SOUTH COYOTE BUTTES
The Wave's Sister Tour
or Book Online below
(435) 689 2182
TOUR ESSENTIALS
Permit is required, check BLM Permits
Scheduled Departure:
Daily, All year-round, Flexible Departure Time
Participants: Minimum 3
Terrain: No marked trails, deep sand, slick rock
Distance: 3 to 6 miles
Duration: 7 to 9 hours (full-day tour)
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Price: $220 per person
(half-price for children under 12)
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
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Surreal scenery of multicolored sandstone carved into countless strange shapes
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Ideal photographer's playground to experiment with light, colors and shapes
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A gem on par with The Wave!
TOUR DESCRIPTION
South Coyote Buttes is a beautiful sister to North Coyote Buttes, albeit less known than The Wave. South Coyote Buttes is spectacular in its own right: it comprises an area much larger than The Wave with more diversity in colors and geological formations. You will step into into a fairyland of strangely shaped and colored rocks: domes, arches, beehive shaped hills and eroded layers of sandstone as delicate as lace.
Paw Hole, in the southwest corner of South Coyote Buttes has incredible sandstone fins with red hues on one side and verdigris (from lichens) on the other. You will also admire thousands of sweeping cross-bedding planes (layers of sandstone inclined in various angles to the main stratification) that flow all around the corners. Cottonwood Cove has a huge variety of whimsical formations, some of them looking like multi-colored sand castles. The landscape in Cottonwood Cove can change in character between the early morning and the late afternoon light, making it the perfect place for photographers to experiment and create visually unique works of art.
This area of the Vermilion Cliffs is very remote and hard to get to. Don't even attempt to drive on these rough and sandy back roads in your rental car. The local tow service, while friendly, will cost you a lot. The great diversity of the area allows for flexible hike lengths, from focused walks to longer loops that will satiate even the most jaded photographers! Hiking in South Coyote Buttes requires a permit but it is usually easier to obtain than for The Wave in North Coyote Buttes (for more details, check the section on BLM Permits).
If you don't draw a permit for The Wave, don't miss out on the other 3/4 of Coyote Buttes!
For further practical information on our tours, please check our Planning Tips.