Pacheco State Park

Pacheco State Park is a nature reserve in the Diablo Range comprising rolling grasslands and mountainous terrain across several thousand acres. The landscape rises to elevations around 1,900 feet and is dominated by open meadows interspersed with scattered trees and shrubland.

The park was established in 1997 when a descendant of the original Pacheco ranching family donated the land to California. This transfer preserved the area from residential development and protected the landscape's regional heritage.

The park takes its name from a historic rancho family and preserves traces of that past visible to visitors along the trails. Old stone structures and abandoned buildings tell the story of when ranchers worked these hillsides.

The park offers an extensive network of trails for hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking with routes ranging from short walks to full-day adventures. Visitors should bring plenty of water and snacks since there are no facilities or drinking sources within the park boundaries.

A portion of the park shares space with a working wind farm where turbines generate electricity on the ridges while tule elk and golden eagles inhabit the surrounding slopes. This unusual coexistence demonstrates how renewable energy and wildlife conservation can operate side by side on the same land.

Location: San Benito County

Inception: 1997

Operator: California Department of Parks and Recreation

Website: http://parks.ca.gov/?page_id=560

GPS coordinates: 37.04420,-121.19800

Latest update: December 9, 2025 18:41