The Maze

    Protect Yourself 

• Drink at least one gallon of water each day. 

• Always carry a topo map, adequate clothing, 

and a flashlight.  

• Remain in one place if you become lost or 

separated from a group. 

• Flash floods can occur without warning. 

Never cross a canyon that is flooding. 

• During a lightning storm avoid lone trees, 

cliff edges, and high ridges. Return to your 

vehicle if possible. 

• Be careful near cliff edges, especially when 

rock surfaces are wet or icy. 

     Protect Your Park 

• Pets are not allowed on hiking trails or on 

four-wheel-drive roads, even in a vehicle. 

• Do not enter, alter, damage or deface archeo- 

logical sites. Do not collect artifacts. 

• All vehicles and bicycles must stay on 

designated roads. 

• ATVs are not permitted. 

• Protect cryptobiotic soil crusts by staying on 

trails and roads. 

• Permits are required for all overnight 

backcountry trips. 

• Wood fires are prohibited. 

Hiking Trails 

Four-Wheel-Drive Roads 

Trails in the Maze are primitive and lead into 

canyons and to various viewpoints. Due to the 

nature and depth of Maze canyons, access to 

them is difficult. The Maze Overlook Trail and 

other routes in the district require basic climb- 

ing maneuvers in order to negotiate sections of 

steep slickrock and pour-offs.  A 25-foot length 

of rope is often essential for raising or lowering 

packs in difficult spots. Many routes may make 

hikers with a fear of heights uncomfortable. 

Routes into the canyons are cairned from mesa 

top to canyon bottom, but routes through 

washes are often unmarked. Many of the 

canyons look alike and are difficult to identify 

without a topographic map. 

Most routes begin at trailheads along 

four-wheel-drive roads. Visitors with two- 

wheel-drive vehicles may park at the North 

Point Road junction, approximately 2.5 miles 

southeast of the Hans Flat Ranger Station, 

and hike to the Maze Overlook via North Trail 

Canyon. Depending on the vehicle, visitors 

may also be able to negotiate the 14 mile road 

to park at the top of the Flint Trail switchbacks, 

then hike to the Land of Standing Rocks. 

The Maze is the least accessible and least 

visited district of Canyonlands. Due to the 

district’s remoteness and the difficulty of roads 

and trails, travel to the Maze requires more 

time, as well as a greater degree of self-suffi- 

ciency. Rarely do visitors spend less than three 

days in the Maze, and the area can easily absorb 

a week-long trip. 

The Orange Cliffs Unit of Glen Canyon 

National Recreation Area shares Canyonlands' 

western boundary and is administered under 

the same backcountry management plan and 

Four-wheel-drive roads in the Maze are ex- 

tremely difficult, present considerable risk of 

vehicle damage, and should not be attempted 

by inexperienced drivers. A high-clearance, 

four-wheel-drive vehicle is required for all 

Maze backcountry roads. ATVs are not per- 

mitted. The most commonly used road in the 

Maze is the Flint Trail, which traverses slopes of 

clay that are extremely slippery when wet. The 

Flint Trail is often closed during winter. 

The road between Teapot Rock camp and the 

Land of Standing Rocks is the worst in the 

Maze. Four-wheel drivers should be prepared 

to make basic road or vehicle repairs and 

should carry the following items: at least one 

full-size spare tire, extra gas, extra water, a 

shovel, a high-lift jack and, from October to 

April, chains for all four tires. 

All overnight trips require a permit, which may 

be reserved in advance. Backcountry vehicle 

campers and mountain bike groups stay in 

designated sites and must provide their own 

toilet systems. The vehicle sites do not have 

picnic tables. 

reservation system. Regulations are the same 

for the Maze and Orange Cliffs, though they 

differ in the rest of Glen Canyon. 

The Hans Flat Ranger Station is two hours 

from Green River, Utah. From I-70, take Utah 

Highway 24 south for 24 miles. A left hand turn 

just beyond the Goblin Valley turnoff will take 

you along a two-wheel-drive dirt road 46 miles 

(76 km) southeast to the ranger station. In 

addition, a four-wheel-drive route leads north 

from Utah Highway 95 near Hite. The station is 

open from 8 to 4:30 p.m. daily. 

Introduction 

All overnight trips require a permit, which may 

be reserved in advance. Backpackers stay in at- 

large zones. There are several reliable springs in 

the canyons of the Maze. Inquire at the Hans 

Flat Ranger Station for more information. 

For More Information 

Canyonlands National Park 

Maze District 

2282 S. West Resource Blvd. 

Moab, UT 84532 

(435)259-2652 

www.nps.gov/cany/maze 

Backcountry Reservations 

Canyonlands National Park 

Reservation Office 

2282 S. West Resource Blvd. 

Moab, UT 84532 

Phone: (435)259-4351 

Fax: (435)259-4285