You won the permit — now prep the hike
Wave Hike Checklist
Don't be the person who wins the permit and can't make it to The Wave. Here's the prep routine from someone who has hiked it multiple times in all conditions.
The evening before
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Check the weather
Rule: Look up the forecast for Page, AZ or Kanab, UT.
Why: The Wave is completely exposed — no shade, no shelter.
Temperatures above 95°F make the hike dangerous. Rain anywhere on the horizon is a flash-flood warning.
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Check House Rock Valley Road conditions
Rule: Call the Page or Kanab permit pick-up location for current road status.
Why: The 20-mile unpaved road to the trailhead can become impassable after rain, snow, or flash flooding — even in dry weather, deep sand can trap vehicles.
Getting stuck means expensive towing (sometimes $1,000+) and missing your hike. If conditions are questionable and you're in a rental car, strongly consider hiring a guide with a high-clearance vehicle.
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Download navigation tools
Rule: Download a GPS track for the Wire Pass to Wave route before you lose cell service.
Why: There is no marked trail. You will navigate by the BLM map and landmarks.
Every season, permit holders never find The Wave or require search and rescue. GPS tracks eliminate 90% of navigation errors.
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Buy and pack water
Rule: Carry a minimum of 1 gallon of water per person.
Why: There are no water sources of any kind along the entire hike — no streams, no springs, nothing filterable.
Dehydration and heat exhaustion can occur within hours in warm conditions. A backcountry medevac in this area is expensive and slow.
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Fill up and check tires
Rule: Gas up in Page or Kanab before heading out. Check tire pressure and verify your spare.
Why: The nearest gas stations from the trailhead are in Kanab or Page — neither is close.
Running out of fuel or getting a flat on House Rock Valley Road with no spare means a very long, expensive rescue.
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Tell someone your itinerary
Rule: Leave a written itinerary — including trailhead, expected return time, and emergency contacts — with someone not on the hike.
Why: Cell service at and beyond the trailhead is spotty to nonexistent.
If you don't return on time and no one knows where you went, search and rescue can't find you.
Day-before gear checklist
Day of the hike
Navigation: take photos facing return direction
Periodically photograph the landscape behind you, especially saddles and small peaks. The terrain looks completely different on the way back, and these reference shots have saved many confused hikers.
Stay on designated route
Do not walk on the painted/colored rock surface of The Wave itself — the sandstone is fragile and protected. Stick to the sandy floor of the troughs. Rangers do watch for this.
Flash flood warning
Rule: If you see storm clouds anywhere on the horizon, leave immediately. Reason: The Wave sits inside a wash system that drains a large catchment. Consequence: Flash floods can arrive in minutes without warning, even from storms miles away. Move uphill immediately if you hear rushing water.
Emergency contacts — Coyote Buttes area