The Wave at Coyote Buttes North
Cross-bedded Navajo Sandstone folds into extraordinary curves within permit-controlled backcountry that has no constructed trail.
Artwork inspired by Ed Mell
The Wave is a small, fragile formation inside Coyote Buttes North, not a roadside viewpoint. Its sweeping bands record ancient dunes and differential erosion; surrounding features reward careful navigation without trampling biological soil crust.
Every visitor needs a valid daily permit obtained through the official lottery. Wire Pass Trailhead is in Utah although the Wave is in Arizona, and House Rock Valley Road can become impassable when wet. Carry offline route material, abundant water, and emergency margin.
- Permit
- Required
- Trailhead
- Utah
- Destination
- Arizona
Quick guide
- Begin
- Use only the official recreation.gov lottery.
- Do not miss
- Use permit maps plus offline GPS, not a visible trail.
Route logic for The Wave at Coyote Buttes North
- Fix the route and turnaround
- Look closely at the first stop inside The Wave at Coyote Buttes North.
- Read surface and exposure
- Compare that first impression with a second source of evidence.
- Check effort against distance
- Notice what changes when the route reaches the next evidence.
- Protect the return margin
- Check the practical constraint before completing the The Wave at Coyote Buttes North route.
Good to know
No tour company can bypass the permit. Heat, route-finding, and road mud can defeat a valid permit day, and refunds are limited.
Notice these
- The Wave
- Top Rock
- Coyote Buttes cross-bedding