Upper Johnson (Big Johnson)

5/5 (11 reviews)
One of the big names in Johnson Valley, Upper Johnson Canyon aka Big Johnson is one of the few intermediate trails in the Johnson Valley range. Because of its location in Southern California near Los Angeles and Orange County, these trails see a lot of traffic for the people that are not looking fo... Read More
Start 7-Day Free Trial
All-Access Icon
Upper Johnson (Big Johnson) is an All-Access Member Only trail guide. You'll need to start a 7-Day Free Trial to see this guide.

Highlights of Upper Johnson (Big Johnson)

Altitude Category Icon Altitude
Camping Category Icon Camping
Desert Category Icon Desert
Iconic Category Icon Iconic
Rock Category Icon Rock
Sand Category Icon Sand
Scenic Category Icon Scenic
Highest Elevation
3361 ft
Shape of Trail
Straight Through
Typically Open
Best Direction
North
Official Trail Name
Upper Johnson
Nearest Town
Landers
Nearest Services
Landers
Management Agency
Bureau of Land Management
District
Barstow Field Office

Overview

One of the big names in Johnson Valley, Upper Johnson Canyon aka Big Johnson is one of the few intermediate trails in the Johnson Valley range. Because of its location in Southern California near Los Angeles and Orange County, these trails see a lot of traffic for the people that are not looking for the extreme trails of the legendary King of the Hammers area. This awesome but short trail has plenty of optional hard obstacles for the more extreme person while plenty of easier options for the newer drivers that want to get out and test out their vehicle. Run this as part of Lower Johnson and this can make for a good hour or two run for a group of friends looking to do something different. So the next time you hear Johnson Valley, don't think this is too extreme for me, instead head out to the Johnson Trails and have a little fun.

Trail Difficulty and Assessment

Trail Guide Overview
9 Waypoints
29 Trail Photos
2 Trail Concerns
11 Community Reviews
1 Video
Trail Tools
App Store Icon Open in App
Gaia GPS Icon Upload to Gaia GPS
Download GPX
Directions to...
Share Trail
Print Trail

Start a 7-Day Free Trial and Unlock 5,000+ Trail Guides

3000+ Detailed Trail Guides
2000+ Member Only Scout Routes
Companion App with Offline Use
New Tracks Added Weekly
Download GPX Files and Print Guides
Access to Trail Guide Writer
What makes our Trail Guides so great?

Sign Up for Free to Get a Taste of Adventure

Free Members get 205 introductory guides to explore. Upgrade to an All-Access Membership for 5,000+ trails at your fingertips.
Start a free trial and get this level of detail on every trail guide
Start Free Trial