Paw Hole is the first major area you reach from the Cottonwood Cove trailhead — a bowl of sandstone hoodoos, teepees, and layered fins that gives a good introduction to what the south unit looks like before you push further in. The terrain is gentler here than deeper into the permit area, and the formations are dense enough that you can spend an hour just moving between them.
The rock underfoot varies from firm sandstone slabs to deep, unconsolidated sand. Navigation is by landmark rather than trail — pick a formation as your target, walk to it, pick another. A GPS track from a previous visit helps, but the area is compact enough that you are unlikely to lose yourself if you pay attention to the sun angle and the terrain behind you.