Wahweap Hoodoos Trail in Utah 2024

These white stones resemble goblins, ghosts, toadstools, and other strange things. But in fact, their unique geology is just the work of sun and wind. The Wahweap Hoodoos are located near Big Water at the edge of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, in Southern Utah, three hours north of the Grand Canyon’s South Rim.

The caps of the hoodoos are hard Dakota Sandstones that are 100 million years old, and the posts of the hoodoos are softer Entrada Sandstones, 160 million years old. A small cap of hard rock resistant to erosion protects the underlying soft rock, and thus the cone of protected rock takes the shape of a column.

The Wahweap Hoodoos are accessible via the trail, which begins in Wahweap Creek just below the 4WD parking area. Even though there's year-round access to the trail, the best time for a hike is during spring or fall, as the trail is in the sun which is hardly bearable in the summer months.

The most photographed white hoodoo in the "Towers of Silence", this section can be found at the 4.3 miles (6.9 km) mark of the trail. From the Wahweap Hoodoos, you can take a short walk to the darker side with brown hoodoos set off the highway at the Rimrocks.