Beyond the Bay Area: Riding the Arizona Wave

My husband and I are adventure people. We love to explore the outdoors and we love to take our dogs with us. Because our family currently includes five dogs, aged 7 months to 15 years, that takes some planning.

 About two years ago we attended a seminar at the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah, near the Arizona border. The sanctuary itself is amazing; on any given day, it’s home to about 1600 rescued dogs, cats, horses, birds, rabbits, potbellied pigs, farm animals and assorted wildlife. But we also fell in love with the entire area.

photo by the author

 There are many beautiful places to visit near Kanab, but one of the most spectacular is The Wave, located in the North Coyote Buttes area of the Vermillion Cliffs National Monument across the Arizona border. Admission to The Wave is extremely limited and by permit only. Half of each day’s permits are available through an online lottery four months in advance; the remainder are available at an in-person lottery at the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Visitor Center in Kanab one day in advance. On our first visit to Kanab, we entered the in-person lottery 20 times before we got a permit, but this year, luck was with us - we landed a permit on our first try!

Because the route is a strenuous 6.4 mile hike (or up to 7-10 miles with a little exploring), all humans and dogs must be in good condition. The day before, we made sure our dogs were well hydrated by giving them lots of chicken broth with water. We also checked their paw pads and trimmed their nails to make sure their most important body parts for the hike were in top shape. Finally, we left our 15-year-old dog with our son and his girlfriend in air-conditioned comfort. This is not a hike for a senior dog. 

 The drive to the trailhead in Arizona is about an hour from Kanab. We arrived at 5am, just as the sun was just coming up and the temperature was about 61F.  We had received a route description with our permit, but there is no traditional trail nor are there any trail markers for the majority of the route. We took about a gallon of water per person/dog for drinking plus a 3-liter CamelBak to help cool off the dogs during stops. Our gear also included dog booties, a muzzle (in case a dog got injured), a carry-out emergency pack, a first-aid kit, shelter tarp, nail clippers, plus lunch and high value snacks for us and the dogs. You must pack out everything including dog poop so we also took some large zip locks to help contain the smell. 

photo by the author

The first half mile of the hike goes through a wash, after which the route heads off into some rocky and sandy ground and then back into a small wash. The climb then goes over some tilted sand rock before finally arriving in the area of The Wave. We took our time going in, stopping occasionally and giving water when needed. Even though off-leash is allowed, we kept our dogs leashed to make sure they didn’t exhaust themselves running back and forth and to minimize any rattlesnake exposure. The temperature the day we were there never exceeded 84F, just under the heat limit I advise for people to take dogs on a hike.

 When we arrived at The Wave, there were photographers already set up to capture those stunning pictures you see on the internet. There are other incredible rock formations for miles around so we decided to hike up to a second wave, then explore a bit before heading back into The Wave. On our return, we were met by two friendly Bureau of Land Management volunteers, originally from California, who checked our Wave permit. They also expressed concern about our dogs as they have witnessed some terrible situations (both people and dogs have died on this adventure over the years due to inexperience and heat exhaustion). We assured them that our dogs were well trained for adventures like this, hiking every day and swimming in the summer as well. 

While our dogs are physically capable of dealing with a 7-mile hike in warmer temperatures, they are the exception, not the rule. If you prepare your dogs with regular hiking to keep them fit and toughen their paw pads, over time they will be able to go further and longer on the trail. But always be aware of your dog’s limitations and abilities and adjust your activity accordingly - no adventure is worth putting your dog’s health at risk. 

The key to an adventure like The Wave is making sure your dogs love hiking and exploring new places. You also need patience. We hiked at a slower pace than we might have on our own because the dogs wanted to sniff all the fascinating new smells and we wanted them to enjoy the hike. On our way back out, we stopped often, taking about two hours to complete the return route vs. only an hour and 20 minutes on the way in. This was due to higher temperatures and greater exposure on the return leg. Given the shifting angle of the sun, there was little shade on the way back and the dogs asked us to stop more often (we’ve actually trained our dogs to find shady spots if they need them). 

While not every adventure is appropriate for every dog, with the right care, planning and temperament, your dogs may enjoy such travels, too. But if you or your pups aren’t the outdoor types, you can always follow our escapades from the comfort of your own couch.

We’re already planning our next dog-friendly adventure so look for our pack online or on the trail. Until then, stay well and keep wagging!