south coyote buttes

For the sheer drama of the extensive rock formations with stunning, contrasting colours and amazing shapes this was one of the highlights of our trip to the South West. It's hard to imagine that the nearby and more famous Wave could have been more breathtaking. We were very grateful that we had opted to use a guide to ensure we reached the best areas without getting stuck in the sand, as others had clearly done. Our guide from Dreamland Safari Tours in Kanab, which we contacted once we had obtained our permit, was knowledgable about the geology of the area, as you would expect. He drove us from a meeting point on the main road for about an hour into White Pocket, for which a permit is not needed. After exploring White Pocket on foot for about 1.5 hours he then drove us into two other sections for which the permit was required. He also provided water and food for the day's trip which lasted a whole day. We were a small group of four, which was ideal for this remote area where the permit system meant that we saw very few other people.Our photographs of this remarkable area are the most impressive of our entire trip.

If you can't swing a permit to The Wave, don't despair. Get one to South Coyote Buttes instead. The place is a photographer's dreamland. Also, hook up with a touring company; otherwise you'll get lost and/or stuck. Can't emphasize that enough. Glad I followed advice on Tripadvisor and didn't risk it.

Stunning scenery, sand-blasting windsWe explored this area on November 10, 2014 when friends were successful in the lottery draw for $5/person permits, giving us the right to hike and photograph the Cottonwood Cove formation in South Coyote Buttes. Only 20 hikers per day are allowed to enter this desert wilderness region, known for formations comparable to the popular Wave, but nowhere near as accessible. We also hiked around the near-by White Pocket formation, which does not require a permit.Since our friends have a 4-wheel drive and live in Arizona part-time, we intended to research the driving and hiking routes carefully, then explore the South Coyote Buttes formation independently. As the departure date grew closer and our research deepened (thanks Trip Advisor reviewers), we decided to ditch that plan in favor of hiring a guide and driver from Kanab-based Dreamland Safari Tours. Considering our collective decades of traveling and hiking, it was one of the best decisions we have ever made. Not only did we erase risk of an $800 towing bill from the sandy, rock-strewn one-hour drive to reach the formation, as well as the very real possibility of getting lost in the Paria Canyon wilderness, we learned a lot from Dan, our local Dreamland Safari guide, and focused our energy on hiking and photography rather than navigation and other safety issues.This accolade does not mean to say that we lacked challenges. Who knew that on this perfect, blue-sky day, with comfortable, moderate temperatures, the wind would achieve gale-force velocity, driving sand into our scalps, ears, hiking boots and cameras, whipping our hair around our faces, rendering our voices faint, and challenging our sense of balance more than a few times. Yet, it was still do-able, thanks to the knowledge and expertise of our guide. So why did we carry on? When you have a permit, you have only one day to use it, so we four seniors (in our early 60s and 70s) elected to go for it. We not only survived, we thrived, and here’s our top 10 recommendations based on our experience.10. Hire a guide and driver. The roads in are rough, rocky, sandy and subject to change on a daily, if not hourly basis. Even with GPS, navigation is a real challenge for those unfamiliar with the area.9. Invest in a really good pair of trekking poles for each hiker, such as those manufactured by Leki. They will lend stability, balance and confidence as you cross windy gaps and traverse steep ledges here and elsewhere in Arizona canyons or mountainous regions.8. Wear vibram-soled hiking boots so that you can safely descend slick rock slopes. Short gators will help keep your boots from filling with sand as mine did throughout the day.7. If your hair reaches beyond your eye-brows, bring a bandanna or hair-band to keep it out of your eyes and camera lens during windy conditions.6. Wrap-around sun-glasses will help protect your eyes from sun and sand-blasts.5. Well-fitted, tie-down hats with wide brims are better than base-ball caps during windy weather.4. Small, digital cameras are easier to use and quicker to capture photos than their more sophisticated counterparts when the wind is howling.3. Hone your sense of humor, which will help you adjust, have fun and get the most out of challenging or unexpected conditions.2. Know that It is nearly impossible to take a bad picture at either the Cottonwood Cove or White Pocket formations.1. Hire a guide and driver. You will see more, learn more and worry less.

Like most who go to the South Coyote Buttes, we had tried for the Wave lottery, and didn't get in, so we opted to go to the south to capture the similar rock formation. On the day we "won" the lottery for the south, we were only 2 couples that applied. We did not go as part of a tour group and had to do a lot of the planning ourselves. This included reading a lot of websites on the area and saving GPS coordinates of interesting sites. The south buttes do not have as much information as the Wave so you will have to chart your own course. They advise you to have a 4X4 vehicle to drive right up to the Paw Hole entrance due to sandy road conditions. As we didn't want to risk it with our vehicle (AWD), we parked at the Lone Tree lot (marked with a sign). The Lone Tree entrance is about 16 miles from Hwy 69 on a dirt road that took us about 45 minutes to cover. From the Lone Tree entrance, we hiked the 2.5 miles to Paw Hole. This took us about 45 minutes, mostly because you are trekking in sand and your feet sink and you keep digging out. Manageable if you are reasonably fit, but still tiring. So with this hike, we didn't plan to be in the Buttes for very long (2-4 hrs) as we would need to hike back to the car. For gear/food/water, we are not big time hikers so our gear was quite simple. Running shoes (although these let in sand on the mesh), about 2 litres of water each (temps were a comfortable 72 degrees), sun screen, long sleeve clothes for sun protection, snacks and the car GPS. For ladies, plastic bag and wipes/toilet paper as you don't want to leave any trash behind. We also had our cellphones using a compass app (no cell reception), and a Garmin watch which I saved the coordinates for the Paw Hole entrance so that we could navigate back in the event we got disoriented inside the buttes. There are no trails, and footprints are in all directions so its really up to you to chart your own route. That day we met one other guy there who was leaving when we arrived. Otherwise we were solo in the Paw Hole area. The entrance to the cliffs is through a cow fence (I guess its fenced off so cows don't go in?) We hiked along the cliffs towards the north-east direction then headed east inside the cliffs and made our way south and back to the entrance. The sand makes hiking tiring so we didn't cover as much ground as one would if the surface was gravel or rock only. There were so many interesting curves, waves and rock formations that time flew with taking photos and absorbing the views. Make sure you look behind as sometimes you see something you hadn't noticed before. The wind at times picked up and we were quite sandy (eyes, hair, ears, camera gear etc.) We left before sun down in order to make the trek back to the car and drive the gravel road to the highway. Overall it was definitely a unique experience and if we had more time, we could have seen more like the Cottonwood area which is accessed along a different route. Next time Arizona!!

This is just another wow factor area (permit needed)out of kanab UT. took the tour with Grand Circle Tours with Kyle in Oct. 2014. Spectacular scenery, beautiful photo ops. and a stunning reminder of the incredible force of nature over thousands of years. A must see area. My sister and I totally enjoyed this area. Kyle was very attentive to what my sister and I wanted to see and do. I was very ill that day, but Kyle was awesome totally taking his time and constantly asking how I was doing. I had to sit down for a little time , so Kyle took my camera and took photos for me. I had to shorten my tour about 2 hrs, but he had no problem with that and even found an easier way to get me back to the car. Txs Kyle

This is a fantasy land of sandstone in twisted shapes and glorious colors. It requires a permit to visit but if you are nimble the online permit is much easier to get than for The Wave. You don't need to be in great shape for this intermediate hike but there is uphill walking in deep sand and over slickrock with some ledges. The hike is unmarked and through open desert so try to do it in the cooler months and even then take plenty of water. If you are not comfortable in open, unmarked desert or do not have a high clearance all-wheel drive vehicle, much needed, hire a guide. I used Dreamland Safari (see my review) whose guide kept me on trail, pointed out formations, went to scenic places where no one else seemed to be and carried lunch, extra water and emergency gear. I was fortunate to obtain a permit to The Wave. See my review.

This was our second visit to the Buttes. Our first visit, 2 years ago was a split day-doing White Pockets. This time we did a full day at both. We used a guide- Dreamland Safari. They were fantastic 2 years ago and again this year. Special thanks to Kurt for taking time for this encore tour. South coyote is magnificent, we also did the wave 2 years ago yet chose south coyote for the repeat visit. Use a guide-aside from hiking a wilderness without trails, the drive in is difficult.-access to the area requires navigating a deep sand trail-tire mark paths-not a dirt road.

We saw South Coyote Buttes and decided we don't even need to bother with the Wave. Germans made the Wave famous and now everyone competes for passes. SCB is fantastic!

I arranged a tour of White Pockets and South Coyote Buttes by Dreamland Safari Tours. Most spectacular scenery that you can imagine. Expensive, but worth every penny. Do not even consider driving yourself. Roads are nearly impassable.

Only visit this area if you have a 4x4 you won't get anywhere close in a regular car. But once you get there the scenery is spectacular. Like others have said the rock formations and the colouring are out of this world. The hiking is relatively easy if the sun isn't beating down, we were lucky as we had a fair amount of cloud cover. But whatever the weather a GPS is a good idea as it is pretty wild out there. Knowing you are very much alone there is one of the fascinations of being in South Coyote Buttes, but goes without saying weigh your backpack down with water and snacks. We got our permit online and as long as you are quick to apply you shouldn't have a problem receiving one. Well worth the trip.

Wow, must go again it was fantastic the trek was worth it, just remember to take enough water............................................................

Beautiful rock formations and sandstone coloring. Be ready for the sand, sand, sand and more sand. It's a foot deep and you need to be in good shape. Make sure to do your research of the area. There's quite a bit to do, but you need permits for the hiking in north and south Coyote Buttes, it really is necessary to protect the geology of the area for future generations. And don't forget your camera and plenty of memory cards. You'll be photographing from every angle.

This is one of my favorite areas to visit. We always camp at the campground on the UT/AZ border and spend a few days in the area. I have to echo what everyone else has written: you absolutely need a 4x4 in order to make it to the parking area for Coyote Buttes South. I'd also suggest carrying 2-3x the amount of water you think you will need, as the area can be quite extreme to the body, especially one that is not used to the heat. The sandstone formations are on par with those around the more popular Wave, but a bit rougher in appearance. One can easily spend an entire day hiking around the area. If you can't get a permit for the Wave, definitely keep this one in mind as an alternative, assuming you will have a 4x4 to get you there.

For those who have limited time and miss the lottery for the wave. I think a visit here is a much better option because the hike is easier to get here and the rock formations are much more varied then the wave. Now you NEED FOUR WHEEL DRIVE. Don't attempt to get here without it because its on sand and with all the cars that have passed thru have left deep ruts. When i did this trip i drove a regular 2000 4x4 jeep grand cherokee stock so you don't need it raised. When you get to the parking lot just head towards the tall twin spires, and if you don't feel like trying to scramble up the side just walk along the edge in a clockwise direction and you will find a flat opening leading into the inside. About the only other place that i felt was as interesting is the kumming stone forest in kunming, china.

Simply put, the rock formations at South Coyote Buttes are very unique in terms of both color and shape. The yellows, purples, and pinks add tremendously to the reds and whites that you see everywhere else. The wild, erratically curved shapes of the rock formations are unlike any others we saw at Zion, Bryce, Navajo Canyon, etc. As Seth, our tour guide with Dreamland Tours, told us - only a handful of people have ever seen these unbelievable rock formations of South Coyote Buttes, compared to those other tourist areas. We feel privileged to have had this opportunity. The pictures we have from here are the most amazing ones we took during our 8-day trip across southern Utah and northern Arizona.