COMMISSION

Zone, for example, has guidelines to protect creosote scrub habitat, saltbush scrub habitat,
and other natural resources while allowing OHV access only on identified trails (California
State Parks December 2011, 87-95). Ocotillo Wells SVRA environmental scientists monitor
resources and include the data in the annual Ocotillo Wells District HMS reports.
Hollister Hills SVRA
Hollister Hills SVRA is located within an hour’s drive south
from the urban core of San Jose and eight miles from the city
of Hollister. The SVRA is situated in the foothills of the Gabilan
Mountain Range and elevations within the property range from
660 feet to 2,425 feet. Adobe and granitic soils are present,
predominantly separated by the San Andreas Fault that runs
through the park.
Vegetation communities growing on the adobe soils consist
of annual grasslands and oak woodlands, with pockets of
low chaparral communities growing out of the sandstone
outcrops. Vegetation communities on the granitic soils consist
of pine woodlands at higher elevations, scrub and dense
oak-dominated woodlands on north-facing slopes; along with high and low chaparral
communities on sun exposed ridges. Riparian
corridors are thick and covered with various
water dependent tree and shrub species, with
the dominant species being sycamore, madrone,
maple, and riparian oaks.
Common wildlife in the park include black-tailed
deer, coyote, bobcat, ground squirrel, cottontail
rabbit, bat, red-tailed hawk, turkey vulture, wrentit,
western meadowlark, wild turkey, western fence
Juvenile red-tail hawks nesting
lizard, and gopher snake. Hollister Hills SVRA also
is home to the mountain lion, which is occasionally
spotted near water sources through trail monitoring cameras or by incidental observations.
A mountain lion mated pair is known to inhabit the park during the breeding season.
Trail Assessment Program
Since 2013, Hollister Hills SVRA resource staff have been utilizing an updated Trail
Assessment Matrix to complete the Annual Trail Assessment. This matrix was developed
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California State Parks, Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission