If solitude and toadstools (see Paria Toadstools) or hoodoos are what you are looking for then a trip to White Valley in southern Utah is what you need. Located about half way between Kanab and Page on Highway 89 is a small town named Church Wells. Really this is a no services kind of town but, it is the turn off point for the adventure that awaits you in White Valley.
Take a left off the highway at the second intersection to Church Wells. This street will take you right through the heart of the town and you can get a real feel of how small it is. When the road comes to a fence and cattle guard continue through the fence and follow the road as it veers right and follows the fence for a while. It will eventually pull away to the north and follow a draw down to the main wash. The road crosses the wash and goes upstream for about a ¾ of a mile where it approaches some shallow stock ponds and some tall bushes/trees. Park anywhere here. I turned off the road just past the line of bushes and drive over to a fence. There is no trail in White Valley and from this point it doesn’t look like much of a canyon/valley worth seeing but, patience will reward the explorer who is willing to look for it. At this point route find to the wash bottom itself and then follow it up stream.
At just over one mile the canyon narrows and the wash is blocked by a 7’ high concrete dam. It is possible to scramble up the right side and reach the canyon bottom again. Continue to follow the canyon up in a short while the canyon opens up into a valley that is white with some purple, red and pink highlights. At the wash fork turn left and continues upstream. As the valley shallows more and more side gullies branch off. Keep following the larger one at a few points one might need to scramble out of the wash.
After a short climb one is in the upper west part of the valley here one will be able to see many pinnacles, hoodoos, or toadstools. Exploring this area is great with interesting formations in nearly every direction.
Over a small ridge to the east the color of the valley changes giving it a totally different look and the formations are equally different.
After enjoying this side of the valley return to the original fork in the wash and explore up the east portion. Immediately one will notice that this side has very few hoodoos, don’t’ give up its worth continuing up the wash bottom. After a short walk the walls of the valley start to close in and soon it becomes a wide slot canyon. With each passing bend in the wash the walls narrow and ultimately close into a tunnel.
After a few hundred feet in an underground cavern the wash bottom is blocked by a soaring dryfall up into the darkness of the upper canyon walls. Enjoy this hidden gem that very few people reach. Return the way you came.
Back out to the valley one can climb the slopes and work their way around the slot canyon to the upper valley but, from a formation standpoint there isn’t much up there to see. At this point is best to return down valley to your vehicle and savor the sight of the day in a little white valley in southern Utah.