Navajo Sandstone swirls here in long graceful and colorful curves—a treat to see! The hike in also has great scenery with little canyons and rocky hills to explore. The buttes lie mostly in Arizona south of Wirepass Canyon, reached from House Rock Valley Road, which turns south from US 89 about 37 miles east of Kanab. Most people head for the famous Wave in the north part of Coyote Buttes, but if you have time, the southern section offers fine scenery of sculptured sandstone as well. A four-wheel-drive vehicle is needed to reach trailheads in the south section.

The trick is that you need a permit, either the day before in person or well in advance through the website. Bureau of Land Management staff at the Paria Contact Station issue walk-in permits seven days a week from mid-March to mid-November, and the Kanab Field Office provides them Monday through Friday in winter. Permits can be tough to get in April–May and September–-October, the best times of year to go. But if you’re in the area then, it’s worth a try for a walk-in permit.

In summer, a crack-of-dawn departure is best. Because of the fragile rock, no camping or fires are allowed in Coyote Buttes. No signs mark the way, so you’ll navigate with a map and directions provided when you get the permit.

Visitor Information