Canyon Mouth Trail in Canyon Mouth Park, Little River Canyon National Preserve

Length: 1.4 mile round trip
Time: 1 hour hiking plus 30+ minutes to explore Johnnie’s Creek
Difficulty: Easy

The Canyon Mouth Trail at Little River Canyon National Preserve is an easy trail, cardio-wise, but it is rocky, making it a moderately difficult trail to hike, especially if you have bad ankles. It runs from Canyon Mouth Park to Johnnie’s Creek, all the while following alongside the Little River. When you get to Johnnie’s Creek at the end, you will need to make your way upstream to see the powerful shoots and cascades (winter through spring). To do so, you must navigate a minefield of large and small boulders. Hiking poles are highly recommended. (Note: there is a small fee to enter the park.)

Boulder field at Johnnie’s Creek at the end of the Canyon Mouth Trail, Little River Canyon National Preserve

The Canyon Mouth Trail starts at the northern end of Canyon Mouth Park. When the entrance road comes to a T-intersection, take a left and drive all the way to the end. Look for a gated dirt road. This is the Canyon Mouth Trail.

Start of the Canyon Mouth Trail in Canyon Mouth Park, Little River Canyon National Preserve

The dirt road section of the Canyon Mouth Trail only lasts a hundred yards before it narrows and begins following right along the Little River. However, during the summer the vegetation between the trail and the river often blocks the view. There are definitely more chances to see the river during the winter when the leaves have fallen from the trees and much of the vegetation has died off.

December view of the Little River from the Canyon Mouth Trail, Little River Canyon National Preserve

May view of the Little River from the Canyon Mouth Trail, Little River Canyon National Preserve

While hiking the Canyon Mouth Trail won’t get your heart pounding, it is not entirely flat. In fact, there are a few very steep segments, though most aren’t any longer than 50 feet. It’s like climbing short staircases. The real culprit that makes the hike a little difficult is the abundance of rocks on the trail, most of which come on the first half.

Rocky terrain on the first half of the Canyon Mouth Trail in Canyon Mouth Park, Little River Canyon National Preserve

Short-but-steep segment of the Canyon Mouth Trail in Canyon Mouth Park, Little River Canyon National Preserve

At .3 mile into the hike, the Canyon Mouth Trail crosses a small stream. Not knowing what Johnnie’s Creek was, I originally thought, “Boy, that was quick.” Needless to say, this small stream is not Johnnie’s Creek.

Canyon Mouth Trail crosses a small stream .3 mile from the start, Little River Canyon National Preserve

The trail surface gets a lot smoother not long after the stream crossing, and by the .4-mile mark it is easy hiking until the very end.

Smooth terrain on the second half of the Canyon Mouth Trail in Little River Canyon National Preserve

There is a spot where you can get down to the riverbank a half mile from the start of the hike. This is your best bet for a good photo of the Little River.

Access point along the Canyon Mouth Trail to the Little River, Little River Canyon National Preserve

View of the Little River from a shoreline access point along the Canyon Mouth Trail, Little River Canyon National Preserve

As you approach the actual end of the trail, it all but vanishes. A gully full of rocks is the only thing that resembles a path to follow, so follow it. Even that comes to an end, and you will be looking at downed trees and more rocks. That’s pretty much it for the Canyon Mouth Trail. However, you will hear the sound of rushing water in Johnnie’s Creek straight ahead (assuming there is a lot of water flowing, which is not likely in the summer). Just beat your way through the debris to the creek.

End of the Canyon Mouth Trail right before coming to Johnnie’s Creek, Little River Canyon National Preserve

View of Johnnie’s Creek from the Canyon Mouth Trail, Little River Canyon National Preserve

If the water is flowing in Johnnie’s Creek, it is very swift, so do not attempt to go swimming. You will have to scramble across a boulder field to get a good view of the water as it shoots between rocks and cascades towards the Little River. The view is often blocked by tree branches, so you must ultimately get to the largest boulder closest to the cascades; you can’t miss it.

View of Johnnie’s Creek from the end of the Canyon Mouth Trail, Little River Canyon National Preserve

Rapids on Johnnie’s Creek in Canyon Mouth Park, Little River Canyon National Preserve

Rapids on Johnnie’s Creek in Canyon Mouth Park, Little River Canyon National Preserve

Rapids on Johnnie’s Creek in Canyon Mouth Park, Little River Canyon National Preserve

Rapids on Johnnie’s Creek in Canyon Mouth Park, Little River Canyon National Preserve

Rapids on Johnnie’s Creek in Canyon Mouth Park, Little River Canyon National Preserve

When you are ready to leave, you may well have forgotten where you came in. Don’t worry about it. You didn’t need a trail to arrive, so you don’t need one to depart. Just walk through the brush towards the mountain and turn left, keeping the mountain on your right. You will be heading towards the Little River, and in doing so you will naturally come out on the Canyon Mouth Trail. It is impossible to miss.

The hike to Johnnie’s Creek took me a half hour, but I was stopping often for photos, including the side trip down to the Little River. I spent 45 minutes at Johnnie’s Creek. More adventurous explorers may hike farther upstream, but for me, getting to the large boulder for a good view of the rushing water was enough work. Allow 1.5 to 2 hours for this adventure, but remember, if the water isn’t flowing, there is not much point to the hike.

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