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Paria Rimrocks Toadstool Hoodoos

ByAgnes Stabinska Updated on

This fantastic spot known as Paria Rimrocks Toadstool Hoodoos is usually missed by people making a Southwest road trip. And if you plan to drive from Kanab, Utah, to Page, Arizona, or the other way round, why don’t you stop for a two-hour hike to admire those formations from another planet? In this short article, we would like to share all the required information to plan your visit to Paria Rimrocks Toadstool Hoodoos.

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Paria Rimrock Toadstool Hoodoos
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What are Toadstool Hoodoos?

The Rimrocks hoodoos are balanced rock formations that remind me of toadstools. The hard, darker caprock cover (Dakota Sandstone) creates an umbrella, and the lower eroded sandstone formation (Entrada Sandstone) is a stem foundation. On this trail, those formations are grouped like mushrooms in the forest.

If you like this kind of rock, you should also consider visiting Wahweap Hoodoos located between Big Water, Utah, and Page, Arizona. Unfortunately, the hike is much longer and not that easily accessible.

You can also try to visit two other groups of Paria Rimrocks. One is above Toadstool Hoodoos, and you can spot some of them from the trail, and another one is below the rim, accessible from a different road nearby.

The orange hoodoo looks like a mushroom.
Hoodoo looks like a mushroom.
Paria Rimrock Toadstool Hoodoos

How to get to Paria Rimrocks Toadstool Hoodoos?

The Paria Rimrocks Toadstool Hoodoos hike is located next to the highway US89 in Utah. It’s very close to the other attractions like the famous Wave formation, Buckskin Gulch, Coyote Buttes, and many others in the Paria River area.

It’s also close to Page, Arizona, and the famous Upper Antelope Canyon, Lower Antelope Canyon, Canyon X, and Horseshoe Bend.

If you love amazing and spectacular rock formations, consider visiting the Great Chamber at Cutler Point near Kanab. Also, visiting Old Paria, the setting for Westerns, can be a great adventure.

Driving from Kanab to Paria Rimrocks Toadstool Hoodoos

If you are driving from Kanab, Utah, just take US89 to the east. After 44 miles (milepost 19.3), look carefully for the small parking lot on the left side of the road. Be careful because it’s easy to miss it. Visiting these rock formations is one of the funniest things to do while in Kanab.

Driving from Page to Paria Rimrocks Toadstool Hoodoos

Driving from Page, Arizona is precisely the same, just take US89 to the west, and after 29 miles, look for a lot on your right. Then park the car at the Toadstool Hoodoos trailhead. If you plan your trip from Page, check out our pictures and tips from breathtaking Upper Antelope Canyon and Lower Antelope Canyon.

GPS coordinates for a trailhead are: 37.101310, -111.873169 or N37 06 04, W111 52 23

delicate white and orange Hoodoos formations.

Paria Rimrocks Toadstool Hoodoos Trail

Entrance to this trailhead located on the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument area is free of charge and open year-round. You don’t need a 4×4 to get here. Trailhead is located next to US Highway 89.

From the parking lot, the hike is pretty straightforward, although there is no one path. You can just try to get to the hoodoos themselves and then wander among them. The Alltrails application might be helpful because not all formations are visible from the path. Many people go right, but there are a lot of hidden gems on your left as well.

Following the Alltrails application trail will be 1.8 miles long, and the elevation gain should be about 140 ft. But meandering among those incredible hoodoos will be longer and more time-consuming. However, we recommend it because those formations are lovely, and you can try to find as many of them as you can. Plenty is hidden.

white toadstool hoodoos
white toadstool hoodoos
red toadstool hoodoos

Hiking Tips

My partner Chris and I made this hike during one of our Utah road trips. We enjoyed this place and can recommend it. So, we share our tips and insights and present photos we took during this hike.

The hike is excellent for all levels of experience. You can bring your dog, but he must be kept on a leash. Please also remember to bring a lot of water because this hike has no shade. You can also avoid doing it in the middle of the day, which is an even better idea from a photography perspective.

The trail may not be accessible after the rain because the soil is in the area is clay-based.

We have prepared a simple Toadstool Hoodoos Trail map for your convenience:

How to prepare for the hike?

The hike is very easy from a technical perspective, so you don’t need to prepare in any particular way to get to Toadstool Hoodoos. But the most important thing is to ensure a good weather forecast (no rain and no flood risk) because you will be stepping on the clay soil.

The second important factor is to choose a not-very-hot day because, on this hike, you will not find any shade. You will be hiking in open terrain exposed to the sun, so please check our hiking tips and packing list before you go. The hike is not too long, so a big bottle of water will be enough even on a scorching summer day.

Where to Stay when visiting Paria Rimrocks Toadstool Hoodoos ?

As we already mentioned, Toadstool Hoodoos are located close to the U.S. 89 between Page, AZ, and Kanab, UT. So the best places to stay are in those two small towns.

Kanab is an excellent base for exploring the Paria River and Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness. It has great accommodation and restaurants with good food. Our favorite lodging in Kanab is Best Western. If you prefer an RV Campground, our favorite in Kanab is Hitch-N-Post RV Park.

We also stayed at the Best Western in Page. They offer good quality at an affordable price. But there are many other lodging possibilities in Kanab, Utah, and Page, Arizona. Kanab is one of our favorite towns in Utah.

Chris Labanowski, c0-founder of the Van Escape blog is taking pictures of hoodoo in Paria Rimrock Toadstool Hoodoos.

Photography Tips & Hints

Paria Rimrocks Toadstool Hoodoos are a paradise for photographers. Different formations can be magnificent when composed with fantastic light. Unfortunately, this is a desert; very often, days are sunny, and the sky is flat and blue.

So, if you have any impact on your planning, try to be here early in the morning or just before sunset. Sometimes, there is a chance for beautiful colors of the sky. It is also a perfect idea to be here during rain or after it, although the trail might be impassable due to the soil nature. Always check the weather forecast before planning a photo session here.

Another great idea is to come here at night and try to catch some Milky Way or star trails. It looks very well but requires some preparation and bringing at least a tripod. The area has very low light pollution, and the Milky Way is usually very well visible.

You can also play with depth of field, as you can see in some of our pictures. The idea is to focus on the flowers, grass, or another stone and blur the toadstools in the background. Use your imagination to create amazing photos. The place has the potential—the rest depends on you.

If you have decided to go on this hike, you have another fantastic trail very close. The Nautilus Utah hike is on the same route between Page and Kanab. And if you read our tips, you can do those two hikes in less than a half day.

Other articles that cover nearby southern Utah area:

Agnes Stabinska is a writer, photographer, and co-founder of The Van Escape. She loves wildlife, landscape photography, and outdoor adventures, especially hiking, camping, and exploring U.S. national parks. Although she has traveled to many countries for almost 20 years, her favorite places are Alaska, the American Southwest, and the Pacific Northwest, which she often visits and explore with her partner, Chris. Their travel tips, itineraries, and recommendations will help you get away from it all and plan a wonderful vacation.