Toadstool Hoodoos, Utah: An Easy Hike Near Page

The Toadstool Hoodoos are a cluster of balanced-rock pillars in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, just across the Utah line, 27 miles west of Page on US Highway 89. The walk in is short and easy, about 1.6 miles round trip, and there is no fee. It is one of the simplest add-ons to a day in Page, and an easy stop on the drive to or from Kanab, Zion, and Bryce Canyon.

Toadstool Hoodoos at a glance

How to get to the Toadstool Hoodoos

From Page: drive 27 miles west on US Highway 89, past Big Water. Watch for a wooden BLM sign marked "The Toadstools" and turn right into the parking area on the north side of the road.

From Kanab: drive about 44.5 miles east on US Highway 89. Slow down as you pass the BLM's Paria Contact Station, watch for the same sign, and turn left into the parking area.

The trail

Sign the trail register, go through the cattle gate, and head north up the sandy wash, where a brown post marks the trail. About 0.4 miles in, the trail climbs out of the wash to get around a small dry fall, then continues on a clear path toward the sandstone hills ahead.

The trail ends on a small rise that opens onto the hoodoos, along with alcoves and balanced rocks you can wander among. There is no loop: when you are done, return the way you came.

What makes a toadstool?

Each toadstool is a pillar of soft rock wearing a cap of harder rock. Here, boulders of harder Dakota Sandstone sit on top of softer Entrada Sandstone. Wind and water wear the Entrada away, but the caprock shields the column directly beneath it, so the pillar is left standing with its hat on.

The result is a field of white pillars topped with red stones and orange columns with flat caps. The area is also known as the Paria Rimrocks.

The same process is slowly undoing them. Sooner or later each cap falls, and the pillar beneath it wears away.

Tips for your visit

• Do not touch or climb the hoodoos. They are fragile, and a balanced cap can be knocked loose.
• Stay on the trail. The dark, crusty soil along the way is cryptobiotic soil, a living crust that takes decades to recover from a single footprint.
• Go early or late in summer. The route faces south with almost no shade. Bring water, sunscreen, and a hat.
• Golden hour is the best light. Early morning and late afternoon warm up the colors and add shadow to the shapes.
• Pets are allowed. Bring water for them too, and pack out their waste.

Watch the clock

The Toadstools are in Utah, which observes daylight saving time. From March to early November, the clock there runs an hour ahead of Page, where our tours keep Arizona time. If you are fitting the hike around a Lower Antelope Canyon tour, plan in Page time. Our Page time zone guide explains the details.

The Wahweap Hoodoos: a longer option

If the Toadstools leave you wanting more, the Wahweap Hoodoos are a group of tall white hoodoos near Big Water, closer to Page. They are a much bigger commitment: most descriptions put the hike at about 9 to 10 miles round trip up the sandy Wahweap Creek wash, with no shade, no water, and no cell service. Most sources say no permit or fee is required, but check current conditions and access with the BLM's Grand Staircase-Escalante office before you go, and only attempt it with plenty of water and a good map.

Fitting the hoodoos into your trip

• An afternoon add-on: take a morning Lower Antelope Canyon tour, have lunch in Page, and drive out to the Toadstools for late-afternoon light.
• On a road trip: the Toadstools sit right on US Highway 89 between Page and Kanab, so they make an easy stop on the drive to or from Zion and Bryce Canyon.
• With Horseshoe Bend: on the same day, catch Horseshoe Bend in the morning and the hoodoos in the afternoon.

For more ideas, see things to do in Page and our guides to White Pocket and The Wave. When you are ready, book your Lower Antelope Canyon tour.