The Toadstools Trailhead is 30 minutes from Page and 40 minutes from Kanab right off US Hwy 89. There is a parking area, porta-potties and a sign so it’s hard to miss. The Bureau of Land Management Paria Contact Station is less than two miles up the road. For anyone that is unfamiliar with the area and would like more information, the BLM Staff members there are well versed in trail conditions and nearby off-road scenic drives or camping.
On 27 September Deb and I hiked the Toadstools. This is the second time we have visited, we had a previous adventure in August 2021. The trail is listed as round trip 1.5 mile hike, with little elevation gain. By the time Deb and I were done, we had almost 2.5 miles completed.
To reach the Toadstools, head north along the trail from the trailhead, traveling through a wash towards the northern rim of a small canyon. We crossed the wash in several places, seeing the red cliffs above and also followed the wash to see the impacts of the seasonal flooding and bank erosion. The first toadstool you will see is giant and red, and often the “Iconic shot” of the Toadstools. Once you get up on the plateau you will see many variations of the Toadstool Hoodoos.
The Rimrock trail meanders off to the west following the cliffs edge and the wild color variation of the rock formations all along the trail. Soon we encountered the trail end, a magnificent and breathtaking view of the Rimrock cliffs and a distant view of the Paria river valley. We continued to wander along the cliffs where the Toadstools were abundant, each with its own unique shape and capped with a contrasting color.
On the return to the trailhead, we varied our return past the toadstools, took a different path down through the small canyon and drywash and soon back at the much fuller parking lot!
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