The Wave: For those lucky enough to get a permit, this is simply an amazing place to see and explore.
Hiked on Monday, October 24, 2011; reviewed November 6, 2011 See this review on Trip Advisor.
The Wave is a small cluster of sandstone formations in North Coyote Buttes, which is BLM operated lands between Kanab, Utah, and Page, Arizona. This is simply one of the most stunning set of natural rock sculptures that I have ever seen.
The adventure begins with trying to get a permit to make the hike. There are only 20 hikers allowed into the Wave on a daily basis. Ten hiking slots are determined via an on-line lottery which you enter through the BLM website and the selections are made 4 months in advance. The other 10 slots are picked at the BLM station via a lottery drawing for hiking the following day. I had applied through the on-line lottery on three occasions, finally getting lucky on the third attempt (I never tried the day before on-site lottery). There is a $5 charge just to put a permit application into the lottery, then a $7 per hiker charge once you are selected for a permit. You choose the number of hikers for you permit when you apply; you can have from 1 to 6 hikers on the permit. All the details are on the BLM website for the Wave.
We went to the Wave in late October. I had won a 4-person permit, so it was me and my wife along with another couple who are also very much into photography, but not big hikers, so they were a bit worried. Our base for the trip was in Kanab, so we had a short drive to get to the trailhead. The drive from Kanab to House Rock Road took 40 minutes, then it was another 15-20 minutes to cover the 8 miles of dirt road to the trailhead. Note that we had great weather and the road was in excellent shape (a little rough in spots, but completely passable with a standard SUV). Note also that there are restrooms at the trailhead.
The hike to the Wave is 3 miles (os 6 miles round trip), and I would say the hike is moderate at best. The most difficult things are the sandy stretches and the fact that the trial is not well marked. As mentioned, our companions on this hike were not serious hikers, but they made it with no problems at all. That said, do not take this hike lightly. Again, we went in late October and had picture perfect conditions. It was cool in the morning for the hike in, and warmed up to about 70 degrees F. We had blue skies and high while cirrus clouds. But there is really no shade on the trail. You need to carry plenty of water, wear a hat and sunscreen and wear layers so you can adjust to the changing temperatures throughout the day. The maps and photos provided by the BLM with the permit are fairly useful, but a GPS is a big help (not necessary, but certainly a plus).
One thing I was not prepared for was how scenic the views were along the trail to the Wave. With all the talk of the Wave, I was just not expecting the lovely landscape that you walk through for the entire hike. It is truly amazing and makes the overall experience just that much better. The entire hike is actually very beautiful.
The last landmark that we followed was a slot in the wall of the rock formation beyond and directly above the Wave; this was our beacon and it guided us right to the spot. The last little climb up the sandy hill to the Wave was the toughest part of the hike, but even then not that bad. But the pay off was definitely worth the effort. We all stood in awe of the curves and colors at the entrance to the Wave for several minutes, just taking it all in. We posed for a group photo here at the entrance, then moved on to explore the wonders around the next corner and the next…..and there were many! After a while, we all sort of reconvened just above the Wave at the location where many of the classic shots were taken.
Perhaps the other thing that I was not completely prepared for is the size of the Wave. I knew going in that the area around the Wave was not large, even taking into account the Wave 2, Sand Cove and the boneyard, but it was even smaller than I expected. But that does not take away from the fascinating scenery and outstanding colors in the rocks. You could easily stay here all day crawling around the formations looking at the contours of the formations.
We had a great time cruising across the sandstone through what we believe was Sand Cove and through the honeycomb rocks that had fallen from the boneyard area. So many photo ops, so little time! This part of the loop was very easy, as it was all on sandstone, so we walked and snapped photos as we went. I saw a few lizards scampering from rock to rock and we also saw some very interesting feathers with bright orange veins. No idea what type of bird it was, but from the number of feathers, it was either a raptor that had caught lunch in the area, or it was lunch for a bigger bird. This was also snake day, as we spotted three today, including a gopher snake and a rattlesnake (possibly a Northern Mojave rattlesnake). Pretty cool actually, as we rarely see snakes during our hikes. But they are out the, so be careful on the trails.
We finally left the area of the Wave about 1:00. We kept a leisurely pace, still enjoying the landscape along the trail. I reckon we were back at the trailhead about 3:00. Overall, this was an outstanding hike with beautiful views all along the route to the Wave.
The Wave is a small cluster of sandstone formations in North Coyote Buttes, which is BLM operated lands between Kanab, Utah, and Page, Arizona. This is simply one of the most stunning set of natural rock sculptures that I have ever seen.
The adventure begins with trying to get a permit to make the hike. There are only 20 hikers allowed into the Wave on a daily basis. Ten hiking slots are determined via an on-line lottery which you enter through the BLM website and the selections are made 4 months in advance. The other 10 slots are picked at the BLM station via a lottery drawing for hiking the following day. I had applied through the on-line lottery on three occasions, finally getting lucky on the third attempt (I never tried the day before on-site lottery). There is a $5 charge just to put a permit application into the lottery, then a $7 per hiker charge once you are selected for a permit. You choose the number of hikers for you permit when you apply; you can have from 1 to 6 hikers on the permit. All the details are on the BLM website for the Wave.
We went to the Wave in late October. I had won a 4-person permit, so it was me and my wife along with another couple who are also very much into photography, but not big hikers, so they were a bit worried. Our base for the trip was in Kanab, so we had a short drive to get to the trailhead. The drive from Kanab to House Rock Road took 40 minutes, then it was another 15-20 minutes to cover the 8 miles of dirt road to the trailhead. Note that we had great weather and the road was in excellent shape (a little rough in spots, but completely passable with a standard SUV). Note also that there are restrooms at the trailhead.
The hike to the Wave is 3 miles (os 6 miles round trip), and I would say the hike is moderate at best. The most difficult things are the sandy stretches and the fact that the trial is not well marked. As mentioned, our companions on this hike were not serious hikers, but they made it with no problems at all. That said, do not take this hike lightly. Again, we went in late October and had picture perfect conditions. It was cool in the morning for the hike in, and warmed up to about 70 degrees F. We had blue skies and high while cirrus clouds. But there is really no shade on the trail. You need to carry plenty of water, wear a hat and sunscreen and wear layers so you can adjust to the changing temperatures throughout the day. The maps and photos provided by the BLM with the permit are fairly useful, but a GPS is a big help (not necessary, but certainly a plus).
One thing I was not prepared for was how scenic the views were along the trail to the Wave. With all the talk of the Wave, I was just not expecting the lovely landscape that you walk through for the entire hike. It is truly amazing and makes the overall experience just that much better. The entire hike is actually very beautiful.
The last landmark that we followed was a slot in the wall of the rock formation beyond and directly above the Wave; this was our beacon and it guided us right to the spot. The last little climb up the sandy hill to the Wave was the toughest part of the hike, but even then not that bad. But the pay off was definitely worth the effort. We all stood in awe of the curves and colors at the entrance to the Wave for several minutes, just taking it all in. We posed for a group photo here at the entrance, then moved on to explore the wonders around the next corner and the next…..and there were many! After a while, we all sort of reconvened just above the Wave at the location where many of the classic shots were taken.
Perhaps the other thing that I was not completely prepared for is the size of the Wave. I knew going in that the area around the Wave was not large, even taking into account the Wave 2, Sand Cove and the boneyard, but it was even smaller than I expected. But that does not take away from the fascinating scenery and outstanding colors in the rocks. You could easily stay here all day crawling around the formations looking at the contours of the formations.
We had a great time cruising across the sandstone through what we believe was Sand Cove and through the honeycomb rocks that had fallen from the boneyard area. So many photo ops, so little time! This part of the loop was very easy, as it was all on sandstone, so we walked and snapped photos as we went. I saw a few lizards scampering from rock to rock and we also saw some very interesting feathers with bright orange veins. No idea what type of bird it was, but from the number of feathers, it was either a raptor that had caught lunch in the area, or it was lunch for a bigger bird. This was also snake day, as we spotted three today, including a gopher snake and a rattlesnake (possibly a Northern Mojave rattlesnake). Pretty cool actually, as we rarely see snakes during our hikes. But they are out the, so be careful on the trails.
We finally left the area of the Wave about 1:00. We kept a leisurely pace, still enjoying the landscape along the trail. I reckon we were back at the trailhead about 3:00. Overall, this was an outstanding hike with beautiful views all along the route to the Wave.