Hike the Johnson Camp Trail

Humboldt County, California

Save Add Photo

Add Photo

Save Review Directions Add Photo

Details

Distance

9.5 miles

Elevation Gain

2103 ft

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

This is a new adventure! Be the first to share your experience.

Join a supporting community of travelers and adventurers sharing their photos and local insights.

Added by The Outbound Collective

The Johnson Camp Trail is a 9.5 mile hike through Humboldt Redwoods State Park. The forest setting is amazing: enormous redwoods as far as the eye can see. Johnson Camp is a great place to explore or spend the night.

This trail is shared by hikers, trail runners, backpackers and horseback riders. The trail is best used from March through November, as the bridges that allow river crossings are seasonal. You can call Humboldt Redwoods State parks (707-946-1811) to find out more information on the bridges.

Johnson Camp Trail was the winner of the 2005 Annual Achievement Award and was funded through the Recreational Trails Program of the Federal Highway Administration. Three years of work went into this trail, and construction of the camp was completed almost entirely with materials found on the trail. You can pitch a tent at Johnson Camp and spend the night - but bring a water filter, as the water is untreated. A toilet is available but BYOTP (bring your own toilet paper).

If you wish to continue on - you will reach the Grasshopper Lookout after an additional 2 miles. Heading back down Grasshopper would make this a loop.

Download the Outbound mobile app

Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use.

Get the app

Features

Fitness

Chillin

Camping

Photography

Running

Backpacking

Hiking

Bathrooms

Easy Parking

Forest

Groups

River

Romantic

Scenic

Wildflowers

Wildlife

Reviews

Have you done this adventure? Be the first to leave a review!

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

Hike the Rockefeller Forest Loop

From the Avenue of the Giants turn west onto Mattole Road. Continue 1.5 miles to the Rockefeller Forest trailhead.Rockefeller Forest is a less well known grove in Humboldt Redwoods State Park. It's distance from the main road shelters the forest from traffic noise. The trail is wide and smooth, suitable for families and the less adventurous.The redwoods in Rockefeller Forest are densely spaced...

Hike the Humboldt Redwoods River Trail

You probably won't find as many people along this trail (which I like!) as it's unmarked and sits just south of Rockefeller Loop which draws a good number of visitors, primarily because it has the tallest trees (also definitely worth a visit!). The River Trail is a relatively short, flat hike with an ascent of only 450 ft, but it's a perfect activity that will take you along a quiet, serene pat...

Hike through the Founder's Grove in Humboldt Redwoods State Park

The Founder's Grove is easily accessed from Highway 101 in northern California. The grove is also on the Avenue of the Giants Scenic Highway. This area, named after the founders of the Save the Redwoods League, is flat and has a relatively open understory making it one of the most picturesque groves in California. The hike starts in the parking lot and meanders through the towering redwoods. Th...

King's Peak via Lightning Trailhead

King's Peak is the tallest peak in the King Range, the home of the famous and spectacular "Lost Coast". At an elevation of 4,000' and less than 3 miles from the ocean, King's Peak provides stunning views in all directions: of canyons, beaches, foggy valleys, and the many greenhouses that dot the Humboldt County backcountry. King's Peak is perhaps the only coastal peak that can be compared to B...

Explore the Avenue of the Giants

The Avenue of the Giants is a scenic 31 mile long highway that is surrounded by 51,222 acres of giant redwood trees in the Humboldt Redwoods State Park. This road offers amazing views of the redwoods. The Avenue of the Giants runs through many small towns that offer tons of tourist attractions.The pull offs along the road allow easy access to many different hiking trails. Hiking amongst the gia...

The Lost Coast: Mattole to Black Sands Beach

This is an absolutely stunning 25 mile thru-hike on the northern part of California's coast. To accomplish this hike, you'll either need to bring 2 cars or use a shuttle service. It's recommended that you drop one car at the Shelter Cove Trailhead (40.0455053,-124.0778196) and either use one of the shuttle services to drive you up to Mattole or drive your second car up there. Keep in mind that ...