Hiking the Wave at North Coyote Buttes, AZ

After two attempts, I finally won the lottery permit to hike The Wave at North Coyote Buttes, Arizona. One more place that it would be out of my bucket list out of many. Thousands of people apply for the permit every year from all over the world, a very hard to get permit. You can either apply in person at the Bureau of Land Management located in Kanab, Utah, or you can do it at their site. Only 20 permits allowed per day, 10 given in person and 10 through the online lottery. You can apply for up to six people at a time, but you get better chances if you are a smaller group; in my case, just me. You pay $5 to apply and if you are one of the lucky ones who get it, you will pay $7 for the permit. During the application you can choose three dates that you would like to hike the area, it gives you more chances to win, but you need to do it four months ahead of time. The winners of the lottery would be drawn and each he will get a congratulating email.

The week before my hike, I injured my lower back and my ankle at work. I was really disappointed and concerned to do the hike, but I had to do it, I will never know if I could ever get this permit again. So I went to a chiropractor to alleviate my pain, and help me do the hike. I live in Sedona, Arizona, the drive to Kanab area where the trail is located is about 4 hours drive, and my chiropractor suggested that I would stop every hour to stretch, and wished me luck. I was able to get to the location in one piece, I was a bit scared due to the hike difficulties for even a healthy person with no injury, imagine with injuries. I had to carry bottles of water on my backpack, you need to have enough for the full hike, and manage well to cover the round trip. This was another concern for my back and ankle injuries, the heavy weight of the bottles of water on my back, especially during climbing. I bought a hiking stick that saved me from getting more injuries, and gave me strength to climb the difficult areas. The beginning climb and the last part near The Wave are the worst, be prepared for a lot sand, and slick rocks. There are no restrooms nearby, the area is kept as is, and you have to find any place to relieve yourself. One of my friends, out of concern from my injuries, got me a GoGirl device to help on that lol. It had no use because of the extreme heat still felt at the end of April, your body keeps all the water to protect you as it can against dehydration. For the first time in my life, I didn’t need to use a restroom for over 6 hours after drinking bottles of water. I was so emotional when I finally reached The Wave that I couldn't even produce tears, but I sure was crying.

Since The Wave is a hard place to get to and easy to get lost in, I hired a tour guide to take me there which I recommend to anyone for safety purposes. Many times people get stranded, get lost, injured, or die on the trail. A couple months after my hike there, a Belgian man died due to dehydration, he got confused and lost himself from his son, sadly. A married couple in their sixties adventured themselves, the Lady broke her ankle on he slick rocks right next to the climb to reach The Wave top. The husband was lucky to see a tour guide from a distance, and he had one of the satellite cells phones, and called 911 to the nearest city in Page, Arizona. A helicopter was able to reach the area before dark to rescue them. Since it is a very remote area with no trail, they would probably have died there, if he tried to look for help going back, he would possibly get lost on an unmarked trail and she would be alone with her injury, facing the chance to encounter wild animals like coyotes, rattlesnakes, etc. Don’t ever try to go during the hottest months of the year from June to August. The best months are usually March, April, May, October, and November. December through February can be too cold near the Utah area, and with the usual high amounts of snow makes the drive and hike there more difficult. The Bureau of Land Management only gives you a small map and shows some pictures of main areas. There is no trail, and they keep that way to protect the area. I saw some people leaving ribbons on bushes to create a trail on the way there, but the rangers had taken all out by the time I came back. The hike from Wire Pass Trailhead to The Wave is about 5 miles round trip, and you have to make sure you bring enough water since the place is very hot most of the year, plus it is a very strenuous hike. I only found one small tree with a tiny shaded area to stop for a minute. The first mile, I was already exhausted with the heat. Luckily my tour guide had some ice still in his backpack to put in my head, so I could cool off a little. Make sure you have comfortable shoes, and don’t bring too much weight on your backpack. I brought a heavy camera too and it made my hike a little difficult. Also, think about your health conditions and be prepared for any situation since you are in a desert area with barely any cell phone signal. I only had a signal when I reached The Wave in specific spots. If an emergency occurs, it is hard to reach someone, unless you have a satellite cell phone like my tour guide had, another reason to hire a guide. A tour guide doesn’t need to be added to the permit, they already have their company yearly permit. Also, the House Rock Valley Road to access the Wirepass Trailhead can be difficult in bad weather, it is all sandy dirt road and the guide always uses a 4x4 truck for safety. I do not recommend driving yourself.

The Wave is a stunning exotic place, and I didn’t regret taking all the risks to see it. It is totally worth it, and unforgettable. The area is located at the Vemillions Cliffs, and I also was able to hike the south part of it this year, the South Coyote Buttes which were more magnificent than The Wave. It will be a story for another travel article soon. If you are interested in hiking The Wave, apply at BLM site ahead of time with good planning. Wishing you luck to get the permit, and make sure you are get in and out of there safely.