Before leaving the northern part of the coast, we went to Ecola State Park for a lovely morning hike. Ecola SP has been the filming location for several movies. The Goonies, Kindergarten Cop, Point Break and Twilight. The rocky coast line and dramatic cliff make it perfect for the big screen. Our hike was a 3.5 loop with 1000ft of elevation.
Indian BeachOff we go! FernsInteresting treesGoats beard1000ft above sea levelSunrise through the treesFiltered lightPlank & new bootsIndian Beach with a little fog
After our hike and check out, we started our drive down the coast. Our final destination was Lincoln City.
We are using the GuideAlong app again. Alfred our narrator, is like having an old friend in the car. Plus, he has so many stories and knows where all the fun places to stop are located. Like Pronto Pups! We wouldn’t have stopped for a Pronto Pup if Alfred hadn’t told us it was the original Pronto Pup location!
Our next stop was at the Tillamook Cheese Factory. We completed the self guided tour, sampled cheese and decided to enjoy some ice cream!
40lb blocks of cheeseCheese! Cheese! Fireside peanut butter cup
Alfred gave us two options for the drive. We could hug the coast or go more inland on the 101. We decided to take the scenic coastal drive. We had so many fun places to stop. The first was Cape Meares to see the light house and Octopus Tree! The Octopus Tree is a 300 year old Sitka Pine and there is still debate as to how the Octopus Tree formed. Naturally or was it created by humans. We may never know…
The view! LighthouseOctopus Tree
Our drive continued along the coast with a stop for some salt and salted caramels at Jacobsen Salt Company. (Another suggestion by Alfred) They harvest the salt from the Pacific Ocean and ship to chefs all around the world. The caramels made a lovely addition to our car snacks.
The last stop along this part of the coast was Pacific City. We hopped out to see the beach and were amazed at the giant sand dune.
We made it to Lincoln City in time for check in. The inn is right on the ocean. It’s so lovely. We slept with the sliding door open listening to the waves all night. Nature’s natural sound machine.
Our hotelOur room on the third floor
We enjoyed another amazing sunset. We walked the beach for a bit and then came back to the fire pits at the hotel.
Well, as we left Acadia, it was time to say goodbye to my beloved Vasque Hiking Boats. While I was coming back down from our mountain goat trek to get to the bubbles, Dave was guiding me where to place my foot because I was coming down “blind” – not able to see down & where to place my feet. As he was directing me, he said, “I hate to be the one to tell you this, your boots are falling apart.” What? And well, that explains a lot. Between this trip and the trip we made to Utah in December, I noticed that my boots felt funny and not as cushy. I even replaced the insoles to try and help the situation. Well, the situation couldn’t be helped because the soles had separated from the shoe and the gel cushion had dry rotted and was flaking out the side.
I bought these boots in July of 2007 before my mom and I went on a hiking trip to Santa Fe, NM. At the time I spent somewhere between $150-$200 for them and I thought that was pretty expensive. Considering they lasted 18 years, I suppose I got my money’s worth. Dave and I started a list of where I have hiked with these boots:
Santa Fe, NM
Taos, NM x 2
Canadian Rockies (Banff & Jasper)
Glacier NP
Waterton- Glacier International Peace Park
Yosemite NP x 2 (Half Dome once)
Isle Royal NP
Mount Fuji x 3
Numerous hikes all over Japan
Lassen NP
Crater Lake NP
Big Sur, CA
Redwood NP x 2
Colorado x 3 (Aspen, Breckenridge, Boulder, Denver, Crested Butte, Maroon Belles and others)
Rocky Mountain NP
Arches NP
Canyonlands NP
Dead Horse State Park, UT
Park City, UT
Kings Canyon & Sequoia NP
Hot Springs NP
The Wave, UT
Grand Staircase National Monument
Bryce Canyon NP
Zion NP (Angels Landing)
Acadia NP
Countless State Parks
And numerous other “local hikes”
Rest in Peace my hiking friends. I hope the next pair of hiking boots treat me just as well.
For our final day in Acadia NP we decided to explore the lesser known/ lesser traveled west peninsula of Mount Desert Island.
Acadia National Park
We tuned into our favorite narrator “Albert” as we drove. He provides entertainment and information. Our first stop was at the Beech Mountain trail head. Beech Mountain trail is a short loop that climbs up giving you spectacular views of Bass Harbor and Long Pond. Both were lovely.
Off we go! Rocky pathStepsMore up!More stepsRoots
I took this picture because this tree is already fighting! He’s growing on the granite rocks! I can only imagine how impressive he will be in the next 20-30 years. Grow strong, friend!
The summit view and breeze were worth the steps!
The descent included beautiful views of Long Pond.
After our hike, we jumped in the car and returned to Alfred’s narration. He recommended we stop in Southwest Harbor and walk the town. I am happy we listened. We stopped for ice cream and I was able to get my Maine Blueberry 🫐 ice cream. It was so delicious.
Continuing the drive, we headed to Ship Harbor Trail. This trail is flat, family friendly and has forest and shore views. As well as a few boardwalk trails.
The pink granite that makes up most of Acadia was on full display along this part of the coast. So beautiful!
The trail was a figure 8 which gave us a chance to see more of the forest.
Trees growing on rocksReindeer Lichen
Once we completed the hike, we jumped in the car and drove a half mile up the road to hike the Wonderland trail. This trail was a short flat out and back.
Both trails we hikedCoastline Last hike selfieWild roseBee & thistle
Those hikes were perfectly lovely. The reviews I read gave them much more positive feedback. I would give them a sold 5/10. Again, great for kids and families.
We returned to the car for one final stop on this peninsula. We needed to snap a picture of the famous Bass Harbor Lighthouse. It’s still there and still photogenic.
Bass Harbor Lighthouse
For our final vacation dinner, Dave made us reservations at Havana in Bar Harbor. We ordered cocktails and that’s when I noticed the card on the table. So cute, the staff gave me a happy birthday card.
For dinner Dave ordered paella and I order one final lobster dish. Both were delicious.
PaellaLobster Moqueca
The Lobster Moqueca was incredible. The dish is made with coconut cream, onion, red peppers, and lime juice. It was served with jasmine rice and lots of lobster!
We didn’t have room for dessert, but, they had a sweet surprise.
Thank you for following along with me as we explored Acadia NP. Although, a smaller national park, it has so many hidden treasures and amazing hikes. We didn’t do everything- we did what we could and enjoyed every moment. Until next time!
Our third day at the park included the full drive around Park Loop Road. We once again purchased and downloaded the Acadia Tour from the GuideAlong app. I highly recommend the app and the audio guides they provide. The narrator, who we named “Alfred”, is fantastic. The app’s ability to know exactly where you are and which direction you are heading is great and a little creepy. Anyways, Alfred guided us along Park Loop Road and we were glad he did. There are several “secret” places that without Alfred to tell us to stop, we would have missed bc there are no signs nor designated parking areas.
Precipice Mountain is one of THE mountains to hike in the park. However, May – August the area is closed because the Peregrine Falcons are nesting. In the 1950s the Peregrine population was almost extinct because of the chemical DDT. The endangered species act, banning of DDT, and a dedicated effort by park officials has helped the Peregrine Falcon population soar in Acadia.
Looking up Precipice Mountain – looking for Falcons
The other main mountain people seek to hike is Bee Hive. From the reviews I read, its sounds like a great hike with all of the thousands of tourists. It was described as a “conga line” by one review. We honestly have been kindof surprised by the amount of tourists. And so, knowing it’s going to be crowded, we passed. plus, the parking lot was a zoo when we passed so we felt confident in our decision.
Instead, we walked along the Ocean Path and enjoyed spectacular views of the Harbor and rocky Maine coastline. Another item on my list completed. Explore the coast. ✔️ And it was beautiful!
Our first stopping point was Thunder Hole. I read mixed reviews about Thunder Hole, some calling it Thunder-less Hole if there were no storms or tidal changes. We were pleasantly surprised for a calm morning.
How about a video for sound and understanding of the force!
So what’s going on? the ocean has carved a cave at water level. When the water runs out airs fills in. Water rushes in with the waves and creates a thundering sound as the air is forced out.
More scientific explanation
One more video… the shadows give perspective on size.
Our next stop was to park and stroll along the Ocean Path.
Rocky Maine Coast Path leads the wayBeautiful Trees growing on rocksOne of my favs of the day❤️
Caught another item on my Maine list – see a working Lobster 🦞Boat.
Lobster 🦞 boat
We reached the end of the path and doubled back to the car. Still so beautiful.
Who’s back there?
We jumped back in the car and Alfred encouraged us to stop and observe the bridge. Much of the park was a gift from John D. Rockefeller. This bridge is one example of how Rockefeller took advice from knowledgeable engineers. Instead of creating a straight road, the engineer advised Rockefeller – a curved bridge that mirrored the sand bar would be a better option. We agreed.
Curved bridge
Our next stop was at Little Hunters Beach. An unmarked yet easily accessible beach with lovely round stones. Alfred encouraged this stop as well. Years and years of waves have rolled these stones smooth and round.
The sound is so meditative
That was our final stop for the day and completed our tour of Park Loop Road. We did the other part yesterday. We headed back to Bar Harbor for lunch. On the menu, lobster bisque and clam chowder. The lobster claw at the bottom of my bisque was a fun surprise.
The final part of our day was to watch the sunset from Cadillac Mountain. We took a small picnic and found a spot away from the huge crowd. All was lovely. However, we both agreed the warm temperatures gave it a bit of a haze. Beautiful regardless.
We also agreed sunrise the day before was more spectacular. Thanks for reading!
This should come as no surprise, day 2 started off chasing sunrise. During the months May – October you must have tickets to drive up Cadillac Mountain. (the highest peak in the park) From October 7th – March 6th Cadillac Mountain is the first spot to observe the sunrise in the United States. This is due to its height and proximity to the coast. Because of the earth’s tilt during the spring/ summer months other places along the seaboard actually observe it earlier. We had tickets to drive up Cadillac Mountain starting at 4:30am. We were up at 3 am. Leaving the Airbnb by 4 and on top of the mountain by 4:30am. Here’s my first picture.
Pre- sunrise atop of Cadillac Mountain
There are limited tickets available – however, that still doesn’t prevent a lot of people from participating. Turns out it doesn’t matter the size of the vehicle or how many people inside. Just one ticket required. To say it was crowded would be an understatement. Plus, there was little etiquette. People were talking too loudly and constantly standing / sitting directly in front of you. Fortunately, the chaos doesn’t show in the pictures. I was constantly bobbing and weaving to capture my pictures. Here are a few…
An hour later, the sun made its appearance. Good morning, sunshine ☀️
After officially declaring it a successful sunrise, we jumped in the car and heading to Jordan Pond. Jordan Pond is a beautiful area with a 3.2 mile trail that circles the lake. Jordan Pond is 150 feet deep – making it the deepest lake in the park. Also, it is a public water supply, so no swimming. From the start of the trail, you have a great view of The Bubbles.
The Bubbles & Jordan Pond
The Bubbles are two small mountains- North Bubble and South Bubble. Although they appear to be the same size, they aren’t. The south bubble is closer making it appear larger.
We began our walk around Jordan Pond. It was beautiful in the quiet of the early morning.
My plan was for us to hike from the pond trail to the bubbles summit. Then we realized we needed to be mountain goats. We decided to turn around and just go to the Bubbles parking lot and hike from there.
We clambered back down to the pond trail and finished the rest of the loop around Jordan Pond.
The highlight of the trail for us was the boardwalk. To protect the fragile pond shore ecosystem, the park built a lovely boardwalk.
One thing I have noticed after our two days in the park is the resilience of the trees. They will grow anywhere and on anything. The ultimate survivors / fighters are the trees who will grow on top of a rock. A granite rock at that!
This one is a fighter!
We finished our hike around the lake and jumped in the car. We continued up Park Loop Road to the parking lot for Bubble Rock. It took a little patience and a little jockeying, but we got a parking spot and proceeded to climb to the top of the North Bubble and then to the top of the South Bubble. Mountain goat skills not required when hiking this way.
North Bubble Summit
The highlight of the South Bubble is Bubble Rock. It is a large boulder that hitch a 40-mile ride on a glacier. It’s is precariously suspended on the edge of the South Bubble.
Bubble RockView from South Bubble
By this point in our day, we were exhausted (we had been up for 8 hours and hiking 6 of them). All we had the energy for was a quick stop at the visitor center. We stopped at the Visitor Center and groaned when we saw the sign that the visitor center was 52 stairs up from the parking lot. Haha. 😆 We passed several families with kids and the kids were all counting each step. My legs were counting, too!
We enjoyed a nice shower and nap before dinner. Our dinner was a delicious reward. Dave ordered the lobster 🦞 platter and I tried another lobster roll. This one was good… however, as predicted, yesterday’s was better!
Lobster roll Lobster PlatterBlueberry PieLobster Bouy wall
Day 2 was a success! I’m slowly crossing off my “Maine List”. Lobster Roll, watch the sunrise, hike until my legs are exhausted, enjoy blueberry pie. Now I just need the moose to participate. As always, thanks for reading!
After spending several days with our friends at their cabin in Maine, it was time to begin the second part of our Maine adventure. We are staying in Bar Harbor and exploring Acadia National Park. Our first stop was for lunch at Bar Harbor Lobster 🦞 Pound. Several reviews I read said it had THE BEST lobster roll. The restaurant was also endorsed by my niece who visited earlier this year. Everyone was correct. It was delicious.
YummyLobster roll w/a local IPAFirst bite
After lunch, we drove to the hiking trails for Sargent Mountain. Sargent Mountain is the second highest peak in Acadia. It is 1,373 ft compared to Cadillac Mountain 1,430 ft. We picked a route that took us up to Parkman Mountain.
Let’s Goooo!Here we go! The ground was almost spongyBetter views as we went up Parkman Mountain Blueberry SkiesLichen
We continued along Parkman Mountain trail until it connected with Gradient trail. The trail started to get a little gnarly and there was a snake sighting.
We climbed down this!Snake! Giant ferns Almost thereGetting closer
And finally!! We made it to the top of Sargent Mountain!
SummitAt the peak!
We enjoyed the view and breeze for a little bit before we started our hike down via the Sargent Mountain Southern Ridge trail to the Hadlock Brook trail. It was a lot easier going down than hiking up.
Right before we finished, our trail passed one of the lovely stone bridges of the Carriage Roads.
The hiked totaled 4.62 beautiful miles. We did see other hikers along our way, although not too many. After our hike, we hit the grocery store for essentials and then checked into our Airbnb in Bar Harbor. We are right down town. Perfect for walking to dinner and fitting in with ALL the tourist. (And we think Florida is crowded with tourists! Bar Harbor has us beat!!) As always, thanks for reading.
Well, our week of good fortune continued. Dave and I entered the daily lottery to obtain a hiking permit for Angels Landing. And we BOTH won!! Woot woot! off to Zion we go!!
Our drive took about an hour and 10 minutes. The views of course were spectacular. Part of the drive includes driving through a 1.1 mile tunnel. The tunnel has several windows from which you can catch glimpses of the park. Stopping is not allowed in the tunnel… however, being the off season, no one was behind us and so Dave stopped so I could snap pictures out our windows.
After coming out of the tunnel, you descend down to the canyon floor using 6 switch backs. The views are incredible especially as the sun was coming up on the mountains.
At the bottom of the canyon were several mule deer doing their thing.
Deer Friends
We parked and got set for the hike. It was 32 degrees and windy as we set out to hike. Angels Landing is a strenuous 5.4 mile (almost 6 for us). It took us approximately 4 hours to climb making us average hikers according to the warning signs. Ha!
Warning signWhere we are about to go!
The first 2ish miles of the hike are mostly paved with a series of 21 switchbacks known as the wiggles. Anyone can hike this portion of the trail which brings you to Scouts landing.
Along the Virgin RiverWatching the SunMajestic CanyonUp we go! My fav hiking viewSwitchbackHiking selfie Beautiful Drainage SystemAlmost to Scout Landing
We reached Scouts Lookout in about an hour. Our quads were feeling the burn! There are signs posted frequently to remind you permits are required to hike the Angels Landing portion. To reach Angels Landing requires climbing a trail cut into stone. It is not a trail for the faint of heart. The total elevation change is 5790ft. This section is only about a mile round trip. It was the most challenging mile I have ever hiked.
The temperatures warmed up now that we were in the sun, but it was still windy. Along the trail are sections with chains to help you climb. There are also sections without chains. Both were super scary.
First set of chainsUp we go!SelfieView of the canyon
There were times when the space between steps were too far for my legs. I not only used all fours to climb but sometimes my knees and butt. The trail wasn’t crowded on our way out and the weather was perfect. The wind seemed to die down as well. Whenever we had to wait for someone to pass, I would take a break, sit and enjoy the view.
Enjoying the viewOMG! We went up!Looking outLooking downStill going upReaching the “saddle”
At the Saddle portion of the hike we saw a condor perched on top of one rock.
California Condor
It took us about an hour to climb the to Angels Landing. Slow and steady. I’ll admit, I had moments where I was completely freaked out by the height. I did a lot of deep breaths and reminded myself to take it one step at a time. Dave was an amazing hiking partner, of course. He was patient and so supportive. We developed a system where we would only have one of us on a section of chain at a time because the chain would wiggle and freak me out!
Last poleWe made it selfie!
We packed sandwiches and stopped for lunch on top. Talk about a view!
While we tried to relax, we had annoying chipmunks begging for snacks.
Go away!
After about 30 minutes we were ready to hike back down. Just a few more pictures to truly take it in.
We also joked about the trees along the trail. Tree friends were a favorite of mine to hang onto and in some cases hug! I also loved when there was a crevice I could wedge myself in as I climbed up.
Tree friend at the top Tree friend along the trail
It took us about an hour to climb back down to Scouts Lookout. It was easier in some ways to descend because the physical demand was less. However, perspective wise, it was more challenging because now my back was to the mountain and I saw more of the open space all around me. It gave me that vertigo feeling. Also, we had to wait more frequently because the trail was getting more crowded. When we made it back to Scouts Lookout we took a picture of where we just were. If you look closely, you can see people on Angels Landing on the left side of the red rock.
People on the left Zoomed Out View
It took us another hour to hike down and back to the car. We took our time down the switchbacks reflecting on the hike we just conquered!
After our hike we drove through the rest of the park. Soaking in the majestic view of the huge mountains. Most of these pictures were out of the car window. Beautiful regardless.
This week has been truly epic! Beyond my expectations. Thank you for following our adventures.
We started out early for our adventures in Bryce Canyon NP. Not because we needed to avoid the heat or crowds, but because we wanted to catch sunrise. Fortunately it’s winter and sunrise is at 7:26 here. We are about 1.5 hours from the park and left our Airbnb at 5:20. We arrived in plenty of time and had the Sunrise Point pretty much to ourselves. Mainly because it was 15 degrees and windy. Not too many fools chase a winter sunrise! It was incredible and completely worth it.
Hoodoos with snow! The amphitheater looking like it was on fire! Mother Nature is amazing!
After sunrise, we returned to the car to warm up for a minute or 10. We decided to adjust our plan for the day. Instead of starting with a hike and ending with the drive through the park, we started with a drive to let the temperature warm up. At the beginning of our day we had the park to ourselves. There were no cars in any of the park spaces and we saw so several deer running.
Deer Friends
For our drive, we downloaded the guided tour for Bryce Canyon and Zion from the GuideAlong app. I highly recommend the app. It uses your location to tell you all about the points of interest. We learned so much about the park! We drove to the end of the road and started at Rainbow Point. Rainbow point has the highest elevation at 9115 feet. There was a little bit of snow cover making the Bristlecone Loop trail inaccessible to us.
We continued our drive down to Black Birch Canyon (8750 ft). We named the narrator of our GuideAlong tour, Alfred. He is kindof funny. He shares facts and also points out when things are miss named. Like Black Birch Canyon because there are no birch trees in the park! It’s was beautiful regardless it’s name.
Our next stop was Ponderosa Point (8904 ft). Here we learned all about Ponderosa Pines. It is often used as building material because it doesn’t swell or shrink after processing. Also, it has a delightful odor.
Agua Canyon was our next stop. The sunlight on the hoodoos really created dramatic photos.
As we continued down, we learned about prairie dogs. Unfortunately, even though they are all over the park, they are hibernating because of the cold temperatures. We took a stop at Natural Bridge (8627ft). Here again, Alfred told us of the miss naming. It’s actually not a bridge but an arch. Bridges form from flowing water. Arches form from wind and rain erosion. Whatever you call it, it was beautiful.
After Natural Bridge was Farview Point (8815ft). Alfred did mentioned this name was appropriate. We took a short little hike here to drop slightly below the rim. The change in viewpoint was stunning.
Finally, we made it to Bryce Point and Inspiration Point (8300 ft). And oh, man! I was in complete awww. I have never seen anything like Bryce Canyon. The beauty was so incredible I had tears. I have seen a lot of things in my life and I’ve seen pictures of Bryce Canyon, seeing it in person is surreal. I know my pictures don’t capture the beauty, I hope you enjoy them regardless.
Grand Staircase in the distance Incredible
We loaded up in the car and made it to Sunset Point. Again, wrongly named because it faces east not west. The Ranger told us the Wall Street section was open! Yay! Off we went! We hike the Queen Garden Trail to the Navajo Loop Trail. It was so fun to get up close to the hoodoos. They are such a marvel.
Castle RockRocks and treesStunningAmazing iPhone pictureTunnelTrees growing through rockThe light was stunning on the rocksHoodoos Hiking up Wall StreetTiny tunnelLooking down Wall StreetAlmost to the topHoodoosWe made it! One last canyon shot with Thors hammer
The total hike was almost 3.5 miles. It was lovely. The temperature was perfect. We commented several times how fortunate we have been with the weather this week. Not to mention missing the crowds. It would be a completely different experience to do these hikes in the heat and crowds.
A special thanks to Dave. He was such a good sport, as always, to chase a sunrise with me. And to you- thanks for reading.
Tuesday we booked a tour of The Grand Staircase Escalante. The Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument is a 1.7 million acre (slightly larger than the state of Delaware) remote area requiring a four wheel drive vehicle to travel the dirt roads. It is one of the most remote areas in the country and the last to mapped in the lower 48. We were at the top “stairs” with the bottom of the staircase being the bottom of the Grand Canyon.
During wet weather, the roads can be completely impassable. The road was a bumpy washboard with deep ruts and crossed several streams. However, it was totally worth it, the area offers some of the most breathtaking views of the state’s colorful sandstone cliffs and narrow slot canyons.
We started our tour at 8am and our first stop was a breathtaking vista overlooking the cliffs.
The dirt road we traveled all dayI tried to capture the beauty…
Our second stop was at Bull Valley Gorge. Here we could view a slot canyon from above. Stuck in the canyon was a 1950s ford pickup truck. The legend goes, high school kids were in the canyon when a flash flood came through. Their truck was unable to travel up the muddy sides of the canyon and became caught in the flood. The kids survived. No doubt they got a good whooping!
The truck is under the logFour friends
We continued to drive down the mountain and arrived at Willis Creek. We walked down the icy creek to view the slot canyon. It was incredible.
We booked our tour through Dreamland. (Same organization as our Wave Hike) Our tour guide was Jaron. He was fantastic. Not only an excellent driver, also a superb photographer and very knowledgeable about the area.
We continued our journey and arrived at Kodachrome Basin State Park. Here we enjoyed a picnic lunch before hiking up to Angels Palace. It was a short hike to the top of the rock formation to view the sand spires and get a panoramic view of the basin. The park has 67 sand spires ranging in a variety of sizes. Big and small. So many jokes about all of these phallic features. The views of the different staircase steps was truly breathtaking.
This looked like Buddha’s foot
Our next stop was at the sandstone rock formation, Grosvenor Arch. It is located is in the western corner of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. The arch is named after Gilbert Hovey Grosvenor, president of the National Geographic Society, the publisher of the National Geographic magazine. The arches were a mix of Henrieville Sandstone (165 million years old) and Dakota Sandstone (95 million years old). Weathering created a stunning natural marvel.
We continued on to the Cottonwood Narrows and took a short hike down into the slot canyon. It was unreal to see the size of boulders that are moved by flash flood waters.
Beautiful rocksGiant boulders
I couldn’t get over the different rock colors. They seem so random.
As our tour came to a close, we made a couple more stops. One of them to see the mushroom hoodoos. It was another short hike to observe them from above. Can rocks be cute? These sure were!
Our final stop was close to Kanab. This vista was absolutely stunning.
Throughout the day, we encountered only one other group of explorers and passed maybe 5 cars. The area was gorgeous, quiet and completely mesmerizing. We obviously didn’t see the entire 1.7 million acres, but what we saw was captivating and made my nerdy science heart so happy. As always, thanks for reading!
The Wave, properly know as Coyotes Butte North is a geological phenomenon. It is located in an area of Utah/ Arizona as the Vermillion Cliffs. The area is protected by the US Bureau of Land Management (BLM). In order to hike The Wave you must obtain a permit from the BLM.
You can enter the lottery three months in advance or one day in advance. Only 64 people per day are allowed in the area and as a result, demand far exceeds supply. Obviously, December isn’t a high demand time for hiking and so obtaining a permit is a little bit easier. Nonetheless, it requires a little bit of luck. And as the saying goes, sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good!
Dave, the lottery winner
Dave, as always, was the lucky one. He won the lottery for the four of us. We found out in early September he won and have been planning this adventure since then. There is no true trail to hike to The Wave. It is about a three mile hike to it through a desert landscape. We decided to hire a guide for peace of mind and safety. We were beyond happy with the decision. Our guide, Andrea, was very knowledgeable about geology and photography. Besides The Wave, she showed us dinosaur tracks and artifacts. Without further ado, here are our amazing pictures.
The formation of the Wave began 190 million years ago during the Jurassic Period. The desert dunes compacted and solidified into striped sandstone. The peculiar and unique fluctuating layers were created by slow wind and rain erosion.
Not to be ignored was the beautiful desert landscape as we hiked.
The dinosaur tracks were definitely a highlight along the way. because science is cool and real.
The hike to and from was beautiful. Although not as challenging as some hikes we have completed, it was the first we have ever witnessed an emergency situation. We stopped for a drink of water right before the last climb to the wave. While we were resting a group of four passed us. Not even 10 minutes later, as we were packing up to continue, we heard a scream. Turns out one lady in their party slipped and broke her ankle. We provided assistance and so did a BLM volunteer who was nearby. In the end, she had to be medically evacuated.
Medevac Helicopter
Andrea showed us evidence of ancient civilizations. What looks like just a rock is actually a mealing stone.
I would highly recommend adding The Wave to your bucket list. It truly was a once in a lifetime experience. Unless you’re a guide like ours, Andrea has hiked it over 100 times!
