Where can you go backpacking near San Jose?

You can go backpacking near San Jose at Henry W. Coe State Park, the largest state park in Northern California.

Get a permit at the Coe Ranch or Hunting Hollow entrance. Permits are first come, first served and usually available, but spring weekends are busiest, so arrive early. Backpacking costs $5 a person a night in 2026, plus a vehicle fee. Bring a gas stove, because wood and charcoal fires are never allowed in the backcountry.

Sanborn County Park has 33 hike-in tent sites, open from mid-March to mid-October.