Toadstools Trail,
Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument
The Toadstools Trail is an easy round trip hike — there is a trail register near the trailhead and small information booklets are available for a fee. Follow the wash as this will lead you to the toadstools — sandstone spires with a rock balanced on top give them their name. There is little shade at this location and it can be extremely hot during the summer months. Please hike on the designated trail when exploring this location — the area is surrounded by cryptobiotic soil crusts, an important feature in desert environments and when disturbed, may take five to seven years to form again.
Elevation
The Toadstools Trail has a maximum elevation of 4,497 ft., a minimum elevation of 4,406 ft. and an elevation range of 91 ft.
Metrics
| [ A to B ] or [ B to A ] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Length 2 | Min Ele 3 | Max Ele 4 | Range 5 |
| 0.6 mi | 4,406 ft | 4,497 ft | 91 ft |
| [ A to B ] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Time 6 | Floors 7 | Gain 8 | Loss 9 |
| 17 min | 6.4 | 77 ft | 3 ft |
| [ B to A ] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Floors | Gain | Loss |
| 16 min | 0.2 | 3 ft | 77 ft |
Calories
The following chart shows the total calories that you may expend on the trail while hiking in both directions. The chart is based on data derived from a statistical model of energy expenditure that relates gross weight, typical speed and trail topography.
Topo Maps
Download the PDF Toadstools Trail topo map and the adjoining quads to plan your hike. These are full-sheet, 7.5 Minute (1:24,000 scale) topographic maps.
Adjoining 7.5' Quadrangle Legend
- Northwest Topo Map: Fivemile Valley, UT
- North Topo Map: Lower Coyote Spring, UT
- Northeast Topo Map: Nipple Butte, UT
- West Topo Map: West Clark Bench, UT
- Topo Map: Bridger Point, UT
- East Topo Map: Big Water, UT
- Southwest Topo Map: Poverty Flat, AZ
- South Topo Map: Wrather Arch, AZ
- Southeast Topo Map: Water Pockets, AZ
Difficulty
The following chart illustrates the difficulty of hiking the Toadstools Trail compared to two other trails. The x-axis is cumulative elevation gain and the y-axis is maximum elevation. The length of the trail is reflected in the size of the bubble.
FAQ
What is the length of the Toadstools Trail?
The length of the trail is 0.6 miles (1.0 km) or 1,412 steps.
How long does it take to hike the Toadstools Trail?
A person in good physical health can hike the trail in 17 minutes in one direction and in 16 minutes in the opposite direction.
Warnings
Prevent tick bites: Treat clothing and gear, such as boots, pants, socks and tents with products containing 0.5% permethrin.
(cdc.gov)
- The Brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) may be present in this area. The Brown dog tick transmits Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
- The Rocky Mountain wood tick (Dermacentor andersoni) may be present in this area. The Rocky Mountain wood tick transmits Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Colorado Tick Fever, and Tularemia.
- The Western blacklegged tick (Ixodes pacificus) may be present in this area. The Western blacklegged tick transmits Anaplasmosis and Lyme Disease.
Footnotes
- Steps is a unit of distance equal to the sum of stride lengths that vary with the terrain.
- Length is the distance of the trail between the two trailheads, measured on the trail.
- Min Ele is the minimum elevation on the trail.
- Max Ele is the maximum elevation on the trail.
- Range is the difference between maximum and minimum elevation.
- Time is the typical total time required to hike the trail.
- Floors is the gain divided by twelve feet, the height of one floor.
- Gain (cumulative elevation gain) is the sum of every gain in elevation.
- Loss (cumulative elevation loss) is the sum of every loss in elevation.