Josephine Creek
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| | Difficulty:3B II (v3a2 II) Raps:2-4, max ↨170ft
Red Tape:No permit required Shuttle:None Vehicle:Passenger | |||||||||||
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| Condition Reports: | 5 Mar 2025
"Thanks to all the work clearing brush and trimming the PO, Josephine is super quick to run! Water flow was "very low" see pic on this day with overca |
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34.2966, -118.1726
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Introduction
Josephine Creek is a short canyon with an amazing 170ft rappel through a sprinkling, moss covered waterfall. It also has 3 more shorter rappels including an optional 160ft rappel under the road to access the canyon. It is a great canyon to run through any time of the year. With a usually constant small flow of water and trees, it can be a nice short escape on a hot summer day.
- As with all the Big T canyons your help is needed to keep access open. This entire area is still seeing a slow recovery from the old station fire which means lots of invasive plants and overgrowth in general can quickly close off access to these areas and/or make your time in them miserable. Consider adding a pair of hand shears and/or small bypass loppers to your gear list when descending these places.
Educate yourself on how and why [1] BIG TUJUNGA CANYON RESTORATION
Approach
Park in a dirt pull-off along Big Tujunga Canyon Road at 34.297410°, -118.174507°
Head South (up the road) crossing over to the other side. There is a use trail that goes down into the drainage ditch where you will find a large culvert going under the road.
This first rappel through the culvert can be avoided by staying on the side of the road you parked and heading down the steep dirt slope into the canyon at the inside of the first sharp bend. Rappelling through the culvert is pretty unique however and well worth it.
Descent
Rappel 1: 160 feet (Optional) Shortly after entering the culvert there is a bolted anchor RDC. The culvert gets a bit steeper after this but it's never vertical. It's a fun rappel and you can see the end of the tunnel once you get to the anchor. You may need headlamps to set up the anchor as it's pretty dark in here. If it has rained recently, there may be water flowing here, so this is something to watch out for. There are also side drainages through which water could be flowing.
If you choose to skip this rappel then just cross over to the other side of the road and go down the steep dirt slope where you will end up at the end of the culvert.
From here make your way down the canyon through the thick (and sometimes full of thorns) brush to the top of the second rappel.
Rappel 2A: 25+25 feet (Optional) A nice 25 foot waterfall anchored low on bushes about 25 feet from the lip. This can also be down-climbed RDC with some exposure.
Rappel 2B: 15+55 feet (Optional) A low angle "chute" anchored from a large tree center watercourse about 15 feet back. This can also be down-climbed if not too slimy.
Rappel 3: 80 feet Anchored off a large tree LDC of the watercourse. As of 24OCT2014 several fallen trees have clogged up the bottom but as of 22FEB2025 the logs are easy enough to get around.
Rappel 4: 175 feet Anchored center canyon off various medium sized trees. A beautiful rappel usually with a sprinkling of water.
Josephine Creek Water Flow
Exit
Once at the bottom of the last falls stay LDC and follow a use trail that eventually goes up the ridge on your left. This area was burned and there are a lot of downed trees. There is a use trail that gets more and more defined through it.
Red tape
Beta sites
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Chris Brennen's Adventure Hikes (St Gabriels) : Josephine Creek - Super Amazing Map : Josephine Creek
Trip reports and media
- Josephine Creek April 2008
- First-timers in Josephine Creek
- Josephine Creek May 2009
- Girls canyoneering day in Josephine Creek July 2012
Background
Summary
- Season: Year Round
- Elevation Gain: 670 feet?
- Gear:
- Difficulties: as many as 4 rappels up to 170 feet
- See topo map here
![[1]](http://ep.yimg.com/ay/yhst-136001134851880/forester-8-1-4-by-pass-pro-forged-pruner-pr7240-3.jpg){kind=link}