South Coyote Buttes

Before highways and railways, before pioneers, even before Columbus.....the land we know as the United States was truly a vast wilderness. To protect these last remaining areas, in 1984 Congress created the Paria Canyon - Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness. Coyote Buttes, outstanding scenery, desert wildlife, colorful history and opportunities for primitive recreation will remain free from the influence of man and are protected in this condition for future generations. Its 112,500 acres beckon adventurers who yearn for solitude, scenic splendor, and the chance to explore one of the most beautiful geologic formations in the world.

Apollonius of Tyana said that God made the beauties of nature like a child playing in the sand. Perhaps no other place on earth illustrates the validity of that statement more profoundly than Coyote Buttes. It is a wondrous landscape formed completely of petrified sand and calcified dunes, layer upon layer frozen in time and sculpted by the elements into fantastic shapes that resemble the spires and domes a child might create on an ocean beach.

Coyote Buttes is part of the Paria Plateau, a section of the Cockscomb that straddles the Utah-Arizona state line. Melted and carved by rain, buffed to a smooth and flowing finish by wind, it is a landscape that stimulates the imagination. Rock pyramids grow in organic clumps and resemble the barrows ancient peoples used to raise over the graves of kings. Swells of undulating slick-rock mimic the rise, crest, and fall of liquid waves. Stony troughs between the swells shelter still rain-water pools. Rounded domes bleed into each other to form fluted passageways, chambers, and amphitheaters. Mineral deposits drench the slick-rock in every hue of yellow, orange, red, and violet. The rock is veined and banded, a thousand separate formation seams distinguishing a thousand separate lenses of sandstone.
Let us show you this most amazing place; we have several different options to fit your needs.

Cottonwood Teepees

The Cottonwood Teepees are somewhat higher, on a plateau. Among them, right at their feet is the Cove, A sand area that is surrounded on 3 sides by some large rock formations. The variety of colors and shapes makes this area quite unique. I consider it in terms of the sum of the extraordinary and colorful formations, for considerably more attractive. If it is your first time here, you should coincide the plateau of the Cottonwood Teepees . Here are the most spectacular and colorful formations. The photographic creativity knows no limits. And, as in the north, there are no trails or markers. At most meets isolated animal tracks, barely in the footsteps of other visitors, however. At each "corner" wait a little geological curiosity and many bizarre things on your discovery, even a "Mini Wave" is among them.

This view along the South Coyote Buttes, Cottonwood Teepee Trail reveals some of the scenic beauty found on the Utah / Arizona border-land. Vivid earth-tone hues, swirling sandstone shapes and fragile rock layers offer a few great reasons to step on out into the wild! One of the most beautiful sandstone formations, the Control Tower is in the heart of Cottonwood Teepees . Some will have certainly seen this photo on other sites, though not under that name. Another geological oddity is a stone, which is called the Half & Half. The name certainly speaks for it self ...

South Coyote Buttes does require a special permit from the BLM. Please go to the following web site to obtain the permits Here (Blm Permit Site) you will need a permit for each person in your party. If you are going to bring your pet you will also need a permit for them.

• Sunrise to Sunset for the die hard photographer.

• All day hiking trips.

• Full Moon Photo Tours.

• Overnight camping trips up to 2 nights and 3 days.

For further information,tour times, pricing or to make your reservation by phone, please contact our office at 1-800-684-4072