The Most Iconic View in Arizona Is Also One of the Most Remote
The Wave at Coyote Buttes North within Vermillion Cliffs National Monument is one of the most remote and iconic places to visit in Arizona.
For those of us who live in the Grand Canyon State, The Wave at Coyote Buttes North within Vermillion Cliffs National Monument is one of those places that top our bucket lists. However, few of us can actually cross it off. Not only is it in a very remote part of the state but only a handful of visitors are allowed to visit it each day. If you're one of the lucky ones to score a permit, visiting The Wave in Arizona is a dream come true!
Set within the remote 280,000-acre Vermillion Cliffs National Monument in the northwest corner of our great state is the even more remote landscape formation known as "The Wave." There are so many reasons to consider visiting this natural wonder which many consider to be one of the most iconic views in Arizona.
One thing about visiting The Wave is that you can't just visit whenever you'd like. Due to the fragility of the sandstone landscape that has been eroded over the course of millions of years, only 64 people are allowed to visit each day via a permit system. Of those 64 daily permits granted by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), 48 permits are given out 3 months in advance while 16 are granted one day in advance. However, the competition is pretty fierce as up to 300 people apply for those daily permits, especially in the months of April, May, September, and October, the most ideal times of the year to visit.
If you are one of the lucky ones who is able to obtain a permit, prepare to be amazed! The Wave's undulating landscape of striped red sandstone that can be likened to a wave frozen in time is jaw-dropping. To me, it looks like a scene out of a surrealist painting as dreamt up by an artist like Salvador Dali.
To get to and from The Wave requires a 6-mile round-trip hike. You will be given a map to its location along with your permit. However, there is no actual marked trail in the traditional sense. I would make sure to have the AllTrails+ app downloaded onto your phone as backup to the map from the BLM and look out for stone cairns along the way.
I would also make certain you're prepared with the appropriate hiking gear as well as bring plenty of water with you and wear sunscreen as there's no cover from the sun.
Have you been lucky enough to visit The Wave in Arizona? Was it as bucket-list worthy as everyone says? Tell us about your experience in the comments! For directions to Vermillion Cliffs National Monument, head to BLM.gov. To apply for a permit for Coyote Buttes North in order to visit The Wave, visit Recreation.gov.
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