Joey
walking somewhere
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- Apr 1, 2014
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This is a 10 day backpacking trip I did in the Maze section of Utah's Canyonlands National Park. April, 2015.
Lots of pictures. I'm going to split it up into 2 parts. This part is days 1 through 5.
Part 2 is here: http://backcountrypost.com/threads/enjoying-the-maze-april-2015-part-2-days-6-10.4596/
You can watch the trip video here:
Earlier this year, my friend Keith expressed interest in doing a long backpack down in southern Utah. He had some time off, and had never backpacked down there before. After looking at pictures of several different places, he decided he wanted to check out the Maze. So on Friday, April 3rd, we drove down to Hans Flat, and camped in the van. The next morning we picked up our permits, parked along the North Point Road, and began the long haul out to the Maze.
Day 1. We started around 11am. Its about 12 miles total to the Maze Overlook from where we parked. Almost all of it is completely exposed to the sun. We originally planned on an 11 day trip, so we had all of our food with us. Packs where heavy. We followed the road about a mile, where we reached the actual North Point Trailhead. From there, we dropped down into the canyon, and started following the wash east towards the park's boundary.
Our packs at the beginning:
Looking east down the North Point Road, with the La Sal Mountains in the distance:
Me on the left, Keith on the right, at the actual Trailhead:
The trail dropping down into the canyon:
Keith on the trail:
Looking out towards Canyonlands:
We walked the wash for several miles, before reaching the 4 wheel drive track going out to the Maze Overlook. It was hot, but also windy, which helped to keep us cooler. Here is a cool lizard:
Keith dropping down to the wash:
Some views along the way:
Finally we reached the Maze Boundary:
Our plan for the night was to drop down into the Maze, and set up a basecamp for 2 nights. So we continued on down.
It was around 7pm when we reached the Maze Overlook. A beautiful spot.
A close up of the Chocolate Drops:
Looking across the maze towards the land of standing rocks:
Some views of Horse Canyon:
Keith dropping down the descent into the Maze:
A last few looks as the light fades away:
Soon it was dark. We pulled out our headlamps, and continued down the route in the dark. It was definitely exciting. Once we were down, we headed north/east to find a campsite. We finally made camp down in the wash around 10pm. We quickly ate and went to be.
Day 2. This was a rest day. We left the tent set up, and did a day hike. We headed for the Plug, and from there would loop over to Chimney Rock, and down to Harvest Scene. It was a pretty windy day.
Our campsite for nights 1 and 2. It drove me nuts because we were camped down on sand, and it was extremely windy. So the inside of the tent was covered in sand:
Some views as we began our day hike:
A quick look at Harvest Scene. The lighting wasn't good, so I took more pictures later:
Continuing on up canyon:
Looking back down in the canyon as we climbed up towards the Plug and Doll House road:
The Plug:
Standing Rock:
Chimney Rock:
From here we dropped back down into the Maze:
Some of the petroglyphs at Harvest Scene:
Day 3. We packed up camp, and headed up towards the ridge between Pete's Mesa and Chimney Rock.
It was extremely windy at the top. But the views are spectacular:
Looking across at Shot Canyon in the distance:
Jasper Canyon:
We continued our way along the ridge to Chimney Rock:
Next we headed down to Shot Canyon:
Down in Shot Canyon:
Getting water:
Heading up towards the saddle with Water Canyon:
We set up below the pass, with a fantastic view down Shot Canyon:
Me about to put together dinner:
Day 4. We spent the first part of the day exploring. We walked east along the shelf we were camped on. Here is a shot looking back up Shot Canyon:
Overlooking the Green River, and Water Canyon:
We circled around and walked up the Water Canyon side:
Looking down on our tent from the saddle with water canyon:
Next, we dropped back down into the bottom of Shot Canyon, and spent some time walking around, taking a nice break above Shot' Canyon's pour off.
Around 3pm, we packed up camp, and hiked over to Water Canyon. Keith hiking up towards the saddle:
Looking down on Water Canyon:
Keith beginning the descent:
Getting water above the waterfall:
Next we headed up Water Canyon a few miles:
We set up camp in a beautiful spot, the same exact camp spot I had camped at the year before:
I finished off the evening with a sausage and potato wrap:
Day 5. We left camp set up, and went for a day hike. Keith was excited to get out of the tent this morning:
Looking back at our tent:
We headed up Water Canyon, and climbed up to the road going to the Doll House.
The route up to the top of the canyon:
The views of Water Canyon from the top were beautiful. A cloudy and windy day made the colors stand out:
Next we took the 4 wheel drive track down towards the Doll House:
Looking out towards Lizard Rock, The PLug, and Standing Rock:
The Doll House:
We didn't hike the Doll House today. Instead we headed down the trail towards the confluence and Water Canyon.
Looking out at the Needles:
Bee Hive Arch:
Water! Good to know for the rest of the trip: This is just down from bee hive arch.
We continued on back towards camp:
Water Canyon was incredibly beautiful as we dropped down late in the day:
We made it back to camp just before sunset:
To be continued..... http://backcountrypost.com/threads/enjoying-the-maze-april-2015-part-2-days-6-10.4596/
Featured image for home page:
Lots of pictures. I'm going to split it up into 2 parts. This part is days 1 through 5.
Part 2 is here: http://backcountrypost.com/threads/enjoying-the-maze-april-2015-part-2-days-6-10.4596/
You can watch the trip video here:
Earlier this year, my friend Keith expressed interest in doing a long backpack down in southern Utah. He had some time off, and had never backpacked down there before. After looking at pictures of several different places, he decided he wanted to check out the Maze. So on Friday, April 3rd, we drove down to Hans Flat, and camped in the van. The next morning we picked up our permits, parked along the North Point Road, and began the long haul out to the Maze.
Day 1. We started around 11am. Its about 12 miles total to the Maze Overlook from where we parked. Almost all of it is completely exposed to the sun. We originally planned on an 11 day trip, so we had all of our food with us. Packs where heavy. We followed the road about a mile, where we reached the actual North Point Trailhead. From there, we dropped down into the canyon, and started following the wash east towards the park's boundary.
Our packs at the beginning:
Looking east down the North Point Road, with the La Sal Mountains in the distance:
Me on the left, Keith on the right, at the actual Trailhead:
The trail dropping down into the canyon:
Keith on the trail:
Looking out towards Canyonlands:
We walked the wash for several miles, before reaching the 4 wheel drive track going out to the Maze Overlook. It was hot, but also windy, which helped to keep us cooler. Here is a cool lizard:
Keith dropping down to the wash:
Some views along the way:
Finally we reached the Maze Boundary:
Our plan for the night was to drop down into the Maze, and set up a basecamp for 2 nights. So we continued on down.
It was around 7pm when we reached the Maze Overlook. A beautiful spot.
A close up of the Chocolate Drops:
Looking across the maze towards the land of standing rocks:
Some views of Horse Canyon:
Keith dropping down the descent into the Maze:
A last few looks as the light fades away:
Soon it was dark. We pulled out our headlamps, and continued down the route in the dark. It was definitely exciting. Once we were down, we headed north/east to find a campsite. We finally made camp down in the wash around 10pm. We quickly ate and went to be.
Day 2. This was a rest day. We left the tent set up, and did a day hike. We headed for the Plug, and from there would loop over to Chimney Rock, and down to Harvest Scene. It was a pretty windy day.
Our campsite for nights 1 and 2. It drove me nuts because we were camped down on sand, and it was extremely windy. So the inside of the tent was covered in sand:
Some views as we began our day hike:
A quick look at Harvest Scene. The lighting wasn't good, so I took more pictures later:
Continuing on up canyon:
Looking back down in the canyon as we climbed up towards the Plug and Doll House road:
The Plug:
Standing Rock:
Chimney Rock:
From here we dropped back down into the Maze:
Some of the petroglyphs at Harvest Scene:
Day 3. We packed up camp, and headed up towards the ridge between Pete's Mesa and Chimney Rock.
It was extremely windy at the top. But the views are spectacular:
Looking across at Shot Canyon in the distance:
Jasper Canyon:
We continued our way along the ridge to Chimney Rock:
Next we headed down to Shot Canyon:
Down in Shot Canyon:
Getting water:
Heading up towards the saddle with Water Canyon:
We set up below the pass, with a fantastic view down Shot Canyon:
Me about to put together dinner:
Day 4. We spent the first part of the day exploring. We walked east along the shelf we were camped on. Here is a shot looking back up Shot Canyon:
Overlooking the Green River, and Water Canyon:
We circled around and walked up the Water Canyon side:
Looking down on our tent from the saddle with water canyon:
Next, we dropped back down into the bottom of Shot Canyon, and spent some time walking around, taking a nice break above Shot' Canyon's pour off.
Around 3pm, we packed up camp, and hiked over to Water Canyon. Keith hiking up towards the saddle:
Looking down on Water Canyon:
Keith beginning the descent:
Getting water above the waterfall:
Next we headed up Water Canyon a few miles:
We set up camp in a beautiful spot, the same exact camp spot I had camped at the year before:
I finished off the evening with a sausage and potato wrap:
Day 5. We left camp set up, and went for a day hike. Keith was excited to get out of the tent this morning:
Looking back at our tent:
We headed up Water Canyon, and climbed up to the road going to the Doll House.
The route up to the top of the canyon:
The views of Water Canyon from the top were beautiful. A cloudy and windy day made the colors stand out:
Next we took the 4 wheel drive track down towards the Doll House:
Looking out towards Lizard Rock, The PLug, and Standing Rock:
The Doll House:
We didn't hike the Doll House today. Instead we headed down the trail towards the confluence and Water Canyon.
Looking out at the Needles:
Bee Hive Arch:
Water! Good to know for the rest of the trip: This is just down from bee hive arch.
We continued on back towards camp:
Water Canyon was incredibly beautiful as we dropped down late in the day:
We made it back to camp just before sunset:
To be continued..... http://backcountrypost.com/threads/enjoying-the-maze-april-2015-part-2-days-6-10.4596/
Featured image for home page:
Last edited:
