Our next stop for the day was The Toadstools, a short, simple hike just off Hwy. 89. Located within the boundaries of Grand Staircase-Escalante NM, it’s certainly worth the stop.

It was mid-afternoon when we arrived, and there were a couple other groups of people leaving/arriving. The Toadstools is no secret. Even still, once we began the hike, we could pace it so that we had the trail to ourselves. We let Truman start out on his feet, but it quickly became apparent that he was all out of energy. He got to ride in the pack for the rest of the hike.

The trail quickly dropped down into the wash and followed it for much of the hike. The portions of the trail which leave the wash are all well marked; it would be pretty difficult to lose your way. Though the trail itself isn’t very exciting, the scenery is striking.

Relatively soon, we climbed a short steep grade and then we saw it: the Toadstool. While there are actually several toadstool-like hoodoos littering the area, there’s one dominant toadstool. It’s even featured on one of the Kanab billboards. The red sandstone provided a stunning contrast with the blue sky and the white sandstone in the background.

We walked around for a bit, but it would have been easy to wander around for at least another half an hour. I was ready to head back and get out of the sun though. (Truman was too.) Even though the temperature was relatively pleasant, the trail was entirely exposed. It would be absolutely brutal in the summer. The Toadstools was a great second trek at only 1.5 miles through a magnificent landscape; it’s definitely a trail for everybody.

More toadstools!