Located along US-89 between Page, AZ, and Kanab, UT, Toadstool Hoodoos is an unassuming place. It doesn’t look like much at the start of the hike, however, this short and easy trail will take adventurers to one of the unique landscapes of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. This place is home to otherworldly views and super cool balanced rock formations that resemble the toadstool mushrooms.
Note: Please make sure to respect this beautiful place and the surround areas. PLEASE DO NOT CLIMB OR TOUCH THESE FRAGILE HOODOOS. Always practice LEAVE NO TRACE. This means no loud music, no graffiti, no carving in sandstone walls and pack out what you pack in! Please help us protect this place for generations to come!
Stats
Where
Toadstool Hoodoos Trailhead
37°06’04.6″N 111°52’23.6″W
Parking
Decent size dirt parking lot, right in front of the trailhead.
Restroom
There is a porta-potty there
Fee
Free
Weather
Distance
About 1.6 miles R.T. (can be longer if you want to explore more of the area)
Elevation Gain
About 141 ft
Level
Easy. This is a kid-friendly trail.
Time:
1-2 hours
Pet-friendly
You can bring your dogs but they have to be on a leash.
Ideal Weather
Cooler days since there is no shade. Falls and Springs are the best seasons to go.
Ideal Time
Early mornings or evenings for cooler weather. Sunset here is also amazing!
Video
The Adventure
Getting to Toadstool Hoodoos Trailhead
Toadstool Hoodoos is pretty easy to find. It is located right off Highway 89 between Kanab, UT. and Page, AZ. It is about 45 miles east of Kanab, and 29 miles west of Page. There is a sign along US-89 marking the exit to the parking lot of Toadstool Hoodoos Trail.
Before you start your adventure, PLEASE DO NOT CLIMB ON OR TOUCH THE ROCK FORMATIONS. THEY ARE VERY FRAGILE AND CAN BE ERODED AND BROKEN IN AN INSTANT. Also, you’ll notice the bumpy crusts on the sand and on the rock formations. These bumpy crusts are cryptobiotic or biological soil crusts. They are a living web of organisms such as fungi, lichen, and mosses. These crusts take years to build and help stabilize and add nutrients to the soil. Please DON’T DAMAGE THESE LIVING SOIL!
From the Trailhead to the Bypass
We pulled into the parking lot of Toadstool Hoodoos trail later in the afternoon, after spending our day at the super neat Nautilus rock formation and the breathtaking colorful Paria Townsite. There were only a few cars at the trailhead. After crossing the cattle gate, we proceed down the sandy wash. Immediately, you can see beautiful tall red Chinles lining the wash. Feel free to take some time to admire these colorful walls. We did! As the trail curves back and forth, you’ll wind through more colorful and stripy Chinles.
After following the wash for about 0.4 miles, we followed the sign on the trail to climb out of the wash. The trail curves around a slope, cross over a narrow land bridge, and then drop back down the sandy bottom. This part of the trail is a bit narrow so if you are bringing small children, just make sure to keep an eye on them.
Getting to the First Hoodoos
Once you get to the bottom of this bypass, there is another sign there pointing the way. We followed the well-defined trail towards the Entrada Sandstone hills. At this point, if you look carefully, you can see one of the famous Toadstool Hoodoos in the distance. Excitedly, we walked faster toward the hoodoos, not quite sure what to expect. The sandy wash ends at the bottom of a big balanced rock formation.
From here, we saw a few trails climbing up to where the balanced rock formation is. Eagerly, we both quickly ran up to the top. Be careful when climbing up or down, this little section here can get a bit slippery. The view next to the balanced rock toadstool hoodoo formation is beautiful! It’s amazing to see how this formation is still intact, considering how thin it is near the top.
Exploring Toadstool Hoodoos
It was interesting to learn that toadstool is a spire-like rock formation with a boulder sat atop, resembling a mushroom, hence the name. Toadstool hoodoos forms when the softer sandstone eroded, leaving the harder rock atop to form a cap. This cap shelters the rock column below from water and wind.
Up here, there are a few other toadstool hoodoos, varying in different sizes and shapes. As we wandered about, it was hard not to marvel at this unworldly landscape. There are also a few neat caves to check out as well. If you walk toward to left-hand side (facing the cliff walls), you can walk toward the valley where you can see the toadstool hoodoos in different stages of their life span. It was quite interesting to see the beginning stages of how these hoodoos are formed.
Once you’re done exploring the area, you can go back the way you came. We highly recommend visiting these Toadstool Hoodoos. For an easy hike, it is a beautiful one, worth every minute. It is also kid-friendly and a great beginner hike.
These are the gear that we personally use and find them helpful for this particular adventure. Don’t forget to check out our Recommended Gear section as well.
adventure gear
Good hiking shoes are recommended on these adventures. Vy uses the Merrell Women’s Moab 2 hiking boots
Dustin’s shoes are Targhee III Waterproof
Make sure to use lots of sunscreens! We use eco-friendly, reef-safe sunscreen, Stream2Sea SPF 30.
Face sunscreen is also important. We love these tinted, organic All Good Organic Sunscreen Butter.
You should always bring plenty of water. Vy loves the Camelback L.U.X.E.
For shorter hikes, the Patagonia Women’s Nine Trails Pack 18L is perfect to hold water and your essentials.
If you want something lighter, we love the packable Patagonia Women’s Houdini® Jacket and Patagonia Men’s Houdini® Jacket
other things to bring
Always good to bring some snacks with you. For healthy and easy snacks, check out some of our recipes.
camera gear
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