The Wave at Coyote Buttes

This was an amazing experience for a reasonably experienced hiker, though it is not one for people who want an easy hike. My photographs are by far some of my best ever. I loved the challenge of finding the Wave and some of the other locations around it like fatali’s bone yard and the dinosaur tracks. This is an unmarked trail, though it’s easy to find the Wave itself from foot prints in the sand. The rest of the sights require more to find.
As such, you really should plan for this hike. I took a compass navigation class through REI, which was very helpful for finding my way around. I also bought a GPS device and saved the Google map for the area so I could access it and see my location even without service, which is spotty at best in the area. I also downloaded the GPS coordinates for everything I wanted to see and had a print out. Ooh, and i had the mail provided by BLM and a national geographic map of the area. And a few print outs of the satellite images for funsies. Most of my precautions for navigation ended up being redundant, but I’m so glad I took them.
Why? Because even in October, it’s hot. Really hot. Nearly 90, though it felt hotter because you’re baking on brightly colored sandstone. The BLM permit correctly tells you to bring at least four liters (or one gallon) of water. We brought five liters and were only out from about 10 am to 4 pm. By the end, we would have been out of water had we not brought the extra liter. Please bring lots of water. There is usually no water to even purify within 16 miles of the Wave, although some times water collects in the Wave itself. But that’s unreliable at best. The recommendation to bring water is not exaggerated.
Also bring the standard first aid, pocket knife, head lamp, extra food, and space blanket just in case you get caught on a flash flood here. Or in case you get lost.
Also, I recommend wearing long sleeves and pants. Nothing thick mind you. You will want to wear these things to cover up as much skin as you can. Dessert people, like many people on the Arab peninsula, Egypt, etc, wear such clothing to protect themselves from the sun. You should follow those practices here.
You should also wear a hat and cover up your neck so you don’t burn. And sunglasses are highly recommended because the sun is so bright. Otherwise, your eyes are likely to tear up and you’ll trip on something because you’re squinting.
Finally, for those who complain about the lotto system, I can tell you that I whole heartedly agree with it, especially after going. The sandstone is fragile. The Wave would crumple if it had an onslaught of visitors. The Wave would also have been a less fun experience. You get to enjoy the Wave precisely because there aren’t many people around. You actually get to take pictures alone in the Wave. You can enjoy the silence in the rest of the surroundings. Thank you BLM for being so strict.
In sum, I highly recommend this hike for experienced hikers who can navigate by reading a map and using a compass. I also recommend honoring the lotto permit system. It’s necessary to protect this special place and to keep the experience meaningful.

Speculator views everywhere, and make sure to bring enough water. Breath-​taking waves!

First off… this is the most spectacular place I have been to. It is so beautiful and photogenic. I hope I get a chance to go back!
My boyfriend and I took a chance by entering the walk-​in lottery the day before we wanted to hike. The lottery takes place at the Kanab Visitor’s Center at 9 am. You can get there anytime from 8:30 to 9 am to fill out your application to enter. At 9, the employee holds the lottery in a small bingo wheel where numbered balls are chosen at random until all 10 permits are given out. The process is fair and exciting!
We were there at the end of August and 57 people showed up the day we entered. We didn’t think we had much of a chance, but were SO ecstatic when we won! As soon as 10 people were called, the rest filed out and the 10 people stayed in the room to go over specifics of the hike. This part was very important and I am glad we had this opportunity to ask any questions and hear the helpful tips from the employee and our volunteer. Each day, a volunteer hikes the wave along with the permit holders to make sure everyone is safe and knows where to go. Our volunteer, Ken, was very informative and great to talk with!
Now on to the hike! It is a 6 mile round trip hike that you access through a long dirt road. You are hiking over sand and sand stone so make sure you start as close to sunrise as possible because it gets HOT. It was only 91 degrees the day we hiked, but the hike back at 12:30 made us both sweat like crazy! You don’t expect this, so make sure to bring a LOT of water! It is essential! When you finally arrive at the wave, be prepared to stay a long time. Trust me, you will want to and we would have if we didn’t have to drive back to California that afternoon. Take your nice camera and get every angle… you will be amazed at how photogenic this landmark is!
Overall, I have been recommending this hike to everyone I know! It is something every person should see in their lifetime and I will consider myself truly lucky if I get to see it a second time… so worth it!

My girlfriend and I have planned this excursion for well over a year. We realized that the online lottery was nearly impossible to pinpoint the dates we wanted so we chanced it and booked a couple nights in Kanab, UT in order to get into the lottery. We were ecstatic when we got it on the first try!
I thought it was a little strange that they limit the numbers so much, but after the hike and seeing how fragile the sandstone is I’m glad they keep the numbers so low. GREAT JOB BLM!
I’m sure you have all heard about the «dangerous hike» and terrible summer weather that you have to endure in order to get there. For a seasoned veteran in the hiking department it is not difficult but it is easy to see how people get lost out there. Most of the hike is over sandstone which gives little or no sign of where people have walked before you. Make sure you bring enough water! Although the temperature on thermometer may not show it a 91º day can quickly feel like a 110º real quick. Humidity in the summer and heat coming off the hot sand in certain areas can be brutal, and in some cases has caused fatalities.
The wave itself is hands down the most amazing thing I have ever seen. It made some of my favorite scenic hikes seem uninspiring in comparison. The striping and shapes in the wave are like nothing I’ve ever come across, and photos do not do the place justice. I went primarily for photographs and it did not disappoint! You can not take a bad photo here. From the beautiful deep blue sky, puffy clouds, and red rock even in the hight of the day photos still pop with great contrast and amazing color. I cannot stress enough that this is the most beautiful place I have ever visited. I will be back… hopefully if the lottery allows.
GO GO GO GO GO!!!

Yay! Won the walkin lotto pick. Nice 10 miles round trip hike. I’m glad they limit the numbers of visitors. Keeps the fragile landscape intact for generations to come. Good job BLM!
Suggest any season excep

This was by far the hardest backcountry permit I have applied for. It took me 5 or 6 attempts to finally win the lottery (it’s a $ 5 fee every time you apply) and when the email came that I won, I really did feel like I won the lottery!
I had finally figured out to go on the BLM website to apply for the permit at the end of the month, and it allows you to check the calendar and see how many people have applied for permits in particular days, so I picked 3 days that had the least amount of applicants, and it worked. The lottery process takes place 3 months ahead of time, they only allow 20 people per day, you can take a chance and show up to the BLM office in Kanab and try your luck with a walk thru permit.
This hike is mostly flat, with some elevation gains thru some of the area, for the most part, it was easy. The red sand and red rocks made this hike hot, we did this October 30, and it was only 70 degrees out, but I got sunburnt and I worked up a sweat. How anyone could do this in the summer is beyond me. There is no shade and it gets to 110 degrees (not counting the extra heat the red rocks hold). If you have Vibrams, wear them. A large majority of the hike is sand, I ended up taking my shoes off and walking a mile or so barefoot (I had a ton of sand in my shoes, got tired of it). Bring lots of water. Lots. Snack, sunglasses, sunblock. BLM sent a very detailed map in the mail along with my permits, it included a road map to the trail head as well as a detailed map for the hike, that included pictures (many people get lost, GPS doesn’t always work).
This was great to check off the bucket list, but if you’re not patient enough to go thru the lottery system, go to antelope canyon.