Maze Overlook Trail

Maze Overlook Trail is a 1.1-mile, one-way point-to-point scramble from the Maze rim to the bottom of South Fork Horse Canyon. It crosses slickrock to the rim, then drops by ledges and narrow benches into the wash. This is a remote backcountry access route, not a casual walk to an overlook. To return to the road-end start, retrace the same line: about 2.2 miles total, with a demanding climb back up. The listed time is one hour; budget more if you turn around at the wash.

After the rim, the route turns around a mushroom-shaped formation called Nuts and Bolts, crosses a shale bench, then descends from ledge to ledge over steep slickrock. Cairns mark the descent, but some sections require basic climbing moves. The exposure and drop-offs can unsettle anyone uneasy with heights. A 25-foot rope is often needed to raise or lower loaded packs through the difficult spots.

This trail ends at the South Fork Horse Canyon wash. Several unmarked routes continue from there toward Land of Standing Rocks; longer Harvest Scene outings also leave the wash, but those extensions are separate hikes and are not included in this distance. The canyons look alike and washes are hard to tell apart. Carry a topographic map: GPS devices can lead people astray here.

Getting to the trail is its own commitment. From Hans Flat, reaching The Maze takes three to six hours by high-clearance four-wheel drive. A two-wheel-drive approach can mean parking near the North Point Road junction and hiking about 15 miles to the overlook. There is no food, gas or potable water in The Maze; Hans Flat's small book-and-map sales area is a separate stop. Overnight trips require a backcountry permit, and pets are not allowed on hiking trails.

From Maze Overlook, the Chocolate Drops rise above pale layered canyon walls and washes. Include the towers and some of the broken terrain below them in a photo to show the scale of the descent.