Johnson Mountain (Utah) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Johnson Mountain
Johnson Mountain, southwest aspect
Highest point
Elevation	6,106 ft (1,861 m)
Prominence	586 ft (179 m)
Isolation	0.85 mi (1.37 km)
Parent peak	The Watchman (6,545 ft)
Geography
Johnson Mountain Location in Utah Show map of Utah Johnson Mountain Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Zion National Park Washington County, Utah United States
Parent range	Colorado Plateau
Topo map	USGS Springdale East
Geology
Age of rock	Jurassic
Type of rock	Navajo sandstone
Climbing
Easiest route	class 4 scrambling

Johnson Mountain is a tall peak, about 6,106 feet (1,861 meters) high. It is made of a type of rock called Navajo Sandstone. This mountain is located in Zion National Park in southwest Utah, United States. It is a well-known landmark in the park.

About Johnson Mountain

Johnson Mountain stands right southeast of Springdale. It rises about 2,200 feet (670 meters) above the town. It also towers over the floor of Zion Canyon. The mountain is located between the North and East Forks of the Virgin River. These river forks help drain water from the mountain.

The closest taller peak is The Watchman. It is about 0.8 miles (1.3 km) to the north-northeast. Mount Kinesava is about 2.94 miles (4.73 km) away, directly across the canyon to the northwest. Shunesburg Mountain is about 2 miles (3.2 km) to the southeast. It sits across the entrance of Parunuweap Canyon.

The name "Johnson Mountain" was officially chosen in 1934. It was named after Nephi Johnson (1833–1919). He was a Mormon missionary, an interpreter, and an explorer. He was also the first white person to visit Zion Canyon. In 1858, a Paiute guide named Nauguts led Nephi into the Zion Canyon area. Johnson wrote a good report about how useful the upper Virgin River basin could be for farming. He later helped start the town of Virgin in that area.

Mountain Climate

The best times to visit Johnson Mountain are during spring and fall. The mountain is in a Cold semi-arid climate zone. This means the coldest month usually has an average temperature below 32 °F (0 °C). Also, at least half of the yearly rain happens in spring and summer.

This desert climate gets less than 10 inches (250 mm) of rain each year. Snowfall is usually light during the winter months.

Gallery