Johnson Canyon Road Climb

We don't rate roads as safe or unsafe: crash counts can't say how risky a ride is, and roads people like to ride draw more riders, so they see more crashes. Most of this climb is a dirt road, and falls away from public roads rarely reach police reports. What the records show: no bike crashes were reported along the climb from 2021–2025.

How long and steep is the Johnson Canyon Road climb?

9.1 miles (14.7 km) at 8.1% on average, climbing 3,894 ft (1,187 m) from -7 ft to 3,888 ft. The steepest half kilometre averages 10.4%. That makes it a Hors catégorie climb.

Where does the climb start and finish?

It starts at 36.09731, -116.85921, and ends where the road ends at 36.08962, -117.00748.

Is Johnson Canyon Road paved?

Mostly not: OpenStreetMap tags 100% of the climb as dirt or gravel. Dirt roads can be closed in fire season or after rain, so check with the land manager.

How is the category worked out?

From the climb's shape only: length in metres × average grade (%) of 16,000 or more for Cat 3, 32,000 for Cat 2, 64,000 for Cat 1 and 80,000 for HC. It describes how hard the climb is, not traffic or crashes.

Where does this data come from?

The climb is found from OpenStreetMap roads and USGS 3DEP elevation (every climb, not a list of famous ones). Access is from OpenStreetMap tags; gates and closures change, so obey posted signs. Crash counts are police reports in the California Crash Reporting System (CCRS) on data.ca.gov, counted where their map location is within 100 ft of the climb. The forecast is from the National Weather Service.

• Galena Canyon RoadCat 1 · dirt · 5.0 mi at 9% · 2,349 ft · starts 4.6 mi away
• Hanaupah Canyon RoadHC · dirt · 7.8 mi at 8.2% · 3,356 ft · starts 8.6 mi away
• Butte Valley RoadHC · dirt · 16 mi at 5.1% · 4,295 ft · starts 11 mi away
• Trail Canyon RoadHC · dirt · 8.9 mi at 7.7% · 3,619 ft · starts 14 mi away