Johnson Arch Canyon
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| | Difficulty:3B II (v3a2 II) Raps:4-6, max ↨190ft
Red Tape:Permit required Shuttle: Vehicle:Passenger | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Condition Reports: | 10 Mar 2026
"R2 and R5 had short swims, pools were all fairly high in general. Rappel 2 had loose nut on bolt - did not have wrench to tighten. Stick to the waterc |
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| Best season: | September to March
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37.1827, -113.6305
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Introduction
Approach
Private property exists west of SR-18, so it is important to avoid this. Sticking to Red Cliff Desert Reserve trails will avoid access issues.
Option 1 - Approach from Chuckwalla trailhead. Use Turtle Wall trail to intersect Gila trail until reaching canyon.
Option 2 - Head south on Gila trail from Snow Canyon overlook, ~3mi to head of canyon.
Option 3 - Loop using Scout Cave trail to access Gila trail and canyon. This is the only option that won't require a shuttle.
Descent
6 rappels total, all bolted anchors (as of 2026).
First two rappels can be bypassed if desired, scrambles found right of watercourse.
R1-R4 - Roughly 20-60ft (~6-18m) rappels through series of pools, water level will vary.
R1 can be downclimbed if desired.
R2 is two-stage through two pools, second half can be bypassed at halfway point RDC.
R5 usually ends in swimmer or wade, 100-105 feet. Be sure rope reaches!
Final rappel (R6) is ~190-200ft off chain anchor, pool can typically be avoided on slickrock. Watch for hikers, saddlebag ropes if necessary.
Exit
Hike ~0.9mi from final rappel on main trail to parking just within boundary of park.
Red tape
Permits
This canyoneering route is within Snow Canyon State Park and requires a permit to descend it. Permits can be obtained online through the Snow Canyon State Park website: https://stateparks.utah.gov/parks/snow-canyon/canyoneering-permits/
Group-Size Limit: Group size is limited to 6. A group is any people sharing the same affiliation (school club, scout troop, family, friends, business). Any group splitting to avoid the size limit for the trips on the same route, on the same day, is a permit violation. Group mergers are also prohibited.
Daily Quota: There may be a daily quota that caps the number of permits given out, but if one is in place, and what the limit may be, is not made clear.
Cost: Permits cost $8.00 The website says that "Each permit is good for up to six people" but it is unclear if it is $8 total for up to 6 people, or $8 per person up to 6 people.
How to Purchase Permits
The website is super confusing and at the time of this posting it was too unclear to document.
Park Entrance Fee:
A park entrance fee is required to enter Snow Canyon State Park. Information and entrance rates for Snow Canyon State Park entrance fees is available via the park website: https://stateparks.utah.gov/parks/snow-canyon/park-fees/
Beta sites
Super Amazing Map : Johnson Arch Canyon- RoadTripRyan.com : Arch (Johnson) Canyon
- CanyonCollective.com : Johnson Arch Canyon
- SummitPost.org : Johnson Canyon; 5.10a-5.10d
- ParagonAdventure.com : [Johnson] Arch Canyon
Trip reports and media
- Candition.com : Johnson Arch Canyon (Snow Canyon)
- CanyoneeringUSA.com : RAVE - Johnson Arch Canyon