Looking for advice on Maze District, Canyonlands

[Benjamin Hayden]

I am currently planning on a three-night trip to the Maze District of Canyonlands NP in April 2019. I am planning to use Tex's to drop me off at Spanish Bottom and hike up to the Dollhouse, and then have them pick me back up a few days later.

My major question is whether I can, practically speaking, set up camp the first night (maybe at Chimney Rock), and then leave most of my stuff there for and do trips the second and third day with a daypack. And then come back and sleep there each night.

For the record, my second and third day would be some subset of
1. Maze overlook / Harvest Scene
2. Chocolate drops
3. Water/Shot
4. Ernie's country
Depending on how much time/energy I have.

 

[Nick]

I think you're biting off a lot trying to hit all of those areas in that time, especially if you're hiking back to camp. Also, backpacking at Chimney Rock would kind of suck, IMO. You'd have to bring water back and you would have to camp away from the road and designated sites. Better to just do the route with your pack and keep moving around the place. Check out this route that we did back in 2012. It was 38 miles and covered everything you're looking to see except for Ernie's Country. The map has died in there but I could probably dig it up if needed. It's a multiple part trip report: https://backcountrypost.com/threads/the-maze-spanish-bottom-to-water-canyon.903/