General Overview
Trail Length: 1.5 miles round trip
Toadstools is the furthest south hike within Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. It is frequently visited by those driving towards Kanab or Page as a pit stop. I would generally consider this as a quick hike to get out and stretch your legs. Do not climb the hoodoos they may collapse and drop a very large boulder on your head.
Getting There
Toadstools trailhead is about 20 minutes out of Page on Highway 89 on the Utah side of the road. The trailhead is in a small dirt parking lot that resides on the north side of the road. The trail is free to access. There are bathrooms currently but do not count on them being there forever.
Trail Details
The trail begins fairly flat with compact sand. There are a few markers that guide you north to the main hoodoos. As the trail progresses it begins to crisis cross a normally dry wash which requires some up-and-down walking and a few steep points, but these are only like 10 feet long. There are a few spots that, when wet, are very muddy.
Follow the trail markers until you see a large hoodoo (seen above). This is the primary destination. The trail rises up to the hoodoo and there is a large sandy flat with hoodoos to the right which are fun to walk around. To see the other hoodoo garden, head west along the bench following the cliff face as it wraps around. Back in a nook is another 5 or 6 hoodoos which are fun to see.
There are hoodoos up above but I have not figured out the safest route to get to them. I have seen a couple of guys work their way up a very very steep incline that was one slip away from disaster. I'll find the right way up one of these days.
Nathan's Take
Every opportunity I get to come back here I do. I like it as a good afternoon place to romp around and it is super kid friendly. In the summer it can be very hot but during spring and fall it is a great place to hang out with kids for a bit as they can bounce around on hills. I also like it for photography is a variety of seasons as it provides a lot of subjects to work with from hoodoos to interesting earth. Always bring water even though its not that long of a hike. Make sure you return the same way you came in as the other ways have dry falls (found this out by personal experience.)
