Visit Coyote Buttes
Still to do
Win the permit lottery and earn a day with The Wave, swirls of red and gold sandstone frozen mid-flow.
The adventure
The Wave is what remains of sand dunes that drifted across this land in the Jurassic, around 190 million years ago. Over time they hardened into sandstone, and wind and water carved them into a bowl of rippling stripes in red, orange, gold and cream, so smooth and curved that it looks as if the rock is still moving.
Getting there is half the thrill. First you have to win a place in one of the hardest permit lotteries in the American West. Then comes a hike of about 10 kilometres there and back, with no marked trail, across slickrock and soft sand, navigating by landmarks and GPS under a huge desert sky. When you finally crest the last rise and drop into The Wave itself, with only a handful of other people in sight, the effort makes sense.
Why it’s epic
- The Wave formed from Jurassic sand dunes around 190 million years old.
- Only 64 people a day are allowed in, chosen by lottery.
- The Second Wave and fossil dinosaur tracks are a short walk away.
- It lies within Vermilion Cliffs National Monument on the Arizona–Utah border.
What it is
Coyote Buttes North is home to The Wave, a sandstone formation of swirling striped rock.
How to do it
Only a small number of permits are issued each day through an online lottery run by the Bureau of Land Management. The hike is about 10 kilometres with no marked trail.
Top tip
Carry plenty of water and a GPS; summer temperatures are extreme.
Need to know
- Apply on Recreation.gov, either in the advance lottery about four months ahead or the daily lottery two days before.
- The hike is about 10 kilometres with no marked trail and little shade, and summer heat is dangerous.
- Kanab in Utah and Page in Arizona are the nearest towns to stay in.
Plan this trip
- Rough cost
- £2,000 to £5,000 per person, including flights from the UK
- Time needed
- 1 day
- Best time to go
- March to May, September to November
- Fly into
- LAS airport
Long-haul flights, car hire and motels make up the cost; the permit itself is cheap.
Make it happen
Some of these are affiliate links: if you book through them I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. More about this.
Why it’s on my list
Not done yet. If you’ve done it and have tips, tell me about it.
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