Johnson Canyon Hike

HIKE DESCRIPTION

Join the Truckee Donner Land Trust for a stroll through Johnson Canyon. This hike is a 3.3 mile loop up and around Johnson Canyon with an elevation gain/loss of 800 feet. We will start our hike at the Wendin Way trailhead and climb up that trail into the Canyon until we reach the junction with the Donner Rim Trail which then takes us across the upper canyon. From there our route turns sharply down on our descent back to the trailhead.

As part of the Royal Gorge acquisition in 2012, the Land Trust acquired an additional 350 acres in the canyon, effectively protecting the entire canyon from development. Johnson Canyon is the home of the headwaters of Gregory Creek, an important tributary of Donner Lake.

The Canyon is a popular site for wildlife and wildflower viewing. The Lahontan-Truckee Mule Deer herd migrates through this canyon and fawns each spring as well as home to four species of birds listed as protected by state or federal programs. The Donner Rim Trail provides access for hikers, runners, and mountain bikers to connecting trail networks.

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Distance: 3.3 miles

Elevation:

Min. 6500

Max. 7100

Host or Publisher Truckee Donner Land Trust