Coyote Buttes via Cottonwood Cove • Hike • Arizona • All Triplogs • HikeArizona.COM

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Feb 15 2025

ddgrunning

Guides 3
Routes 633
Photos 8,249
Triplogs 605

54 male

Joined Apr 13 2011
Gilbert, AZ

Coyote Buttes via Cottonwood Cove

Northwest, AZ

Coyote Buttes via Cottonwood Cove

Northwest, AZ

Hiking		Feb 15 2025
		ddgrunning • Triplogs 605

Hiking	4.41 Miles	860 AEG

Hiking	4.41 Miles	4 Hrs 14 Mns	1.37 mph
	860 ft AEG	1 Hour 1 Min Break

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Route Recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

My wife and I planned a great Valentine's 3-day weekend on the Arizona strip, with stops at: Coyote Buttes South, White Pocket, Buckskin Gulch, and a packraft down Glen Canyon.

We had planned to spend Friday night at the Cliff Dwellers Lodge, camp Saturday night near White Pocket, and stay Sunday night at a hotel in Page.

First stop was Coyote Buttes South. We secured a permit a couple months in advance and figured out the rest of the trip from there. My brother in law was going to drive over from Cedar City and meet us on House Rock Valley Road and then pile into his truck for the deep sand drive to CBS. But, he called the night before and had to pull out, leaving us scrambling to figure out transportation. We were able to arrange last minute to rent a jeep from a guy in Page (Lake Powell Jeep Rentals). He even let us pick it up Friday night, so we didn't have to backtrack from Cliff Dwellers on Saturday morning.

We got to Cliff Dwellers late that night and settled in, only to find out that our dinner stop at McDonald's in Flagstaff left me with food poisoning.

After spending an hour or so in the bathroom, I was able to go to sleep, but with the rest of the trip in question.

I was a little weak in the morning, but feeling well enough that--along with a strong case of FOMO--we powered on.

Renting the Jeep was great. We had no issues driving out to Cottonwood Cove. In part, we benefited from some rain/snow the prior couple of days and the cold time of year.

We arrived at Cottonwood Cove a little after 9 am and were the only ones there. We ended up seeing only one other person.

CBS is an amazing place. Not surprisingly, the formations are similar to CBN, but just without the focal point of a "Wave." That said, we had a great time wandering around and checking out various informally named formations (I marked several on my route). A highlight was the distinct dinosaur tracks.

After a few hours of wandering, my energy was low and we had seen most of the general area, and returned to the jeep.

We thought about camping near CBS, but decided with several hours of daylight left, we would head over to White Pocket and catch the sunset there. Turned out to be a good call.

To be continued in White Pocket triplog ....

_____________________

Jan 20 2025

adilling

Guides 2
Routes 267
Photos 9,816
Triplogs 402

62 male

Joined Dec 02 2014
Mesa, AZ

Coyote Buttes via Cottonwood Cove

Northwest, AZ

Coyote Buttes via Cottonwood Cove

Northwest, AZ

Hiking		Jan 20 2025
		adilling • Triplogs 402

Hiking	2.22 Miles	221 AEG

Hiking	2.22 Miles	2 Hrs 26 Mns	1.08 mph
	221 ft AEG	23 Mns Break

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Route Recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

After my friends told me they won permits for Coyote Buttes North, I went over to Recreation.gov and secured some permits for Coyote Buttes South.

The sandy roads are part of the experience. We came in from the Lone Pine Road/ Pawhole TH area. The road between there and Cottonwood Cove has pretty deep sand. We met another group contemplating going that way and they were happy to follow us through.

This area is really spectacular. The northern section of this permit area gets all the love, but the formations and scenery are truly impressive.

We wanted to squeeze in a visit to White Pocket, same day, so we hit all of the cool spots and made it back to the trailhead.

The sandy road between Cottonwood Cove and White Pocket was even crazier than the earlier road. We almost got bogged down a few times.

White Pocket was the usual awesomeness. It was pretty windy and cold, but still a nice visit.

Day 2 of hiking in this amazing area. I love it!

_____________________

"Jobs fill your pockets, adventures fill your soul."

instagram: @andydilling

Apr 27 2024

chumley

Guides 94
Routes 840
Photos 22,055
Triplogs 1,993

52 male

Joined Sep 18 2002
Tempe, AZ

Coyote Buttes via Cottonwood Cove

Northwest, AZ

Coyote Buttes via Cottonwood Cove

Northwest, AZ

Hiking		Apr 27 2024
		chumley • Triplogs 1,993

Hiking	2.73 Miles	383 AEG

Hiking	2.73 Miles	1 Hour 26 Mns	1.93 mph
	383 ft AEG	1 Min Break

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Jonnybackpack

While camping up north for the weekend inside the wreck.gov geofence we decided to play the lottery and the stormy weather probably helped with the odds and we ended up with the opportunity to go south. Like many of these pockets of geologic wonder, you could spend days wandering and finding new things. Cloudiness made for some lackluster colors, but passing showers occasionally provided some diversity to the lighting.

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Ghost?

_____________________

I'm not sure what my spirit animal is, but I'm confident it has rabies.

Feb 09 2019

adilling

Guides 2
Routes 267
Photos 9,816
Triplogs 402

62 male

Joined Dec 02 2014
Mesa, AZ

Coyote Buttes via Cottonwood Cove

Northwest, AZ

Coyote Buttes via Cottonwood Cove

Northwest, AZ

Hiking		Feb 09 2019
		adilling • Triplogs 402

Hiking

Hiking	3 Hrs 57 Mns	0.00 mph

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We scored some permits for Coyote Buttes South and it did not disappoint. I was checking the weather all last week and it looked like it might snow a little while we were there. It did snow about 4 days earlier, so the drive in on House Rock Valley Road was messy. The Ranger we spoke to at the Kanab Visitor Center recommended we come up from the south, but we opted to drive in from the north off 89. It was still below freezing when we started down and that was a good thing. I am guessing it was a real mud bog affair once the temps got over 32.

Even with freezing temps, the road was heavily rutted, muddy and icy. We made it past the Wire Pass Trailhead about 9am and there was not a single truck or car in the lot. I wonder how many Coyote Buttes North permits went to waste this day?? We pushed on to the turn off to the Paw Hole. Making our final "pit stop" at the State Line Campground - the last toilet for the next 10-12 hours.

The road in to the Paw Hole was sandy as advertised, but the cold temps and snow made for a surprisingly smooth ride. We did not do much exploring at Paw Hole as our plan was to hit everything we could at Cottonwood Cove and then make a run for White Pocket to finish up the day.

I had researched about the road between Paw Hole and Cottonwood Cove and it was not recommended to take the road to the east, but we did anyway. The drive in to the Paw Hole was not bad at all, so we figured it would be the same for this route. The below freezing temps and the damp sand kept it pretty firm. There were a few spots that might have presented a problem in warmer and drier conditions, but we made good time over to the Cottonwood Cove Trailhead.

I had marked a waypoint at all of the things I wanted to see so we started out searching for them as soon as we got loaded up and set. We hit the formation to the north and east of the trailhead first. That’s not in the permit area.

After that, we hiked to the southern edge of the cove and then worked our way up north from there.

I have been lucky enough to visit Coyote Buttes North 2x. This area compares very favorably to its more famous brother to the north. The sheer number of formations from the Paw Hole north to Cottonwood Cove is staggering. I will try to get another permit for this area and try to see more of this magical place in the future.

With limited time, we kept on course and saw all of the “famous” formations – Half and Half, the Control Tower, the Witches Hat. I think the most amazing place we saw was the area in the southern half below the Half and Half rock. The layers and fins in that area were truly remarkable. It looked like the entire cliff was stack up like a deck of cards and the ones on the bottom were sliding outwards. Amazing for sure.

The cloudy and freezing temps slowly gave way to the sun and it “warmed up” to a blistering 30 degrees as we progressed along the path. We had a couple of youngsters that were running out of gas and my wife, who is not a hiker, also started feeling the climbing, sandy path and constant up and down path. We skipped the “Southern Wave” area as that would have required a hike down (and then back up) from the main formations. Still, we got in all of the waypoints I had marked.

The drive out and over to the White Pocket was a little rougher than the other roads we had been on, but we made it over there without any issues.

All in all, Coyote Butte South is a special place and I highly recommend paying this place a visit! We had an unforgettable day for sure. Just be sure to bring a capable high clearance 4x4 or you will get stuck in that deep sand.

_____________________

"Jobs fill your pockets, adventures fill your soul."

instagram: @andydilling

Oct 05 2016

AZWanderingBear

Guides 27
Routes 61
Photos 2,620
Triplogs 700

69 male

Joined Jan 23 2008
Phoenix, AZ

Coyote Buttes via Cottonwood Cove

Northwest, AZ

Coyote Buttes via Cottonwood Cove

Northwest, AZ

Hiking		Oct 05 2016
		AZWanderingBear • Triplogs 700

Hiking	1.45 Miles	253 AEG

Hiking	1.45 Miles
	253 ft AEG

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AZBeaver

The southern end of Coyote Buttes had given us a taste of what was in store. As our vehicles labored through the deep sand of the area's roads, we could see the sandstone teepee formations of Cottonwood Cove in the distance. The hike from the road to the Cove is deep sand and uphill. We were surprised by the wildflowers springing from every slight depression that might hold a bit of moisture in this arid landscape.

Getting closer, the formations rose from the sand looming above us. At the base of the nearest formation a depression had made a pool from the recent rains. Chana, our friends border collie wasted no time in taking a refreshing dip. The rest of us spent time clambering up and over and around the coarsely layered sandstone, marveling at what eons of compression below the earth's surface and then exposure to the elements of erosion had wrought forth. The lines, shapes, contours and hues of orange, red, pink, and gray warped to and fro.

The morning had gotten long and we made our way back across the sand for lunch in the shade of a cedar. On the horizon, see could see White Pocket, our final waypoint of the day.

Autumn Foliage Observation Light

_____________________

All you have is your fire...
And the place you need to reach

3 archives

Oct 05 2016

AZBeaver

Photos 326
Triplogs 124

71 female

Joined Jan 04 2014
Phoenix, AZ

Coyote Buttes via Cottonwood Cove

Northwest, AZ

Coyote Buttes via Cottonwood Cove

Northwest, AZ

Hiking		Oct 05 2016
		AZBeaver • Triplogs 124

Hiking	1.45 Miles	253 AEG

Hiking	1.45 Miles
	253 ft AEG

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The southern end of Coyote Buttes had given us a taste of what was in store. As our vehicles labored through the deep sand of the area's roads, we could see the sandstone teepee formations of Cottonwood Cove in the distance. The hike from the road to the Cove is deep sand and uphill. We were surprised by the wildflowers springing from every slight depression that might hold a bit of moisture in this arid landscape.

Getting closer, the formations rose from the sand looming above us. At the base of the nearest formation a depression had made a pool from the recent rains. Chana, our friends border collie wasted no time in taking a refreshing dip. The rest of us spent time clambering up and over and around the coarsely layered sandstone, marveling at what eons of compression below the earth's surface and then exposure to the elements of erosion had wrought forth. The lines, shapes, contours and hues of orange, red, pink, and gray warped to and fro.

The morning had gotten long and we made our way back across the sand for lunch in the shade of a cedar. On the horizon, see could see White Pocket, our final waypoint of the day.

_____________________

2 archives

May 09 2011

RickVincent

Guides 4
Routes 5
Photos 3,377
Triplogs 783

55 male

Joined Aug 20 2009
Mesa, AZ

Coyote Buttes via Cottonwood Cove

Northwest, AZ

Coyote Buttes via Cottonwood Cove

Northwest, AZ

Hiking		May 09 2011
		RickVincent • Triplogs 783

Hiking	4.25 Miles

Hiking	4.25 Miles

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Enjoyable second trip to the South Buttes. Went up with my girl Anna, and her son and his girlfriend who were visiting from Penn State. Our 4WD Tahoe got stuck in the sand on the way out to Cottonwood Cove. There is this one hill made of deep sand that is a bit tricky to navigate. Here is how we got out of it. Step one: Do not sit and spin. As soon as I realized I wasn't moving....I STOPPED. STEP 2: Put the vehicle in reverse and back down about 100 feet. Stop and shift back into drive and "hit it". I was able to repeat this process about three to four times and finally made it to the top of the hill.

Only drawback to this trip was the wind, which was a distracting annoyance at times. Every now and then we would get blasted with sand. Still, everyone was amazed at the incredible rock formations in this area.

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Indian Paintbrush

Geology

Geology [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Iron Leaching

Wildflowers Observation Moderate

_____________________

This is my gym. I have to travel down a bumpy road to get there. There are no treadmillls, no machines, and no personal trainers. I walk..I run..I breathe the fresh air. I can go any time I want, as much as I want and there is no membership fee.

Oct 17 2010

RickVincent

Guides 4
Routes 5
Photos 3,377
Triplogs 783

55 male

Joined Aug 20 2009
Mesa, AZ

Coyote Buttes via Cottonwood Cove

Northwest, AZ

Coyote Buttes via Cottonwood Cove

Northwest, AZ

Hiking		Oct 17 2010
		RickVincent • Triplogs 783

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Hiking

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My first trip to South Coyote Buttes. Just barely touched a small section of this wonderland. I think I like this area as much or maybe more than CB North (The Wave). Don't get me wrong, the 1/4 acre size area known as the Wave is truly one of the most unreal amazing places I've ever seen, but South has so much more to see. It is so much more expansive and we found our own versions of "the wave" scattered throughout. Next time I would be happy to spend two full days exploring the South Buttes.

_____________________

This is my gym. I have to travel down a bumpy road to get there. There are no treadmillls, no machines, and no personal trainers. I walk..I run..I breathe the fresh air. I can go any time I want, as much as I want and there is no membership fee.

Jan 06 2010

keepmoving

Guides 34
Routes 249
Photos 2,197
Triplogs 592

38 male

Joined Aug 16 2006
Portland, OR

Coyote Buttes via Cottonwood Cove

Northwest, AZ

Coyote Buttes via Cottonwood Cove

Northwest, AZ

Hiking		Jan 06 2010
		keepmoving • Triplogs 592

Hiking	1.00 Miles

Hiking	1.00 Miles

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michellancholy

Backdated triplog:
After exploring Buckskin Gulch & Coyote Buttes North, we slept the night at the state line campground. The next morning the temperature gauge in the truck was flashing between "29" degrees and "ICE", which would likely explain why the campground was deserted... :-k

In retrospect January might be a little too cold to explore Coyote Buttes.

After warming up as best we could, it was time to hit the road! I was nervous about getting the truck stuck in the snow or mud, but we made it to the parking area without any issues. We hopped out of the truck, donned our cold weather gear, and began our trek through the snow. Within a half hour we had both decided the snow was deeper than we had expected and decided to call it a day.

Despite not getting to see what Cottonwood cove really had to offer, we had a great time! The drive was challenging and the scenery was amazing. Cant wait to go back again!

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] HAZ Rides

_____________________

2 archives

Jan 19 2008

kanode

Guides 7
Routes 57
Photos 1,107
Triplogs 64

77 male

Joined Jan 07 2004
Tempe, AZ

Coyote Buttes via Cottonwood Cove

Northwest, UT

Coyote Buttes via Cottonwood Cove

Northwest, UT

Hiking		Jan 19 2008
		kanode • Triplogs 64

Hiking	2.40 Miles	340 AEG

Hiking	2.40 Miles	2 Hrs	1.20 mph
	340 ft AEG

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Coyote Buttes South: Cottonwood Teepees

A $5 permit is required per person. The BLM only issues one parking permit per group. So if you're taking two vehicles, apply for permits as two groups.

The drive in is 4WD and high clearance (because of sand ruts and the possibility of powdery sand). On this trip the sand was frozen so it was an easier than normal drive. I understand that a car-based 4WD SUV can have problems with loose dry sand in the summer. The road may be impassable due to snow or rain.

This area is as interesting as Coyote Buttes North and The Wave. It's a toss-up as to whether "The Wave" or "The Cottonwood Teepee Fins" are the more impressive. We could have easily spent several more hours in this area but we were also visiting White Pockets. (The White Pockets trip is listed under the listing of Arizona hikes.)

We drove past the Paw Hole trailhead on the way to Cottonwood Teepees. Hiking there appears to require another $5 permit per person since the permits specify a trailhead.

_____________________

Irv

WARNING! Hiking and outdoor related sports can be dangerous. Be responsible and prepare for the trip. Study the area you are entering and plan accordingly. Dress for the current and unexpected weather changes. Take plenty of water. Never go alone. Make an itinerary with your plan(s), route(s), destination(s) and expected return time. Give your itinerary to trusted family and/or friends.

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