Coyote Valley: A Link to the Diablo Range

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Working in Coyote Valley for years now, I’ve come to see the Diablo Range as a living extension of the landscapes I work to protect and steward each day. While the Santa Cruz Mountains often get the spotlight for their fog, forests, and familiar trailheads, the Diablo Range is its quieter counterpart. Its landforms are sprawling, rugged, and astonishingly rich in life. In my role at POST, I spend a lot of time studying how wildlife travels between these two local ranges, and I’ve seen firsthand how essential that movement is. It wouldn’t be possible without Coyote Valley, a stunning region between San Jose and Morgan Hill with a future that will shape the health of both ranges for generations.

A Lengthy Series of Landforms

Extending southward from Mount Diablo in Contra Costa County, the Diablo Range runs parallel to the Pacific Ocean. It spans 180 miles and passes through 12 counties. The range’s oak woodlands, grasslands, and seasonal streams are the eastern bookend of the Bay Area, complementing the Santa Cruz Mountains’ forests and coastal climate. 

Where Two Ranges Meet

At the southern end of the Santa Cruz Mountains, our regional biodiversity faces an uncertain future. Since the mid-20th century, Silicon Valley’s rapid growth has driven extensive development, creating barriers that hinder local wildlife from reaching the nearby Diablo Range.

POST and our partners have spent over a decade studying wildlife movement between these mountain ranges. We found that Coyote Valley, situated between San José and Morgan Hill, is one of the last remaining natural pathways, connecting over 1.13 million acres of mountain habitat. It serves as a lifeline for numerous species.

Without this connection to the Diablo Range, the Santa Cruz Mountains could become an island where wildlife populations face unhealthy genetic isolation. Since POST announced our first acquisition in Coyote Valley eight years ago, we and our partners have protected more than 1,500 acres across this life-sustaining valley floor—plus swaths of the surrounding hillsides. We’re partnering with the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority on a comprehensive plan for the landscape’s future use and restoration. Through region-wide collaboration and generous donor contributions, we’re building a future where wildlife and people can coexist harmoniously.

To protect biodiversity, we must protect the pathways animals depend on.

A Keystone for Connectivity

Last spring, POST purchased a 207-acre former dairy ranch perched on the northwestern ridge of Coyote Valley. We’ve observed ample evidence of bobcats and other animals there. The property’s bountiful habitats include serpentine grasslands, oak woodlands, and canyon streams. This acquisition also opens the door to a potential future trail connection to nearby Calero and Santa Teresa County Parks — an opportunity we’ll carefully plan with wildlife and their needs in mind. 

Progress Through Partnership

We’re proud that this work is deeply collaborative. We’ve coordinated acquisitions, restoration projects, political advocacy, and community outreach efforts through our long-standing partnerships with theOpen Space Authority and other incredible organizations. Recent land transfers to the Open SpaceAuthority — including the Laguna Seca wetland and several mid-valley properties — support this  shared vision. These transfers help ensure long-term stewardship and public investment in a protected and connected Coyote Valley.

Committing to Forever

Beyond any single parcel or project, protecting a place like Coyote Valley is about committing to the long game of keeping an entire region connected and alive. The Diablo Range and Santa Cruz Mountains are remarkable on their own, but it’s the thread between them, woven through this valley, that keeps the whole tapestry intact. Every acre restored, every partnership strengthened, and every crossing improved brings us closer to a future where wildlife can move freely. Standing in Coyote Valley, you can feel a more resilient future taking shape. It’s one we’re proud to be building, piece by piece, with our community and partners by our side.