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Coyote Buttes > Sites
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North Coyote Buttes: The Wave is by far the most popular part of North Coyote Buttes and for many visitors is the only site they see. Colorful, swirling strata in many shades of pink/red/yellow/white are found all along the east side of the Coyote Buttes ridge but this location is certainly the best. The Wave is situated at the foot of the north slopes of Top Rock, an eastern part of the ridge formed of white Navajo sandstone, and near the mouth of a small ravine running north-south through the hills (Sand Cove), which has much other photogenic scenery. A third of a mile southwest of the Wave and maybe 100 feet higher is another exceptional formation now designated Wave 2 - more curvy sandstone with small ridges, best pictured early or late in the day. But anywhere along the ridge may reveal equally wonderful formations so it is worthwhile wandering at random around the nearby cliffs and gullies. East of the main ridge the land soon becomes predominantly flat and sandy, interrupted only by occasional outcrops of small, sandstone domes - most prominent are the North and South Teepees, 'teepees' being the general name given to the conical sandstone mounds typical of this region. One more recent discovery in this region is the 'Dinosaur Dance Floor', a group of over 1,000 dinosaur footprints and a few tail drag marks, preserved on top of a layer of whitish Navajo sandstone.
South Coyote Buttes: The more remote southern portion of Coyote Buttes requires a separate permit, but as access is difficult and there are no well known sites, very few people visit, and there is never any competition for the ten places available. The land here is more undulating, with larger rocky areas, and more ravines, peaks, teepees and countless fragile
eroded formations, all centered around a big bowl-shaped chamber (Cottonwood Cove), framed on three sides by high cliffs. South of the cove, the main ridge gradually decreases in size and ends in another group of teepees at Paw Hole, 8 miles south of Wire Pass; this is a big cavity in the rocks, usually filled with water.
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