How to Get to The Wave in Arizona – Driving & Hiking Directions

The Wave Arizona is a world-class hiking and photography location. Its wavy sandstone structure, layered and worn away by millions of years of wind and rain, has made it a one-of-a-kind destination. If you are lucky enough to see it in person, you will never forget its one-of-a-kind beauty. In this post, I will explain how to get to The Wave in Arizona, including driving and step-by-step hiking directions.

Assuming you have already won an advanced lottery or daily permit to hike The Wave in Arizona, the next step is getting there.

Do you still need to score some permits? Read more on How to Win a Daily Lottery Permit to Hike the Wave in Arizona.

Step-by-step directions on how to get to The Wave in Arizona

Be Sure to Have Your Permits

If you have won a daily permit, you must go to either the Kanab, UT, or Page, AZ, pick-up office for your mandatory safety briefing. At this safety briefing, they will give you detailed instructions with pictures that you can view showing you how to get there step by step. The trail is primarily rock, so it’s easy to get lost as the trail is sometimes not visible like it would be on soil or sand. So, you must rely on identifying certain landmarks to get there.

It reminds me of the movie The Land Before Time when Little Foot is told to

“Travel westwards towards the Great Rock that looks like a longneck, past the Mountains that Burn.”

Before he and his other prehistoric herbivore friends reach the lush and plentiful Great Valley!”

Okay, let’s get back to the 2020’s…and how to get to The Wave.

Driving Directions to The Wave in Arizona

If you are coming from Kanab, UT, head East on Highway 89 for about 40 miles until you reach House Rock Valley Road. If you are coming from Page, AZ, head West on Highway 89 to House Rock Valley Road.

The turn-off to House Rock Valley Road is hard to see but is off the highway right before (or after if coming from Page) a sharp S turn in the highway. It’s a dirt road, so you must ensure you have a 4-wheel drive vehicle and enough clearance to make it through more treacherous off-road weather conditions when the occasion arises. Once you reach House Rock Valley Road, you will drive south for about 8.3 miles (about 20-25 minutes) until you reach the Wire Pass Trailhead parking lot.

Step-by-Step Hiking Directions to The Wave in Arizona

Once you have reached the Wire Pass Trailhead, you will want to park, place your parking permit on the dashboard, use the restrooms, and sign into the guestbook. They check this daily, and you must sign out of the guest at the end of the day after you are done, or the park rangers WILL come looking for you.

Here is an aerial view of the trail to The Wave from Wire Pass Trailhead Parking Lot:

Step 1

Cross House Rock Valley Rd. and start left down Coyote Wash. If you stay on this trail, it will take you to Buckskin Gulch, but you want to head right up the Coyote Buttes Trail about ½ mile in. There is a sign-off to the right that says Coyote Buttes North and permit holders only. You better have a permit at this point because park rangers monitor it, and they do have trail cams.

Step 2

Leave the wash and head up the path. It’s dirt at this point so the trail is easy to follow still. You will reach point 2, and then you will need to look for the small saddle. It is up on Sandstone Ridge. Continue following the path and cross the far side of the ridge using the small saddle opening. Be careful here because this is where people can start to get lost.

Step 3

Once you cross Sandstone Ridge through the Small Saddle, you will see the Teepees straight in front of you. Stay to the right, close to the mountain’s rocky shelf as you make your way to Twin Buttes.

Step 4

As you make your right along the right of the trail, the Twin Buttes will begin to come into view. You will want to head to the right of the Twin Buttes, making sure to always keep the TeePees off to the left.

Step 5

Once you pass the Twin Buttes, you will see the dark vertical crevice in the white rock formation off in the distance. It looks a lot like a “butt crack.” Keep your eyes on the vertical crevice because The Wave Arizona is literally right below this rock formation. Keep to the right of the rocks and head towards the vertical crevice.

Step 6

You will get closer to the dark vertical crevice by walking on tops of rocks and sandy patches before you cross over Sand Cove Wash and then head up the sand dunes. Hint: Walk in a zigzag pattern when heading up the sand dunes to prevent from sliding down as much. Climb the hill until you reach the top and follow another short wash over to the south entrance of The Wave.

 

Travel Town Tips

• Take Photos: Take photos at each stopping point so you know how to get back. You can find your next landmark and then turn around and take a picture of where you came from. If all else fails, stay on the left on the way back, which will get you most of the way back to the small saddle.
• Keep Backpack Closed: Avoid leaving your backpack open because little critters know you have food and want to eat it.
• Check out Other Sites: Be sure to check out other amazing locations around the site of The Wave. You can read about these additional sites in my other post, How to Win Daily Permits to the Wave.

Conclusion

Hiking to the Wave in Arizona is a very rewarding experience, but knowing How to Get to The Wave in Arizona safely is even more important. Do you have any other tips when you hiked to The Wave? If so, leave them in the comments below.