As the evening sun dips below the horizon, the enormous fins of Ernies Country are seen breaking the skyline. The Henry Mountains, rising 11,000 feet from the tableland, paint a deep blue backdrop here in The Maze. This vast, uninhabited 30 square mile sandstone puzzle has been described as the most inhospitable land in Utah. Although this section of the Canyonlands National Park is quite remote, a web of rugged 4 wheel drive tracks make it possible for the adventurous to access this region marked by steep canyons, dry washes, gullies, and ancient granaries.
Heading south from the Doll House Camp 3, backpackers pickup Ernies Country Trailhead, with the Land of the Standing Rocks off to the west and Ernies Country ahead to the southwest. Ernie Larson took advantage of this scarce section of green, grazing his sheep herd in the early 1900s; and its been Ernies Country ever since. Precious springs in Ernies Country were named after Lou and Clell of the Chaffin family, who ran cattle operations from 1919 to 1944. The area, now under control of the National Park Service, has seen a remarkable recovery from the open range days.
Facilities in The Maze include 4 wheel drive routes, primitive hiking trails and campsites. This area requires backcountry permits, issued by Canyonlands National Park.