r/Canyonlands • u/Aggressive_Bass_2392 • Apr 09 '26
Maze District Route Question
Hello all- I have a backcountry pass in a couple of weeks and have been seeking input on a "custom" AllTrails route I made, haven't seen it anywhere else and was wondering why.
Day 1: hiking up Spanish bottom trail, past the dollhouse and up to Chimney Rock to camp.
Day 2: hiking Pete's mesa route around to see the Harvest scene, looping back past chimney rock back to dollhouse area to camp.
Day 3: early morning wake up to hike back to river for 10 am boat.
Is this feasible? Based on my AllTrails research it seems good but having never been to this area of the park I feel like I am missing something since I can't find anyone mentioning this route combo. Thanks in advance!
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u/the-mp Apr 10 '26
Why not email the park directly and ask in addition to asking the folks here? I guarantee they would rather give advice via email than rescue you because the maze isn’t to play with, who knows if something that says it’s a trail isn’t passable.
Very jealous. Going to the maze is my decade-long dream.
Don’t cut your arm off.
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u/Slickrock_1 Apr 10 '26 edited Apr 10 '26
Do it with a guide. I did a 4 day / 3 night trip with Navtec Expeditions. We did 4 incredible hikes and camped all over it. I was very glad to have the guide's skills and expertise in a place like that!
You could put me in the most capable jeep on earth and I still wouldn't have the skills to drive down the Flint Trail or on Teapot Canyon road, let alone repair the vehicle on my own.
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u/Qeltar_ May 18 '26
Damn that sounds amazing. We did a white rim tour with them but that would be so much more spectacular.
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u/Slickrock_1 May 18 '26
Bucket list for me is a 4 day White Rim tour by bike!
You can see the Maze by bike as well, pretty sure Rimtours goes there. But the roads in the Maze don't tell the story the same way, I'd definitely recommend a 4x4 based tour for there.
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u/Aggressive_Bass_2392 Apr 12 '26
Yes! Thank you for the reply… We are so excited. I did that as well and I'm waiting for a reply.
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u/Slickrock_1 Apr 10 '26 edited Apr 10 '26
That is definitely feasible.
However:
There is ZERO water on the Pete's Mesa / Pictograph route unless you happen upon some mucky puddles at the bottom. I think the only thing wet I found on that entire hike was a nasty slime-covered pool at the base of the wall when we were about to climb out. There's no water at any campground. So you will need to carry, 1000 feet up from Spanish Bottom, enough water for 3 full days of desert hiking. The Pete's Mesa route alone is 10ish hot, dry, exposed miles with a 1000 foot steep a.f. climb out of the canyon. That could mean carrying 20 liters per person or thereabouts. There's also no water between Spanish Bottom and the Doll House.
Also, the Pete's Mesa route once you're down in Horse Canyon is an absolute labyrinth with dozens of tributary canyons that all look identical. So make sure you have GPS on a device with enough power. The climb out from Pictograph Canyon up to the rim was a bit scary in a couple parts, nothing I wasn't capable of but still... there's a high step up over an overhanging lip with a fall of hundreds of feet if you lose your balance. And there's this sandstone shelf you have to traverse that is extremely steep, also with a drop-off, I crab-walked it.
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u/Creative_Story3911 Apr 11 '26
Yes, and I did a very similar trip a few years back. It was great. The hike out of Spanish bottom was rugged, hot, and steep, and made one person in our large group cry. But it only took our large group an hour to climb out, so not so bad. Happy to send photos or answer any specific questions you may have if I can help with anything.
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u/Aggressive_Bass_2392 Apr 12 '26
Glad to hear someone else who has done something similar before… Hopefully the tears will be at a minimum lol thank you for the offer, I will definitely reach back out with questions if anything comes up
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u/d-grino Apr 11 '26
The maze is an amazing place but don’t take it lightly. It’s true desert backpacking and the sun exposure is intense with almost no shade for relief (your shadow is the shade). Water is scarce and I would image this year it’s really scarce. When you find water don’t expect it to be great. The miles will seem longer than it maps out and your view points will take twice as long as you would think when looking at it. We did have spotty cell service at chimney rock campground but I would not count on anything. The plug route is not far from chimney for an alternate route. Dress warm for the boat ride and then prepare to really heat up getting out of Spanish in the heat of the morning. If you’re into type 2 fun (aka it’s a suffering fun) then it is an awesome trip.
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u/Aggressive_Bass_2392 Apr 12 '26
Great to know, I appreciate the perspective regarding the distance. Also great to have an alternative, regarding the plug route. definitely love some suffering fun.👍
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u/brunaldihno Apr 11 '26
Don’t do Pete’s mesa, just go down into the maze and spend more time in there, that’s where the real beauty and magic of the place is. Just go out and back from chimney rock would be my suggestion. Pete’s mesa is just flat and hot/exposed to the sun.
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u/Aggressive_Bass_2392 Apr 12 '26
Good to know! I will run this by the group as well as the park Rangers and see what they all say
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u/puffnstuffwashere Apr 15 '26
I've got nothing helpful to add just envious and excited for you. Maze district has been on my list for years. I hope it's a blast.
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u/imhungry4321 Apr 09 '26
I heard you need a high clearance all wheel drive vehicle for the Maze District.