The Dollhouse Granaries

The Dollhouse Granary is by far the most popular hike in the Maze. It is short, easy, and rewarding with great views and interesting indian ruins. It is easily, and by far most often, reached by raft. Driving takes a little more time and endurance! Warning: This area has been called one of the most dangerous and remote parts of the continental United States. Access this far into the Maze is only possible with a 4x4 with very high clearance. You will be rock crawling and driving through soft sand. Bring extra water, extra gas, extra tires, and tools to fix whatever may break on your vehicle. Drive time is 8-12 hours. The road pulls alongside a large rock wall where you can park and be in the shade for part of the day. The trail starts right there and runs across the field and into the rock spires. You will wind through the spires and hoodoos for a brief period until you come out into a meadow where you will drop through a narrow slot in the rocks. Just after the very short slot you will see a deep and extremely random sinkhole. Eventually you will get to the rim of the canyon overlooking the Cataract Canyon and the Colorado River far below. The views are spectacular. This hike has a great blend of tight canyons and open vistas. The Granaries are nestled in an alcove. The Anasazi used this as a cache for grains. I'm sure to the observant there is far more to see here! This area is a maze and there are many slots and crannies to explore. Be respectful of the Cryptobiotic soil, though. Don't walk where others have not. Stick to the rocks when off trail. You can return the same way you came or add a couple tenths of a mile and make a short loop. Keep right where you turned to go to the granary and take the Spanish Bottom Trail. After 0.3 miles the trail will take a left uphill and take you back through the dollhouse formation and take you back to the parking area. This part was really pretty. This is a fun and simple hike. It is a great warm up for any of the other, longer hikes in the area.