Hood Mountain Summit Via Lower and Upper Johnson Ridge Trails

Hood Mountain Summit via the Lower Johnson and Upper Johnson Ridge Trails is a 6 mile out-and-back trek located in Santa Rosa, CA.

The trailhead starts at the Pythian Road parking lot, accessed from Highway 12. The hike takes 3.5 to 4 hours to complete and is considered strenuous. All trails are well marked but best to have a regional parks map handy as some trails are closed due to wildfire damage.

Lower Johnson Ridge Trail (LJRT) is steep as you ascend from the parking lot and wind your way up the hill. The trail loops back and forth over a paved road and various fire roads before it becomes a single track trail that travels up the mountain.

The LJRT becomes Upper Johnson Ridge Trail (UJRT) at the junction with Orchard Meadow, and the route keeps climbing up. The hiker is, however, rewarded with broad views when UJRT joins the Hood Mountain Trail on the final ridge before the summit. That ridge has extensive fire damage with many trees destroyed, offering views of west Santa Rosa, Windsor, and Fulton.

There is one final and very steep climb before the flat precipice of Hood Mountain. Just keep going! Once at the top, make sure to find a seat near the pointy rock just beyond the summit plaque. From there you can see the faint skyline of San Francisco in the far distance.

Hike yourself out the way you came, taking your time. Your quads and knees are likely to be tired by the end.