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
