RT The Wave

Sandstone rock formation located in Arizona, near border with Utah is well-known among hikers and photographers for its colorful, undulating forms.

General Information

Length:

Approximately 6–6.5 miles round trip

Elevation Gain:

About 1,100–1,200 feet

Difficulty:

Moderate

Hours:

Open daily from sunrise to sunset
Access is restricted to permitted hikers only

Fees:

Permit required via lottery system
Application fee: about $9 per application
Permit fee: $7 per person per day
Additional $7 fee per dog if included on permit

Pet Policy:

Dogs are allowed but must be included on the permit

Closest cities with hotels:

Kanab, UT (40 mi)
Page, AZ (50 mi)

Seasons:

Spring and fall are best; summer is extremely hot, winter is cooler with occasional snow

Location:

Coyote Buttes North (The Wave), Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, AZ

Website:

blm.gov/coyote-buttes-north

How to Get There

From Page (50 mi): Take US‑89 W toward Kanab, then turn onto House Rock Valley Road and continue to the Wire Pass Trailhead where the hike to the formation begins.

Overview

The Wave is one of the American Southwest’s most sought-after natural wonders: a swirl of colorful, undulating Navajo Sandstone troughs on the slopes of Coyote Buttes North in the Paria Canyon–Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness, just south of the Utah line. The BLM manages access from the Grand Staircase-Escalante visitor center in Kanab, Utah. Reaching it means a challenging, unmarked hike, and only a tiny number of people are allowed each day to protect the fragile rock.

Permits

Only 64 people per day are allowed in the permit area.
Advance lottery: 48 permits a day, applied for through Recreation.gov four months ahead. Demand is extremely high.
Daily lottery: 16 permits, entered by mobile device from near Kanab or Page two days before the hike.
Both lotteries charge a fee to apply and limit group size. Winners get a one-day permit and a BLM guide sheet with checkpoints.

The Hike

Route: the shortest route starts at Wire Pass Trailhead, about 8 miles south of U.S. 89 on House Rock Valley Road, and is nearly 6 miles round trip with 350 feet of climbing. There is no formal trail or signage, so you navigate by the guide sheet, compass or GPS.
Conditions: summer temperatures often exceed 100 °F, with little shade and fierce wind. Start early, and the dirt road may be impassable after storms.
Care: the sandstone ridges are fragile, so walk carefully. “The Second Wave,” above and slightly west, has fainter colors.

The troughs were eroded into Jurassic-age sandstone and are now shaped mostly by wind. After rain, pools can form and hold tadpole shrimp for days.

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "The Wave (Arizona)", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0