Comments on: Farther Than It Looks—Backpacking the Canyonlands Maze

By: Michael Lanza

Michael Lanza — Thu, 06 Nov 2025 12:55:20 +0000

In reply to Adam Langley. Thanks, Adam. Check on current water conditions with a backcountry ranger. I include tips on water sources on this trip in the Take This Trip section at the bottom of this story (which requires a paid subscription to The Big Outside to read in full, and gives you full access to all of my blog’s stories, including my planning tips and trip details). It's certainly one of the most challenging backpacking trips in the Southwest in terms of scarcity of water as well as the terrain. I can also help you plan this or any trip you read about at my blog. See my Custom Trip Planning page to learn how. Good luck planning your trip. It's amazing. Thanks for the comment and keep in touch.

By: Adam Langley

Adam Langley — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 19:36:11 +0000

Awesome report. Where can you find information on the springs in The Maze?

By: Michael Lanza

Michael Lanza — Sun, 12 Mar 2023 23:46:12 +0000

In reply to Mary Morton.

Hi Mary,

I had read a description of that road to Maze Overlook as being quite rough and technical and knew I didn’t want to take my Subaru Outback down it (although I’ve driven that car in many rough dirt roads). Also, a good friend of mine took his high-clearance, 4WD truck down the road to Maze Overlook and said it was very sketchy, he wasn’t sure his vehicle would make it. I can’t offer a report from seeing it firsthand but that’s the road’s reputation. I would get all the info you can about current conditions, perhaps by calling the rangers at Hans Flat, before attempting it.

Good luck. It’s quite a trip.

By: Mary Morton

Mary Morton — Sat, 11 Mar 2023 16:54:00 +0000

Hi Michael, Sounds like an awesome trip! Appreciate the beta. I’m wondering why you didn’t drive to the Maze Overlook so you could spend two more days down there instead of two days hiking through North Trail Canyon. Would you do it the same way if you did it again? I have a very capable 4 Runner and I’m wondering if I should just drive to the TH. Thanks! M

By: Michael Lanza

Michael Lanza — Thu, 06 Jan 2022 12:40:10 +0000

In reply to Larry Garrett. Every word of your comment rings true, Larry. Thanks for sharing that.

By: Larry Garrett

Larry Garrett — Thu, 06 Jan 2022 06:05:21 +0000

My wife and I completed the chimney route. Very remote. Make sure you are prepared and comfortable with being in a very remote part of the world. Exhilarating but a lot of hard work.

By: Michael Lanza

Michael Lanza — Wed, 22 Dec 2021 01:05:18 +0000

In reply to M. Yea, I suppose technically there are five "trails" that emanate from Chimney Rock, but two of them are 4WD dirt roads. We backpacked the Maze March 1-5, 2021, and literally saw maybe five people in five days out there.

By: M

Tue, 21 Dec 2021 21:12:48 +0000

“Like the frozen hands of a broken clock, three twisting trails emanate from Chimney Rock: the Chimney Route that brought us here; a trail that charts a winding course through Water Canyon and to the Dollhouse; and the faintest of the three, Pete’s Mesa Route,”

There’s a 4th. To the east would be straight towards water canyon and drops down into it. To the north east is a trail that goes towards shot canyon and drops into it via the famous rock stairs. Past where you drop into shot canyon one can take the Jasper ridge trail for several miles to ruins near where Jasper canyon hit the Green river. Jasper canyon is off limits as you know……but its ridge is not.

What dates were you in the Maze? Think I may have just missed you.