Walking Wild & Free

Hungry Bill’s Ranch & Upper Johnson Canyon 1

Hungry Bill’s Ranch & Upper Johnson Canyon

Photo credit The Greater Southwestern Exploration Company, CC BY 2.0. View at https://flic.kr/p/aH5dY2

Hungry Bill’s Ranch & Upper Johnson Canyon 2

Photo credit The Greater Southwestern Exploration Company, CC BY 2.0. View at https://flic.kr/p/aH5eET

Hungry Bill’s Ranch & Upper Johnson Canyon 3

Photo credit The Greater Southwestern Exploration Company, CC BY 2.0. View at https://flic.kr/p/aH5fca

Hungry Bill’s Ranch & Upper Johnson Canyon 4

Photo credit The Greater Southwestern Exploration Company, CC BY 2.0. View at https://flic.kr/p/aH5dhv

Hungry Bill’s Ranch & Upper Johnson Canyon 5

Photo credit The Greater Southwestern Exploration Company, CC BY 2.0. View at https://flic.kr/p/aH5fyr

Follow a stream in the desert up to the ruins of an old ranch with rich history and fruit trees.

Total Distance: 3.5 miles out & back	Elevation Gain: 1,468ft. (3,837ft. to 4,738ft.)
Difficulty: Strenuous	0-5 Mile Difficulty: Very Strenuous
View Rating: 3.0 out of 5.0 stars3.0	Author’s Rating: 3.0 out of 5.0 stars3.0
Visitor Rating: (Click to rate) [Total: 0 Average: 0]	Visitor Difficulty Rating: (Click to rate) [Total: 0 Average: 0]
Pets: No	Horses: No
Best Seasons: October-May	Special Permits: None
Water Availability: No potable water	Overnight Options: Dispersed camping permitted at least 100 feet from any water source
Trailhead Amenities: None	Crowd Factor: Solitude to Moderate
Trailhead Access: 2.3
Uses:	Trail Surface:
Features:	Hazards:

Mile-by-Mile: Hungry Bill’s Ranch & Upper Johnson Canyon

0.0 Cottonwood Trees near the end of the Johnson Canyon Road (3,837ft.). Park in the turn around area and then follow the remains of the road up along the runoff from Wilson Spring. Turn left (south) to continue up the old road through the foliage that springs up from the water provided year-round from the spring. After 500ft., a wide area on the left may lead to something interesting – or not. Continue up the old road. (36.088866°, -117.006300°)

0.15 End of old road (3,907ft.). The route after this is most definitely a trail. As you hike, keep your eyes open for three arrestees (they look like stone fire pits) – the first is after 0.1 miles on your left, and is the best preserved, while the others are further upcanyon (approximately 0.4 and 0.9 miles beyond the first one), though these are in worse shape and are more difficult to spot. Continuing upcanyon, the trail follows the creek between small waterfalls and pools – use the trail on the left (south) side of the canyon to avoid the worst of the foliage and wet areas on the canyon floor. Multiple social trails crisscross (and dead end in) the area, but the main path is often (but not always!) on the south side of the canyon and sometimes along the canyon rim. Along the way, you’ll likely find man-made stone walls and stabilization from one or more of the multiple cultures and generations who lived and worked in this canyon. About mile 1.2, cross the creek twice near an unnamed spring and then come to the first clearing of Hungry Bill’s Ranch. Johnson’s Ranch is further upcanyon, near the remains of cleared fields and many more stone walls. (Actually, we’re not completely sure on who owned what, but it’s a good guess). (36.090298°, -117.007157°)

1.75 Hungry Bill’s Ranch (4,737ft.). There is much to explore in the area – fields, stone walls, orchards, terraces, irrigation channels, and much more. (36.092049°, -117.029525°)

History & More

Note that while the route to Hungry Bill’s Ranch is an official trail, it’s not really maintained. This means that there are multiple social trails that can be confusing along the way. Be ready to find your own way – though since you’re just heading upcanyon, it’s hard to get really lost. Also, be ready for steep slopes, some nice dropoffs, and brushy sections (slacks and long sleeves are recommended).

Be careful around the stone structures – rattlesnakes often like to hide among the rocks.

Arrestees look like circular stone fire pits. In reality, they were used like simple mills to turn gold or other ore into smaller chunks to extract metals from the rock before sending the ore to civilization for more careful processing.

No one knows who, exactly, built the stone walls on the trail to Hungry Bill’s Ranch. While they’re a work of art and ingenuity, it’s up to you to dream about who needed them and why.

Johnson Canyon was the site of a Shoshone village. The locals still used the spring in the early days of settlement and prospecting in Death Valley.

William Johnson established a ranch in the canyon that bears his name in the 1870s. By building irrigation channels and terraces, he was able to successfully raise squash, melons, corn, beans, and even fruit and nut orchards. It wasn’t just a homestead – William carried his produce five miles over the Panamint Mountains to the swelling mining town of Panamint City. As the town began to dwindle, William abandoned the ranch.

History melded when, in 1907, a Shoshone man by the name of Hungry Bill and his family moved into the canyon and was approved for a homestead on the land. The family planted more trees and gardens and lived on the site of their ancestral village until Hungry Bill’s death c.1919.

There was some discussion after the filing of the homestead whether or not an American Indian man could, indeed, file a claim. The state of California upheld his rights to the land.

Hungry Bill was famous for his ravenous appetite. We don’t know if any of his family inherited that trait, but it’s possible that hunger drove the family to build ever-increasing numbers of gardens.

The gardens of Hungry Bill’s Ranch included alfalfa, grapevines, peaches, beans, wheat, and corn.

The exact history of Hungry Bill’s family is nebulous. It’s known that he had a wife, two sons, and two daughters. However, records conflict as to exactly when each was born – and in what order – and when each died. Even more confusing are his grandchildren: Exactly how many and by whom is still a matter of debate. T.R. Goodwin, the first official superintendent of Death Valley, attempted to untangle the family tree in 1937 and partially succeeded. He was able to establish that Hungry Bill was a leader in the tribe.

Hungry Bill was a scout for the US Army in the Madoc War .

I haven’t read how Wilson Spring received its name, but it’s possible the name came from Hungry Bill’s son-in-law, Tom Wilson.

Johnson Canyon was also rich in mineral resources. Gold and silver were extracted by both prospectors and natives (each with their own claims). It’s said that some miners tried to jump a claim owned by several Shoshone men. The men went to a nearby city, rounded up some (possibly drunken) miners, and ran the jumpers off of their land.

After Hungry Bill’s death, his land was deeded to his children. However, they left the canyon, and it’s possible that it reverted to the US government. In 1953, Fred and Leah Rosser purchased the homestead. Upon learning of the transaction, the National Park Service offered the Rossers a land grant outside of the borders of the park in exchange for Johnson Canyon. The couple agreed, and the canyon became National Monument property in 1954.

At one time, the road up Johnson Canyon ascended all of the way to Panamint Pass and then down Surprise Canyon to emerge not far from the ghost town of Ballarat. In 2001, Death Valley National Park and nearby local agencies closed the road beyond Wilson Spring. A few people each year still walk the old route.

Download Route Map

Driving Directions

End of the Johnson Canyon Road, 9.8 miles from the West Side Road.