Place closure
No recurring date-based closure of Johnston Ridge Trailhead is published. Nira and Upper Manzana access and temporary emergency orders still control access.
Trailhead
Sespe Wilderness, Los Padres National Forest, California
Johnston Ridge Trailhead begins on Forest Service Trail 20W12; Johnston Ridge reaches Sespe Hot Springs and Sespe River camps outside the Condor Sanctuary closure
Stay outside the signed Sespe Condor Sanctuary; verify the current fire order and seasonal water before departure.
Seasonal access
No recurring date-based closure of Johnston Ridge Trailhead is published. Nira and Upper Manzana access and temporary emergency orders still control access.
Nira and Upper Manzana access: Use the signed Johnston Ridge Trailhead access in Sespe Wilderness, Los Padres National Forest, California. Use the signed Nira/Upper Manzana entry reached from Happy Canyon and Sunset Valley roads. Verify the current road, gate, parking, and closure status before driving. Nira and the Upper Manzana Creek Trail do not have a published recurring closure window. Wet-weather road closures, winter creek crossings, wildfire orders, summer heat, and storm damage can still remove safe access; Manzana Creek camps are most dependable in spring and early summer.
Check the Nira site page and Los Padres alerts, then confirm the road, Upper Manzana Creek Trail, crossings, fire restrictions, and creek flow immediately before departure.