Last week my wife Claudia, our two dogs (Sparky and Sami), and I hiked out to the “World-Famous” Wave on the Arizona-Utah border in the Paria Canyon-Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness area west of Page, Arizona. The Wave is absolutely amazing and meets or exceeds any expectations that you might already have.
Even better, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) who manages the area, limits the number of people who can hike out to The Wave each day. This assures you of a pristine experience. Otherwise, the place could easily be overrun by tour groups and people who are clearly not prepared for a rugged desert hike.
Although rugged, the hike is quite doable by someone who is already very active and is familiar with desert backcountry hiking. But it is way more of a hike than what you would expect in a seven-mile adventure.
Although the vertical profile is greatly exaggerated, the GPS Profile does show that there are a lot of climbs and descents on the hike. The actual Wave formation is at the highest point.
To obtain a hiking permit, you need to apply four months in advance at Recreation.gov. (That is, if you want to go in November, you must apply in July.) The formal name for a permit is Coyote Buttes North Advance Lottery (The Wave). Your application will then be subject to a lottery on the first day of the following month. I tried several times before winning the lottery. I know some people who have tried way more times than me and are still waiting to win.
The BLM will mail the actual permit and a picture map to you before your permit date. Make sure that your permit is attached to your pack and readily visible. There are rangers checking for permits – even during a government shutdown. And the fine for violations can be as much as $100,000!
This is a photo of the picture map that you’ll use to navigate to The Wave.
The hike begins at the Wire Pass Trailhead on House Rock Valley Road, a little over eight miles south of U.S. Highway 89 in Utah. House Rock Valley Road is unpaved and, when dry, can be driven by a normal higher clearance SUV. It can be impassible during bad weather. We had no problems when we drove on it last week.
As for the hike itself, there is no formal trail. There is a path near the start of the hike, but it disappears once you start walking on the sandstone slickrock. There are a couple of markers along the way, but for the most part you need to follow the landmarks on your BLM picture map. If you have a GPS (and know how to use it) there are GPS coordinates for the landmarks. You will occasionally see other hikers and footprints in the sand to guide you along the way.
Many people do hire guides to get them out to The Wave and back. If you want a guide, the BLM has a list of certified guides that can be added to your permit without any violations. We did not hire a guide.
Most of your hike will be on sandstone slickrock or over sand dunes. Since you will be hiking up and down steep slickrock, make sure your hiking boots or shoes have good traction. Some of the ups and downs can be very precarious! And if you use walking sticks or a hiking pole, make sure that they have rubber tips. Otherwise, bring sufficient water and provisions as you would for any rugged hike.
But most of all be prepared to be WOWED at every turn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Wave and the surrounding area is FANTASTIC!
After you leave the path, you’ll be climbing up and over slickrock sandstone ridges.
When you cross that first ridge, you’ll be in a red rock wonderland.
The rest of your adventure will be filled with awesome sights like this.
Some of the sand dunes were covered with red bark manzanita shrubs.
We even took some time to explore a slot canyon before making the final climb to The Wave.
We couldn’t go much further than the final slot up ahead.
When we exited the slot canyon diversion, we made a right-hand turn and climbed up to The Wave.
Our approach to The Wave!
Inside The Wave. As you can see, there was a pond of water inside The Wave. If you look beyond, you can see that there is more to explore including a natural arch high up above. For us this was our turn-around point.
Just another view!
Leaving The Wave.
The great thing about hiking back to your car is that you get to go through this wonderful scenery again!
You do run into few other hikers along way, but not many. The experience could not be better!
And after a few more climbs, you’ll be back to your starting point.
I hope I have given you a glimpse of what it is like to hike to The Wave. I could included more photos, but I think there is enough to give you an idea. And just be grateful for digital photography, or you could spend over $100 in film and processing!
November 19, 2025 at 8:42 am
Thank you for sharing these pictures from your grand adventure, Dave! So spectacular! I’m looking up the geological explanation of the Wave right now.
November 16, 2025 at 9:34 pm
Winning the lottery for The Wave (on my 3rd try) was one of the luckiest moments of my life!! Yes, insanely magical area. I’ll probably never win another lottery to go back, but my gosh, am I happy I was there once!