All the Sights that People Miss at The Wave

I was trying to think of a good title for this that would make people watch, but I just can't do those click baitey titles. But people go to the Wave and they only visit The Wave. More and more, people are going up to Melody Arch and the Alcove, which are incredible. Melody Arch is actually my favorite spot in Coyote Buttes North. Even moreso than the Wave. But here's the thing; it is HARD to get a permit to Coyote Buttes North. So if you get one, you should get the full experience. The Wave is considered a Bucket List hike and it lives up to those expectations. But if you combine all of the other features around the Wave, it's even more incredible. And it's easy to visit all these places in a single day.

So when we unexpectedly won permits recently, I decided I wanted to see all of those spots I didn't know about before. I'll let the video show them to you, but here they are, listed in order with GPS coordinates (*may not be exact. Double check online and on Google Earth):

The Wave 36.99591,112.00633
Ginger Rock 36.99745, 112.00548
Big Mac/Hamburger Rock 36.98954, 112.00195
Melody Arch/The Grotto 36.99103, 112.00555
The Alcove 36.99201, 112.00577
Top Rock Arch 36.99366, 112.0051 Access has some exposure and may deter some people
Sand Cove 36.99249, 112.0113
The Boneyard 36.99552, 112.01308
Dino Tracks 36.99925, 112.00988
High Heel Arch 37.01036, 112.01648 This area is difficult to find and not exactly a fun hike. There are a few other arches in the area, but we did not have time to visit them all. We had wayfinding difficulties so I do not want to put details here on how to get there. I don't want to send people in the wrong directions. Explore this only if you are experienced with wayfinding and off trail hiking.

Even with all of this, we didn't see everything there is to offer. So if you're lucky enough to get permits, plan a full day and explore the area. There is so much to see.

Also, I promise I'll stop getting Wave permits for a while and give you all a chance. I have no idea how we've been so lucky. For this one, I was bummed about my shoulder surgery and applied out of the blue for the online lottery because I wanted something positive to look forward to...and I won. So if you're struggling with getting permits, just keep trying. And if you don't win, there are a lot of amazing places in that area you can still explore like White Pocket, Wire Pass/Buckskin Gulch, Coyote Buttes South and much more.

Music by Epidemic Sound:
Cain Lo Mimieux

Music by Artlist:
Ella Joy Meir On the Wings of a Butterfly
Brooklyn Classical II Allemande
Stephen Keech A Long Awaited Celebration
ANBR Dawning
Jonathan Guerstein Drops from Nature
Brooklyn Classical Fur Elise Beethoven
OP Baron Cherry Pie Rag