"The Wave" - North Coyote Buttes

The Wave, a multi-colored chute, is a key attraction in this area, but many other features are just as photogenic and make excellent destinations for day hikes

Swirled bands of color run through the Coyote Buttes sandstone, which has eroded into interesting shapes. The colors and shapes change with the light as the day progresses. Red, pink, yellow and green rock has been blended together to form castles, beehives, chutes and other structures.

"The Wave", a small ravine between eroded sandstone domes formed of amazingly beautiful rocks containing thin, swirling strata. The location was first publicized in Germany, in magazine articles and a movie ('Faszination Natur' by Gogol Lobmayr, 1995), and then was visited only by a small number of Europeans, becoming widely known just in the last few years.

Special BLM Permits required: Entry to North Coyote Buttes costs $7 per person respectively, with a limit of 20 people for each region and no more than 6 in a single group. Half of the permits are bookable up to 4 months in advance, by writing to the BLM in Kanab or applying via their website Here (Blm Permit Site), while the other half are available by applying in person at the BLM office at the Paria Contact Station before 9 am (Mountain Time) on the day prior to the intended visit (the office opens at 8.30 am). At 9 am, if more than ten people are waiting, a lottery system is used to select the chosen few. All successful applicants receive a copy of the access regulations and, for North Coyote Buttes, a topographic map to help identify the route to the Wave, which is not well marked on the ground.

Overland Canyon Tours offers guide service to "The Wave", as long as you have the required permits for yourself or your group no extra permit is needed to hire one of our guides. The hike to "The Wave" is moderate and approximately 2 hours one way. Sturdy hiking shoes are recommended and bring plenty of water, especially in the summer months when temperatures can reach 100F+.

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