The Wave, Coyote Buttes North, Arizona

shniks

Hi all,

I have been lucky to win the lottery to visit 'The Wave' in Arizona more than once. This permit only hike, leads to beautiful sandstone formations in Coyote Buttes North - CBN lies around 2 hours from Zion National Park, in the Vermillion Cliffs National Monument, Arizona. Here are a few images at 'The Wave' from my trips there. Since one cannot camp overnight, I usually start my hike very early in the morning on the day of my permit - before 2 AM. Arizona has some of the darkest skies which makes for awesome photos. Once at the formation, I spend time taking night shots and then just soaking in the solitude. When the sun rises, I usually stay at The Wave for a couple of hours and then head up to 'Top Rock' to check out the other features. Ironically, a lot of folks that win a permit to hike to 'The Wave' just take some photos at the formation and head back - without realizing how much more there is to see.

Only 64 people or 16 groups (whichever comes first) are allowed daily. Of these, 48 people or 12 groups (whichever comes first) are chosen via an online lottery, 4 months in advance. 16 people or 4 groups (whichever comes first), are chosen via a walk-in lottery held in Kanab, Utah, for the following day's hike. A group comprises of 1 or more persons. So the maximum number of balls for the lottery drawn, is 4 (for the walk-in). Thus if each "group" comprises of only 1 person, then only 4 people will go the following day (even though 16 could have technically gone)

For the permits, as mentioned, you can either apply online or via the walk-in lottery, held the day before the day you want to hike (in Kanab, Utah at 9 AM local time). For the online lottery you can go to https://www.recreation.gov/permits/274309

Thanks for checking out the photos - I highly recommend trying out for these permits. That area is gorgeous (actually all of GSENM and Vermillion Cliffs is gorgeous).

All photos with my Nikon D850, Nikon 14-24, Nikon 16mm FE, Nikon 70-200 E Fl.

Cheers,

denisegoldberg

Wow, these are awesome!
It's hard to choose but I think my favorites are the first and last photos.

Juano

Beautiful set! Well done.

black mamba

Very nice work. The third shot, blown up big, would be dramatic.

kdog

Terrific set, Nikhil. How nice to have gotten there is so different conditions. I agree with black mamba that the 3rd shot is particularly awesome.

grimace

Beautiful series of images.