The Maze Overlook and Jasper Ridge

[frahminator]

@Nick @Brendan S - Roughly the route in red, perhaps?

 

[Brendan S]

yeah, i believe exit is here...

 

[Dirkules]

Hey there,

we are going into the Maze end of May for 5 days/4 nights via jetboat starting and ending at Spanish Bottom.
We are grateful for all the trip reports and ideas! @Nick your trip report is a great resource, we are using that as a foundation for our own trip. But we are unsure how to use that extra day we have in contrast to Nick.

What we have in mind right now:
Day 1: Spanish Bottom - Water Canyon Spring
Day 2: Water Canyon Spring - Maze Overlook Spring

We are considering two options:
- Spend two nights near the Maze Overlook Spring and do one day hike from there. Any suggestions for that?
- Go down South Fork Horse Canyon, camp near Lou´s Spring, cross Ernie´s Country, camp somewhere near Doll House

With the second option we are concerned that day 3 would be pretty long: especially with visiting Maze Overlook in the morning. Or could we do that already in the evening of day 2?

As we understand there are no established trails in Ernie´s Country / The Fins. Does anyone own or know where to download a gpx-track for that area?

Thanks in advance for sharing your expertise!

 

[frahminator]

I haven't written up our trip report yet, but will share what we did from 4/25 to 4/29:

Day 1: Spanish Bottom to Confluence Spur (38.18320,-109.91707)
Day 2: Confluence Spur to Water Canyon - Chimney Rock - Pictograph Confluence (near 38.2290, -109.9873)
Day 3: Pictograph Confluence to Lower end of Pictograph Fork (38.1998, -109.9843)
Day 4: LE of Pictograph Fork to Beehive Arch
Day 5: Beehive Arch to Spanish Bottom

We had originally planned this differently, but I got sick towards the end of Day 2, and that prompted us to alter the last few days.

Our original plan was:

Day 1: Spanish Bottom to Confluence Spur
Day 2: Confluence Spur to ~1 mile north of Chimney Rock on Pete's Mesa Trail (similar to Nick)
Day 3: Chimney Rock area to below Maze Overlook
Day 4: below Maze Overlook to ~1 mile south of Standing Rock (old 4WD trail) - ( roughly 38.1769, -109.9765)
Day 5: out to Spanish Bottom

Warning: our Day 2 was VERY long. My Fitbit had me at ~15 miles. The ascent out to Chimney Rock from Shot Canyon is no breeze in the park!