Parking
There is no road parking at the Spanish Bottom river start; reach it by raft or boat shuttle. The upper end at The Doll House is accessed by difficult high-clearance 4WD roads, so arrange transport before setting out.
Overview
About Spanish Bottom Trail
Why go
- A rare foot route from the Colorado River into The Doll House.
- Shell fossils are documented along the trail.
Heads up
- The river start has no road parking and requires boat access.
- The short distance includes a climb of more than 1,000 feet.
Spanish Bottom Trail is a 2.1-mile out-and-back from the Colorado River landing to The Doll House and back. The route climbs about 1,200 feet over a 1.05-mile mapped line; allow about 2.4 hours. It is short on the map but a steep, remote Maze hike. Choose it if you are ready for river or rough-road logistics and a demanding climb.
Parkwolf’s verdictIs this hike for you?Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Canyonlands map
Full mapElevation3,894–5,118 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
2 active Canyonlands alerts
- ClosureRain-damaged Needles backcountry roads impassableRecent rains have made several Needles backcountry roads impassable; do not drive these routes.Official details
- CautionMaze access roads require high-clearance 4WDOnly use high-clearance 4WD to reach Hans Flat or Horseshoe Canyon in The Maze; low-clearance vehicles are not recommended on these damaged, rutted, muddy routes.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Canyonlands Tour Guide
Your drive to Spanish Bottom Trail, narrated.
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 tourMore stories near here in the app
- Elephant Hill and Druid Arch
- 43 audio storiesacross Canyonlands’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Bighorn Sheep, Mule Deer, Coyote, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 63 trails, 65 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“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!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Spanish Bottom Trail
Reach the river startSpanish Bottom sits on the west bank of the Colorado River, with no road parking.
Spanish Bottom sits on the west bank of the Colorado River, with no road parking. The park describes jetboat access from Moab. The upper end reaches The Doll House, accessible by difficult high-clearance four-wheel-drive roads. Plan to retrace the same line unless boat or vehicle arrangements cover both ends.
Follow the routeFrom the river, the named trail climbs to The Doll House.
From the river, the named trail climbs to The Doll House. Maze routes are steep and minimally maintained; canyon paths may have only a few cairns, and washes can be hard to distinguish. Route-finding is part of the hike, so carry a topographic map and keep your return line clear. Dogs are not allowed on park hiking trails.
Look down for fossilsShell fossils have been photographed along this trail.
Shell fossils have been photographed along this trail. Watch the pale rock as you climb; it is a distinctive detail in a landscape of sandstone and river canyon. The Doll House is the upper destination; separate routes to the nearby granaries are not part of this trail.
Water and overnight plansThere is no reliable water on the route, and Colorado River water is silty and difficult to…
There is no reliable water on the route, and Colorado River water is silty and difficult to purify. Plan your water before leaving the river. Backcountry permits are required for overnight trips; check current rules before adding a camping stay.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Canyonlands
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.
