Hollister Hills offers recreation for motorcyclists, 4-wheelers, picnickers, and campers in the Gabilan Mountains just an hour’s drive from San Jose. Park elevations range from 660 feet to 2,425 feet.

The Upper Ranch
This 800-acre area, which has about 24 miles of trails, is used for 4-wheel drive recreation and for 4-wheel drive and motorcycle special events; a fenced motocross track is also located here. Four-wheel drive operators should call before coming, especially on weekends, to make sure that the area isn’t reserved for a special event. To use the area for the day, register first at the park office. If your vehicle gets stuck or breaks down, you are responsible for removing it. The Upper Ranch may be accessed for day use from 8 a.m. to sunset. Vehicle operation is allowed only between sunrise and sunset.

The Hudner Ranch
This area provides OHV 4x4 touring on trails that wind through more than 1,500 acres with panoramic views of the surrounding area. NOTE: The majority of these trails are narrow (except Hudner Pass and Valley Vista) and recommended for vehicles that follow suit such as Jeep, Land Rover, Toyota and ROV’s/Side by Sides. Some trails are suitable for novices, while others are for more experienced drivers. This area is subject to seasonal closures due to the soil type.

 

The Lower Ranch
This 3,300-acre area, set aside for motorcycle and ATV use only, has about 128 miles of trails and several hill climbs. There are also two picnic areas, a practice Motocross Track, an ATV Track for three and four wheeled vehicles, a TT track, a mini-bike trail, and a mini-track. Riding is allowed from sunrise to sunset.

 

Nature Area
There is a small non-motorized area located at the end of Madrone camp for hiking, mountain biking and bird watching. This 300 acre area has approximately 5 miles of trails and is a great place to view local wild flowers in the spring. Dogs are allowed on leash.

 

Mudstone Ranch

Mudstone Ranch is a non-motorized section of the park with 13 miles of multi-use trails. This area is available for hiking, mountain biking, and equestrian use as well as picnicking and wildlife viewing. These new trails are located in one of the park’s buffer areas. Buffer areas are designed and created to reduce noise and dust impacts to neighboring properties and are not available to motorized recreation. Dogs are allowed but must be on a leash.

For many years Hollister Hills SVRA has relied on holistic cattle grazing in the buffer areas as a tool used for resource management including invasive species suppression and to minimize the severity of wildfires through fuel reduction. These important resource management practices will continue with public access to Mudstone Ranch through coordination of park staff and the cattle grazing operator.

Future plans for the area include a ‘pump track’ for mountain bikers, additional interpretive panels, as well as more trails.

Download a copy of the Mudstone Ranch map.

CAMPING
Facilities: The Upper Ranch has two campgrounds, Sycamore and the Obstacle Course. Each campground accommodates about 60 people. Sycamore Camp has showers and flushing toilets. The Obstacle Course Camp has flushing toilets (no showers). The Lower Ranch has four campgrounds which all have showers and flushing toilets. Radio Ridge is also available for camping but does not have showers. The Hudner Ranch has two remote campsites, Hudner Pass and Ohlone. Each campsite is located in a private setting with spectacular views and is for tent camping only. Both sites have picnic tables, shade ramadas, pit toilets and fire rings available for seasonal use. Propane stoves are always allowed but wood and charcoal fires must be approved when you register and are only allowed during low fire danger periods. Hudner Pass Campsite capacity is 16 people and 2 vehicles. Ohlone Outpost Campsite capacity is 8 people and 2 vehicles. Camping at Hollister Hills SVRA requires no reservations and all sites are available on a first-come, first serve basis-with the exception of the Hudner Ranch. Camping at the Hudner Ranch is by approval only; call first to make arrangements 831-637-3874. The camping fee is $10.00 per night. Check-in at the main park entrance kiosk for available camp sites and to pay fees. No hook-ups are available in the campgrounds.Note: Due to State required water conservation mandates, showers may or may not be available. Call first for current updates.

Accessibility: Three of the campgrounds in the Lower Ranch--Lodge, Bee and Madrone--have two campsites each reserved for campers with accessibility needs. Walnut camp in the Lower Ranch and Sycamore Camp in the Upper Ranch, also have showers and restrooms with accessibility features. Campers with disabilities should contact the park office to inquire about current site availability and accessible park features to determine if they meet their specific needs.

Fire/Firewood Restrictions:  Fires permitted in state provided fire rings. No ground fires allowed. You may purchase firewood at the Park store or bring your own wood. Collection of downed wood for firewood is prohibited.

The following District Superintendent Orders have been implemented:

       Hours of Vehicle Operation. [Download Superintendent Order]
       Vintage Track, Main Road Motocross Track, and TT Track are restricted to motorcycle use only.
         [Download Superintendent Order]
       Curfew for Juveniles. [Download Superintendent Order]
       Hudner Ranch Fire Restrictions. [Download Superintendent Order]
       Model Aircraft / Unmanned Aircraft Systems [Download Superintendent Order]

Hollister Hills State Recreation Vehicle Area
The landforms and underlying geology found at Hollister Hills State Vehicular Recreation Area embody a dynamic history of shifting tectonic plates – giant fragments of the earth’s crust. The park is situated at the active continental margin, where the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate are moving slowly past each other along the San Andreas Fault.

^{(Photograph by Steve Reynolds)}

The full Geo Gems report  |  Geological Gems of State Parks