The Wave

Ronstar

Ronstar

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Anyone ever been to The Wave in Arizona?

https://www.thewave.info

I just registered in the lottery to get the chance to go. For early March 2024. Site says there is a 6 mile round trip hike to get there. Unmarked trail. Difficult. Entrance road to trailhead can be rough in winter, etc, etc.

Just wondering if any folks here have been there and what your experiences were.
 
Ronstar said:
Thanks!



Thanks - I'll check them out. I'm a little concerned that some in our party may have some problems with the hike to The Wave
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6.7 miles with 1200’ of elevation gain. You need to be in decent shape. I also understand the trail is a bit ambiguous.
 
It looks amazing, but I gotta agree with Audrey. I am close to my expiration date, and I don’t want it to be reached in the Arizona desert.
 
HawkOwl said:
It looks amazing, but I gotta agree with Audrey. I am close to my expiration date, and I don’t want it to be reached in the Arizona desert.
Click to expand...

Amazing indeed, but I was delighted with the pictures I got in Antelope Canyon a couple of years ago, and that's an easy one for anyone to make. You have to draw the line somewhere, and needing to enter a lottery just for a chance to go there seems a bit much for me.
 
COcheesehead said:
6.7 miles with 1200’ of elevation gain. You need to be in decent shape. I also understand the trail is a bit ambiguous.
Click to expand...

I've done 4 hour hikes in AZ on mountain trails with half that gain, and that's about the edge of my comfort level - in my 50's.
 
If you Google it, there are places similar to the wave that do not require near the effort or the lottery. The Wave is one of those Instagram famous places.
 
braumeister said:
Amazing indeed, but I was delighted with the pictures I got in Antelope Canyon a couple of years ago, and that's an easy one for anyone to make. You have to draw the line somewhere, and needing to enter a lottery just for a chance to go there seems a bit much for me.
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Yes, maybe we’ll do Antelope Canyon one day.
 
audreyh1 said:
Yes, maybe we’ll do Antelope Canyon one day.
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We did Upper Antelope Canyon last month. No stairs except for a long ramp coming back. easy peasy.


My suggestion - knowing that you're a photographer - would be to book a 2+ canyon tour. Your group will be smaller - since most want to see only one canyon. Also, other canyons - owl etc - allow tripods.
 
COcheesehead said:
6.7 miles with 1200’ of elevation gain. You need to be in decent shape. I also understand the trail is a bit ambiguous.
Click to expand...

Hmmm. 2 Couples going. DW, me, DW cousin and her DW. He had a problem with a 4 mile 1200' vertical hike we did a few years ago. I don't think he has hiked since.

I read that the trail is ambiguous and that some people set out on a hike to the wave but never find it. But I have GPS, maps, compass and a lot of navigation experience - finding it will be no problem if we can handle the physical part.
 
We were there in May. We passed on it for reasons stated in this thread.

But similar formations available at Valley of Fire State Park outside of Vegas.
 
Ronstar said:
Hmmm. 2 Couples going. DW, me, DW cousin and her DW. He had a problem with a 4 mile 1200' vertical hike we did a few years ago. I don't think he has hiked since.

I read that the trail is ambiguous and that some people set out on a hike to the wave but never find it. But I have GPS, maps, compass and a lot of navigation experience - finding it will be no problem if we can handle the physical part.
Click to expand...

I just did a 1200’ gain, 5 Mille hike near us. My Apple Watch tells me I am in the highest category for aerobic activity. I made the hike without issue. I did experience “issues” for the next couple days afterward.:LOL:
 
DH and I were just discussing this the other day. We would both like to do this hike sometime in the next year or two, so I'd be very interested to hear any updates Ronstar. We have done Antelope Canyon which was indeed beautiful, but not very strenuous. There are a few AZ/Utah hikes that we still want to do while we are physically able, particularly the Wave and Havasupai Falls. Coyote Buttes South is also supposed to be spectacular, so that's an option if you don't win the lottery.

This was a really good blog post I found about the logistics of entering the lottery, etc.: https://www.anytraveltips.com/travel-listing/wave-arizona
For those concerned about the Wave (Coyote Buttes North) trail being too ambiguous, this site does mention the Coyote Buttes South can be hiked with a guided tour.

(Mods, feel free to remove that link if posting links is not allowed)
 
DW and I went in 2014. If I recall correctly, near the beginning, after some distance (1/2 mile?) where you need to leave Coyote Wash to continue on the trail can be easily missed but only if you’re not paying attention. You will receive a pretty good map from the BLM station in Kanab once you show up to claim your spot.
Also the approach into the wave is small and not visible from just a few hundred feet away. But there should be enough foot prints around there to lead you.
Once you’re in the Wave, it’s only a small area. Be sure to walk up above the wave and take photos looking down to emphasize the steep sandstone walls surrounding the depression that is the wave.
The elevation gain was not memorable as it was very gradual. March temps should be very pleasant compared to when we did it at end of August. It was in the low 90s.
To leave out any route finding fun or anxiety, download Google Maps of that area beforehand. I always carry a Garmin GPS just in case. It saved my ass a few times.
 
Ronstar said:
Hmmm. 2 Couples going. DW, me, DW cousin and her DW. He had a problem with a 4 mile 1200' vertical hike we did a few years ago. I don't think he has hiked since.
Click to expand...

I assume that win or lose the Wave lottery, hiking will be on your agenda during this trip. Some pre-trip training, i.e. long (4-6miles) walks around the neighborhood/local parks, will make for a more enjoyable trip for all of you.

We did not have tickets for the Wave, so DW and I hiked Wire Slot and Buckskin Gulch just to the north in 12/2021. 6miles, 350' elevation gain. Very pretty, but not the Wave :(
 
walkinwood said:
We did Upper Antelope Canyon last month. No stairs except for a long ramp coming back. easy peasy.


My suggestion - knowing that you're a photographer - would be to book a 2+ canyon tour. Your group will be smaller - since most want to see only one canyon. Also, other canyons - owl etc - allow tripods.
Click to expand...

Yeah.

We noticed trips offered to Antelope Canyon plus Horseshoe Bend I think from Sedona which we visit in April. But it looks like a grueling long day starting at 6:30am and late return. I decided rather than eat up a whole Sedona day we’ll have to include Page in another future trip.
 
COcheesehead said:
I just did a 1200’ gain, 5 Mille hike near us. My Apple Watch tells me I am in the highest category for aerobic activity. I made the hike without issue. I did experience “issues” for the next couple days afterward.:LOL:
Click to expand...
We did a 1300’ elevation gain, 2.5 miles in and 2.5 miles return hike from Telluride this past summer, so already starting at 8750 feet. It was pretty grueling at that altitude and we had forest shade much of the time and cooler weather. We had to deliberately walk slower to keep our heart rates from getting too high.
 
Thanks everyone for the Wave info and alternatives. I'm developing a plan that includes Coyote Buttes South and both Antelope Canyons in addition to The Wave. If we fail to get in to the Wave via the advance lottery, we can register for the daily lottery for the Wave while we in the area visiting the other sites. The Page area is in the Geofence area where one can register for the daily lottery.
 
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