After years of trying to apply for a permit, our group finally got picked! Highly recommend hiking…read moreat least once. I wouldn't do it again though, mainly because of how hard it was to get a permit. We visited in April and the weather was fantastic. It was actually freezing in the morning but as the sun rose, it warmed up to the point where we would sweat a little when hiking. I can't even imagine doing this in the summer but if you win the lottery then, make sure everyone brings plenty of water. To get to the trailhead, I'd recommend having a high-clearance vehicle, especially if it just recently rained. The road off of the freeway becomes unpaved and there are some ditches that can be flooded. Download an offline map of the trail and area for when you lose service. It gets spotty but you'll find reception every now and then. At the beginning, there are a couple of vault toilets. The trail itself is difficult to follow without an offline map. There's only a handful of signs pointing in a general direction. And until the Wave, we were pretty much the only people around. Considering only about 60 people are approved each day, it wasn't surprising, and honestly, kind of nice to be alone in nature. The Wave was everything we hoped for. We had clear, blue skies and that contrast with the red and orange rocks was beautiful. It looked exactly like the Windows background! There was even a pond further up with a ton of tadpoles. Besides the Wave, there's other neat waypoints to stop by but because we were tired, we didn't try for many of them. The only one we went out of our way for was the dinosaur tracks but it was anti-climatic. They just looked like larger chicken feet prints. Despite this hike being only about 6 miles round trip, it took pretty much the entire day. We stopped a lot to take pictures but also the landscape was difficult to hike. Lots of sand to walk through and lots of weird inclines to walk across, which kept our feet, knees, and legs at weird angles. There might have been easier pathways but as I said earlier, there's no clear indications of a trail. There was also a BLM worker at the Wave asking for the permit holders. If you hike without one and get caught, you'll get slapped with some steep fines. Drones are also not allowed!

My friend won the online lottery for the permit 4 months in advance but after talking to the…read moreranger, it seems that there's a good chance you can win the daily lottery since a lot of people cancel every day. It's easier if you have less people (like two people). Anyways, the orientation the day before was useful for weather and road conditions. The hike wasn't too bad, can be a bit steep in some parts but for the most part, not too much incline. It's moderate for the novice hiker but easy for an experienced hiker. For experienced hikers, probably can get to the Wave in 1 to 1.5 hours. For the inexperienced, it might take 2.5 to 3 hours. Either way, if you're planning to spend a lot of time at the Wave (some people take 2-3 hours for their extensive Instagram photoshoots haha), definitely go there early and spend all day there. I would definitely come back if I win the lottery!

This place is so underrated on social media--I only discovered it while randomly exploring the map…read more When I checked the Bureau of Land Management's website, I got even more confused because it mentioned that the dirt road requires an AWD and a high-clearance vehicle. As a national monument, I expected there to be an entrance ticket booth. I was traveling from Zion to Flagstaff. but this place was nowhere to be found the yelp map pointer we are taking you to a vista spot where later I realized you can see the whole vermillion from there in the distance. So how did I find it? I want to keep driving. And all the sudden I saw something stunning from the window... if there wasn't and a car parked there selling tribe souvenirs I wouldn't even know I could drive in there... It was a weekday and barely anyone there . The lady that was supposed to be selling the souvenirs was probably sleeping in the car and didn't bother to come out. I don't have high clearance vehicle , so I tried to park at a more flat area... but if you have high clearance vehicle, I think you can drive around all the rock formations without any problem. If not, you can also explore on foot!

Holy smokes, 280,000 acres! So much to see including a growing number of endangered California…read moreCondors. A lot of the condors are hatched and raised in a breeding program and then released. Although you can get some great shots from the main highway, most of the trails/roads you do need a high clearance vehicle/four wheel drive due to sand being so deep. Most of the roads are all dirt so be cautious if raining etc. if venturing in Coyote Buttes (the wave) you need a permit. Camping is allowed. While you could spend literal days here backpacking etc you still won't see it all. Take your time. I'm bummed we didn't see a condor or two. Maybe on our next trip.

Let me set the record straight, slot canyons are my jam! I will go anywhere there is an opportunity…read moreto walk, shimmy, or rappel into a slot canyon. I just think they are the most interesting Mother Nature created places to explore. We came here on a July 4th holiday with some friends of my husbands. The road out here can be rough in spots and does require a 4X4 to get out here, but we made it safely to the canyon. These slot canyons are located within the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in the beautiful state of Utah. This land is run by the BLM. Talk about beautiful! The canyon walls with their orange/red colored Navajo sandstone just envelopes you as you walk through this slot canyons. So many twists and turns with lots of crevices to peer or climb into. Be sure to pack plenty of water, sunscreen, good trail shoes (not Skechers HA! HA!), a hat and a small pack so you can move through the slot canyons comfortably. Both of these canyons are so worth the drive and the time. Most of all remember to Leave No Trace. Happy Adventuring!

We couldn't get into Peek-a-book Slot Canyon. The entrance is close to 15 feet up and a near…read morevertical approach in three pitches. The rock is slippery with just a hint of footholds. I probably could have gotten up, but don't think I could make it back down safely. The picture attached shows about 20 feet vertically. And not wanting to do Spooky I would have had to come back down that way. A long drive and a bit of a hot hike to find that out. There was a third slot canyon nearby that is easy to access, though not nearly as spectacular as, say, Antelope Canyon near Page, Arizona.

Sometimes, just sometimes, you should take an unexpected adventure!…read more My wife and I were on the tail end of a 7 day trip out West. We started in Las Vegas and migrated to Page, Arizona for the final 2 days. While there we decided to visit Marble Canyon. Something to know about me: I am a MAJOR planner, mostly because I never want to get home and discover I missed something I could have seen! However, in my plans I always allow for some good old fashion spontaneous exploration. Marble Canyon was not on my schedule, but I needed to make some last minute adjustments. My wife is not as passionate a hiker as I am and quite honestly I had exhausted ALL of her hiking grace! In my defense, I couldn't help myself. Arizona, Utah and Nevada are irresistible eye candy for Nature Lovers. Some places required very little hiking for euphoric scenery while many others required some endurance. I chose a solid mixture of the two leaning heavily on the easy side. But on this, the last day of our time in Page, Miss Thangs feet had reached their limit. My husbandly compromise was a drive along Vermillion Cliffs Scenic Highway. Most views could easily be seen from the car or roadside overlook, but to my surprise she remained open to a spontaneous hike IF we stumbled upon something worthy of the effort. Well, Cathedral Wash Canyon was such a hike. [ THE EXPERIENCE ] We had no idea how long of a hike it would be or what we would see, but the portion visible from the road made the decision to explore it an easy choice. We did not complete the entire 1.5 miles one way from the trailhead to the Colorado River. We only did about half that, but what we did hike was absolutely fantastic! The beautifully layered coloring and texture enveloped us like a warm hug. The young explorer inside me felt very much like Indiana Jones while the adult man on the outside relished in seeing this gorgeous creation with his wife and amazing friend of 25 years (27 together). When you love someone, it is an indescribable feeling to visually witnessing their eyes lite up as they experience new and wondrous things. Our ENTIRE trip had many moments like that, but especially everything we experienced on the drive from Vegas to Page. I honestly don't know how anyone can question if there is a God when you walk breathtaking creation with the love of your life by your side. Just beyond the midpoint we turned back as the canyon grew deeper and more rugged. Others returning from the end of the trail confirmed as much, but a video I found online made me wish we had continued. As spectacular as the portion we hiked looked, the second half was even more majestic and grand as the canyon grew deeper and its walls taller! I wish I had seen this video prior to our visit because I wouldn't have foolishly assumed the second half of the trail was the same as the beginning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxeiFOafJy8 [ PARKING & OTHER THINGS TO DO ] Parking is ample for about a dozen cars. The trail begins on the opposite side of the road from the actual slot canyon via a large drainage opening below Lees Ferry Road. Cost to enter Lees Ferry Road is $35/car at a self service kiosk. It was a cost that almost turned me away until a couple (OUT OF NOWHERE) pulled up beside our car and paid our entrance fee. Sound unbelievable? We couldn't believe it either! Also along this 5.5 mile road is BALANCED ROCK, PARIA BEACH, SPENCER TRAIL - a 4.4 mile hike to a spectacular overlook at the end of the road, and HISTORIC NAVAJO BRIDGE and Interpretive Center at the beginning. Nearby is BADGER CREEK CANYON, an erosion canyon near the start of the Grand Canyon complex. Be warned: it requires climbing gear and repelling skills. You need some expertise to navigate that trail because it is not for the casual hiker! [ FINAL THOUGHTS ] Whether you do the entire 3 miles round trip from the trailhead to the Colorado River or just the first half where the trail is easiest and flattest, CATHEDRAL WASH SLOT CANYON is sure to please. We encounter a young family with elementary school age children coming from the harder section unharmed, so I think its safe to say the entire trail is family friendly. ENJOY! 2023 / 6

My husband and I found this trail while driving along Lees Ferry Road in the Vermillion Cliffs…read morearea. We saw a few people hiking the canyon and decided to join the party. We didn't complete the entire trail which leads all the way to the Colorado River, but we did hike the majority of it up until it became more rugged and rough. We had done a lot of hiking during our vacation and honestly my feet were ready to fall off my body in protest. Still, the portion of the canyon we completed was an easy hike. Very picturesque with pretty rocks and interesting textures. The whole area reminded me of a layered sponge cake or Neapolitan ice cream. I actually got hungry walking the trail, lol

A pretty cool scenic spot that you can drive out too. The road is made of dirt and is quite bumpy…read more If you search "The New Wave" on google maps it'll take you to the exact location of this scenic point. You get views of the rock formations with a wavey like texture. Pretty cool stuff!

Amazing trip. A bit busier than when I travels there 7 years ago but still very secluded and…read moretranquil. Kayak the Colorado was accommodating and the guides were excellent. I would do this again and again

Shaun was so kind - I almost made a much bigger drive than necessary but he kindly informed me of…read morethe fallacy of my plans. Grateful for his service

There are places on this earth that don't feel entirely claimed by man where the air sits heavier,…read morewhere silence hums just a little too loud. Havasupai Falls is one of those places. Now listen I'm gonna tell you straight. You can hike it, sure. Strap on your pack, bake in that canyon heat, follow the mules and the dust like you're reenacting some pioneer tragedy. Or... you take the helicopter. Drop in like you've got better sense than the rest of 'em. Because when you're only staying a night, you don't waste half your trip pretending you enjoy suffering. You get there quick, boots on the ground, eyes wide open. And what waits for you... ain't normal. The water this unreal shade of blue, like someone spilled paint straight outta heaven itself cuts through red rock like it's been there since before memory had a name. The canyon walls stand tall, watching. Always watching. You can feel it. Not in a poetic way... in a you're not alone kind of way. The people there, the tribe they carry a quiet presence. Like they know something they're not in a hurry to explain. Respectful, grounded... but there's history in their eyes. Old history. Night comes different down there. The fire was crackling low. Shadows stretching just a little too far, bending where they shouldn't. That's when I saw it. Across the canyon, tucked behind a tree like it didn't quite understand hiding... something big. Hairy. Not a trick of the light. Not a deer. Not a man. It stood there. Watching. Then came the sound. Tap... tap... tap. Something hitting the tent. Not hard. Just enough to say, "I'm still here." I thought maybe rocks... maybe pinecones. But there weren't any trees above us that could explain it. And whatever it was it had aim. I told the others. Nobody laughed. Nobody slept. We sat around that fire like it was the last safe place on earth, eyes fixed into the dark, waiting for something to step forward... or worse, not step forward. Because sometimes what you don't see is worse than what you do. Finally, in a moment of pure, desperate brilliance or stupidity someone grabbed a sandwich and chucked it out there into the black. We waited. Minutes stretched. The canyon held its breath. And then... nothing. Whatever it was... it was gone. No footsteps. No sound. Just silence again, like the place had swallowed it whole. Now I ain't saying I believe in Bigfoot... ...but I'm also not saying I slept worth a damn that night. And here's the part where I switch gears for ya because after all that spooky nonsense, you gotta laugh a little. Look, I'm just gonna say it .. "I paid good money to fly into a canyon, not to get mugged by a damn woodland gorilla." You got folks hiking ten miles, riding donkeys, sweating like they owe the sun money... and I'm down there getting harassed by what I can only assume is the canyon's unofficial night manager. Five stars. Would absolutely go again. ...but next time, I'm bringing two sandwiches.

Out in the middle of the desert in Arizona pretty much near the end portion of the Grand Canyon and…read moreabout an hour away from Route 66 is the trail to get to Havasupai. There's a lodge in the village and a campground area another 2 miles from the village, both have different dates to apply for permits online about a year in advance. There are 5 amazing water fall sites once you pass the village. 50 Foot Falls, Lower Navajo Falls, Havasu Falls, Mooney Falls, and Beavers. An additional journey heading out 6 miles past Beaver falls you can get to the Confluence where you can see the Havasu Creek water meet up with the Colorado river. For the camp sites you aren't assigned an actual location you just grab any available site that's not directly on the trail. There's a fresh water spring in the camp site where we refilled out bottles for the 4 days & 3 nights we were here. Also 2 miles back up at the village they do have a cafeteria with burgers fries, hot dogs and all that other stuff. If you're not up for the 8-10 miles hike into the village/campground with all your camping gear on your back they have options at additional cost. You can have your bags packed on miles/horses and carried into the site & they also have helicopter rides in and out of the village (first come first serve, the natives have priority to skip the line at anytime)

Simply amazing trail! Note... it's long like really long. For the most part the trail was pathed…read moredecently well but I still used All Trails to be sure I was on track. It's a 10.3ish mile trail with no bathrooms so be prepared to hold or stop by the public library as a pit stop. For me it took a whole 5 hours going at a pace of 30 minutes a mile but this can easily be done in 3.5 hours going at a faster pace with no pictures stops. In terms of scenery you go through many different types. Some are rocky, some grassy, and you even pass part of Lake Powell. Hike itself is not hard, it's fairly flat, but 10+ miles does require proper planning with water and good shoes. When I came it was fairly low traffic with only a few runners. Totally worth checking out once if you had an extra day in Page, Arizona!

The availability of information about this trail is sketchy at best. And the marking of the trail…read moreand trailhead is just plain awful. People were saying it was paved but not by the airport. At all. Maybe it is in another section but we didn't see it. The idea is awesome and the scenery is great but this is a fumble on the part of Page. Even signs showing the entrances would be helpful never mind regular trail markings. As someone who's Never been here- I had no idea and still don't know what's going on.

Such a beautiful and peaceful place. I was happy we came in February so we really felt like we had…read morethe place to ourselves!

THE place for a jet ski, fish, cliff diving and/or tubing affair. I have some of the fondest…read morememories growing up visiting this place with my BSA troop! Long live lake powell