Sight · Canyonlands National Park
Four nearly 200-foot shale towers, deep in the Maze.
Overview
Chocolate Drops are four upright rectangular Organ Shale columns on a ridge between South Fork Horse Canyon and Pictograph Fork in the Maze's Land of Standing Rocks. They rise almost 200 feet above the ridge and can be seen from far across the Maze. This is a destination for a planned backcountry trip, not a quick add-on; the described hike is 8.8 miles round trip and about five hours.
Parkwolf’s verdictShould you make the trip?Map
Plan your stop
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Canyonlands Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Canyonlands National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Canyonlands audio tour“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Guide
The route follows cairn-marked slickrock, mostly level, with a small scramble around a low ridge point. It opens views into Pictograph Fork. From Maze Overlook, the Drops stand against Standing Rocks and folds of red and tan canyon rock. Include the whole row of four with some layered canyon below to give the columns scale in a photo.
These are remnants of an Organ Shale layer roughly 200 feet thick that once covered much of Canyonlands. Erosion removed most of the softer rock, leaving the four isolated columns. An account of the area also identifies them as the unnamed quartet Edward Abbey described from Maze Overlook in Desert Solitaire (1968).
The hard part is reaching the Maze. From Hans Flat Ranger Station, the canyons can take another three to six hours by high-clearance 4WD; the roads are isolated and extremely difficult, and GPS can mislead. Bring reliable maps and gear for self-rescue. There is no food, gas or potable water in the Maze, and overnight trips require permits. Heavy rain or snow can make the access roads impassable, so check current conditions before setting out.
Wildlife
48 sightingsBighorn SheepMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
47 sightingsMule DeerMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
12 sightingsCoyoteMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
30 sightingsWestern RattlesnakeMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
18 sightingsTurkey VultureMost seen around 11 AMSighting map
18 sightingsWild TurkeyMost seen around 7 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Canyonlands. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
ChallengingMaze Overlook Trail1.1 mi · 1 hr · 1 mi awayA cairned scramble from Maze Overlook into South Fork Horse Canyon.
ChallengingShot Canyon Route10.1 mi · 8 hr · 2.7 mi awayCairns lead from Chimney Rock into Shot Canyon's broad floor.
ChallengingPete's Mesa Route8.4 mi · 6 hr · 2.7 mi awaySlickrock miles with the Maze spread out below.
ChallengingChimney Rock Route2.3 mi · 2.5 hr · 2.7 mi awayA steep old stock route drops into Pictograph Fork.
ChallengingHarvest Scene Route8.7 mi · 7 hr · 2.7 mi awayA rugged loop reaches the Maze’s famous Harvest Scene pictographs.
ChallengingSouth Fork Horse Canyon Route23.9 mi · 20 hr · 2.8 mi awayA remote canyon branch for experienced Maze backpackers.
ChallengingHorse Canyon Trail (The Maze)15.1 mi · 7 hr · 2.9 mi awayCairns lead down to a sandy canyon in the remote Maze.
ChallengingThe Plug Route3.9 mi · 2.3 hr · 3.3 mi awayA hard one-way 3.9-mile connector from The Plug to Pictograph Fork.
Sight · 0.4 mi awayThe Harvest SceneA striking pictograph panel on a hard Maze backcountry loop.
Sight · 0.9 mi awayMaze OverlookA canyon panorama reached only after hours of rough 4WD travel.
Sight · 2.6 mi awayChimney RockA sandstone tower worth stopping for once you're deep in the Maze.
Sight · 3.1 mi awayStanding RockA roadside spire reached by a five-hour, low-range 4WD drive.
Sight · 4.1 mi awayPanorama PointA two-hour 4WD crawl from Hans Flat ends above Horse Canyon.Parkwolf’s Canyonlands ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
