The Wave is a sandstone rock formation located in Arizona, US, near its northern border with Utah. The formation is situated on the slopes of the Coyote Buttes in the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness of the Colorado Plateau.
The formation is well-known among hikers and photographers for its colorful, undulating forms and the difficult hike required to reach it. Due to the fragile nature of the formation and the large number of people wishing to visit it, only 20 people are allowed to visit The Wave each day, with 10 chosen in an online lottery four months in advance and the other 10 picked in this daily 9 a.m. lottery. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management limits access to protect The Wave’s delicate red sandstone formation and to prevent overcrowding at the designated wilderness site.
The average time it takes to hike to the Wave is 90 minutes. People who are fit and hike a lot say this is a hike of moderate difficulty. There are stretches of soft sand and an elevation gain of about 500 feet. There are a few steep hills, loose footing, and for at least a third of the hike, you will be hiking on uneven sandstone with one foot higher than the other while you hug the side of a steep sandstone ridge.
Visitors who have knee or hip injuries sometimes complain about the awkwardness of the uneven ground. The elevation is roughly 5,000 feet and some hikers, particularly those who live at sea level, report getting out of breath faster or feeling less energetic because of the higher elevation. A hike to the Wave requires some amount of cardio fitness, strength, endurance, and good balance.
If you aren’t confident in your physical ability or you have little experience wayfinding on unmarked trails, a guide is probably a good idea. Not only will a guide keep you safe, but stress will also be eliminated so you can enjoy your once-in-a-lifetime hike. A guide will make the trek more efficient; you won’t waste time and energy wandering around trying to find the formations.
According to dreamlandtours.net; en.wikipedia. Source of photos: internet
