Laguna Mountain Recreation Area

Laguna Mountain Recreation Area is a protected space in San Benito County featuring a 4,462-foot peak covered with dense shrubland and oak forests. The landscape includes grassy open areas and Laguna Creek, which forms a series of waterfalls flowing through the mountain gorge.

The land around Laguna Mountain lay submerged beneath ancient lakes during the Pleistocene epoch roughly 200,000 years ago before transforming into the current mountain landscape. It was later protected as a recreation area to keep the natural features open to the public.

The area is managed to allow different kinds of outdoor activity including hiking, camping, hunting, and target shooting following local guidelines. Visitors use this land to spend time outdoors and maintain traditional practices like hunting in the open landscape.

Access the area via Highway 25 south from Hollister, where you will find multiple trailheads and two free campgrounds for overnight stays. The facilities are basic and there is no running water available on site.

The area contains serpentinite deposits, a rare mineral rock that shapes the region's geological history. These specific rock formations influence soil composition and affect how local plants grow across the landscape.

Location: San Benito County

GPS coordinates: 36.34820,-120.85100

Latest update: December 13, 2025 12:40