Johnson Creek
Johnson Creek Trail is a 6.8-mile trail in San Juan National Forest, Colorado. The Forest Service rates it trail class 3, developed. It is open to hiking and horse and pack stock. It enters Weminuche Wilderness.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The San Juan National Forest official page carries current alerts and closure orders.
Map
One end Other endLine simplified to about 100 metres. Basemap from the USGS National Map.
| One end | 37.5843° N, 107.5307° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 37.5990° N, 107.6027° W · Directions ↗ |
The ends are the two ends of the longest connected chain of segments. The record does not say which is the usual start.
The trail
| Length | 6.8 miles |
| Trail class | 3, developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical grade | 0-5 percent |
| Motor vehicles | Closed to all motorized use year-round |
| Accessibility | Not evaluated |
| Trail numbers | 821 |
| Forest | San Juan National Forest (unit 0213) |
| States | Colorado |
| Detail published | management level, with uses |
Values are the set across all segments. Class 1 is minimally developed and class 5 is fully developed. Grade and width are the forest's typical values, not measured extremes.
Weather by month
Allowed uses
| Hiking | Allowed 06/01 to 10/01 (month/day) |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed 06/01 to 10/01 (month/day) |
A use is listed when the Forest Service records it as managed, accepted or discouraged on any segment. Discouraged still means legal. Uses marked restricted are left out. Where the forest publishes a Motor Vehicle Use Map, that map governs motorized use.
Wilderness
- Weminuche WildernessFS · the whole line is insideWilderness Connect ↗
Inside a designated wilderness, bicycles and motor vehicles are prohibited by law regardless of the trail record, and permits or group limits may apply.
Trailheads
The Forest Service recreation layer records no trailhead within a third of a mile of this trail's line. Many trails start from a road pullout or another trail with no trailhead record. The forest's recreation pages list the trailheads it does publish.
Trails nearby
Camping nearby
No federal campground is recorded within five miles of the trail. Dispersed camping is allowed on most National Forest land outside posted closures. The forest office has the current rules.
Fire nearby
- WildfireGold Mountain
33 mi from the trail midpoint · 39,747 acres · 92% contained
- PrescribedUpd Baldy Mountain Piles Rx
37 mi from the trail midpoint · 120 acres
- PrescribedGroundhog Piles Rx
38 mi from the trail midpoint · 30 acres
- WildfireElk
39 mi from the trail midpoint · 7,257 acres · 90% contained
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.
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Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Johnson Creek Trail?
The Forest Service records 6.8 miles under this name in San Juan National Forest, the sum of 1 segment.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Johnson Creek Trail?
Hiking and horse and pack stock are allowed. The trail is closed to motor vehicles year-round. Some uses are seasonal. The allowed uses section lists the dates.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the Johnson Creek Trail start?
The line begins at 37.5843° N, 107.5307° W and ends at 37.5990° N, 107.6027° W. No Forest Service trailhead is recorded within a third of a mile of it. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Johnson Creek Trail in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters Weminuche Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Source: Weminuche Wilderness
Where can I camp near the Johnson Creek Trail?
No federal campground is recorded within five miles of the trail. The camping section covers dispersed camping, which most National Forest land allows.
How developed is the Johnson Creek Trail?
Trail class 3, which the Forest Service describes as developed. Class 1 is a minimal, unimproved route and class 5 is fully developed, often paved.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
How steep and how wide is the Johnson Creek Trail?
The typical grade is 0-5 percent.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Johnson Creek Trail?
San Juan National Forest, Forest Service unit 0213. The trail is in Colorado.
Is there a fire near the Johnson Creek Trail?
The interagency feed shows 4 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Gold Mountain at 33 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 1 segment named Johnson Creek in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0213. Wilderness overlap is tested against the National Wilderness Preservation System layer from Wilderness Connect. Trailheads and Forest Service campgrounds come from the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer. Data refreshed November 1, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.