Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness | Arizona

Nationally known for its beauty, the Paria Canyon has towering walls streaked with desert varnish, huge red rock amphitheaters, sandstone arches, wooded terraces, and hanging gardens. The 3,000-foot escarpment known as the Vermilion Cliffs dominates the remainder of the wilderness with its thick Navajo sandstone face, steep, boulder-strewn slopes, rugged arroyos and stark overall appearance. Some of the best slot canyon hiking opportunities on the Colorado Plateau are found here.

Deer and desert bighorn sheep inhabit the area.

The wilderness also provides opportunities for backpacking, photography, and solitude.

In the northwest portion of the wilderness lies Coyote Buttes, an area of spectacular scenery displaying domes, aprons, fins, corridors, and a variety of small fragile rock sculptures carved in colorful swirling cross bedded sandstone. The variety of colors and textures in the rock formations within the wilderness constantly change with variations in light and weather. This colorful sandstone area creates a feeling of wonder and amazement.

What to do

• Hiking
• Wilderness
• Photography
• Backpacking

Getting there

Visit the Paria Contact Station: From Page, Arizona, drive west on Highway 89 for 30 miles (48 kilometers). Or from Kanab, Utah, drive east on Highway 89 for 43 miles (62 kilometers). Look for the Bureau of Land Management contact station sign on the right. The Paria Contact Station is 200 yards (218 meters) off Highway 89.

Fees

You must have a permit to visit Coyote Buttes North (The Wave) and Coyote Buttes South. Permits are available for day use only. There is a daily limit on permits. Permits for Coyote Buttes North (The Wave) are offered through a lottery. Learn more about permits to visit Coyote Buttes North (The Wave) Learn more about permits to visit Coyote Buttes South

Managed by the Bureau of Land Management's Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness.

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