Johnson Canyon

The trick to Johnson Canyon is arriving before the crowds. So, at the crack of dawn, everything ready to go the night before, we headed for the stunning, but slightly too popular Johnson Canyon. When we hiked out to the Ink Pots we enountered 4 people heading in the oposite direction from us and 4 people heading in the same direction as us. By the time we left, we passed 80 people heading for the Ink Pots and 330 people between Johnson Canyon Resort and the Upper Falls. Still, I've seen it busier.

The ink pots are beautiful, set in movie set country, a wide scrubby valley surrounded by stunning peaks. I remember fondly my last (first) hike there about 10 years ago with family. We stopped to paint, I don't recall that I painted anything worthwhile, but it was a pleasant day.