the park with a gate you can walk in after parking in the residential area. Walk n’ Wag event is held here every year, which we’ve attended the past two years and had fun. It’s a doggy event that raises money for charity with a 5K walk/​run.
Bad: I think they always charge for parking? I’m not sure, but I’m always told to just park outside in the residential area and walk in to avoid having to pay for any parking. The dog park the last time I went had a sign that a dog with giardia had been there warning other dogs to beware, which was nice they warned others so be careful. Dog park section has patchy grass.

Big park. Parking = $ 6. I love running and biking here; although, there’s poop around the lake from the geese and birdies. Great place to see the sunset and get your vitamin D. They have picnic tables and benches. Trails are a little bumpy, but I got my mountain bike with a cushion for my tushy. Trail goes from San Jose to Morgan Hill and maybe even Milpitas or Los Gatos? Never been all the way. But I’ve hit the 9 ½ mile mark going south towards Morgan Hill.
Bring water and snacks if you plan to bike a while. I bought a camelback (backpack with water pack), very useful if you plan to go far and you don’t want to stop.
Friend and I biked from my house to Coyote Creek up to Hellyer Park before. There’s free parking on that end at Monterey Road (on left coming from north) or Blossom Hill near 101 Freeway (to your left coming towards Blossom Hill and to your right coming from Evergreen).