Wahweap Hoodoos trail

The Wahweap Hoodoos Trail is a hiking route through desert landscape in Kane County that covers about 9 miles round trip. Along the way you see white sandstone formations with dark caps rising from the canyon walls that define the terrain.

Access to the trail was originally possible only by four-wheel-drive vehicle but was later converted into a walking path. This change reflects new decisions to protect the landscape within Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

The rock formations played a role in the oral stories of Native American peoples of the Colorado Plateau, who considered this land ancestral territory. You can walk through the landscape that held meaning for these communities.

You should bring at least 3 liters of water per person and use a GPS device or detailed map to make sure you stay on route. Check weather forecasts before you go, especially for rain, since Wahweap Creek can swell quickly and become dangerous.

The sandstone formations display a surprising range of colors such as grey, pale green, and white, with distinctive conglomerate caps balancing on thin columns. These colored layers formed through different mineral compositions and deposit conditions over millions of years.