Spring 2026 - Idaho, Utah, Arizona, 5.2.26 - 5.27.26, Part 8: Double Barrel Arch, South Coyote Buttes

As a preface to this next report, let me give you an overview of where we would be going. Just south of the Utah state line in northern Arizona, is an area known as the Paria Plateau. Most of this high plateau lies within the Vermillion Cliffs National Monument, although the edges along the Vermillion Cliffs are not. These edge areas are in the Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness Area. The eastern border is above Lee’s Ferry while the southern border towers above State Route 89A. Both of these sides of the Paria Plateau are lined with the 3,000’ high brilliant red cliffs that the monument is named for. On the northrn border lies the Paria River running through Buckskin Gulch. This is the longest slot canyon in the country.

The western side provides the only means to access the top of the plateau by vehicle. It is a huge plateau covering some 290,000 acres. What is fascinating to me is that only a tiny fraction of this incredible place gets any visitors. In the upper northwest corner of the Paria Plateau are three places that seem to draw the most attention. The most popular is an area called Coyote Buttes North. This is the home of the very famous Wave. It is a stunning place to visit but to protect it from overcrowding, there is a very limited number of permits issued each day. Just below is South Coyote Buttes. This area also requires a very limited permit but sees only a fraction of the visitors that the Wave gets. The third area of visitation on the Paria Plateau is a bit further east from South Coyote Buttes and is called White Pocket. All three of these places have some of the most bizarre and beautiful scenery on the planet.

Bridgit and I visited South Coyote Buttes with Steamboat Mike in the spring of 2024. It is a large area and there was more than one could see in one day so I have been wanting to go back ever since. Debbie and Darren had never been so the four of us took off from Kanab early on May 19th. We drove down 89A, topped off our gas at Jacob Lake and dropped out of the mountains to the southern end of House Rock Valley Road. About nine miles up we turned off onto a rough dirt road 1017. A mile up that road we crossed a cattle guard and pulled into a small loop and parked. There is no sign or official trailhead here but this is where we began our hike to Double Barrel Arch. We hiked about a mile and a quarter up an old dirt track along a fenceline. Crossing the fence, a short sandy hill climb got us to the base of Double Barrel Arch. This arch had three distinct holes and was comprised of very twisted and contorted rock. How rocks can twist and bend like that I can’t even imagine but it was really impressive. Darren and I worked our way to the other side of the arch. This was a good move because it was really cool looking from this western side. We could climb up into the hole of the arch and poked all around before dropping down on the north side and heading back to the girls.

**The western side of Double Barrel Arch**

**Jon and Darren in Double Barrel Arch (Bridgit pic)**

The whole hike was only 2.5 miles round trip so it was an easy way to start the day. Back at the Jeeps we aired down our tires to 18psi. This provides more surface tread and allows the tires to “float” over areas of deeper sand. It also works like magic on washboard and bumpy roads to smooth out the ride dramatically.

We continued up Road 1017 and at 3.2 miles from House Rock Valley Road we turned north onto Road 1066 which is the route to South Coyote Buttes. This is definitely a 4WD road but it really isn’t difficult driving. The sand wasn’t too deep and the rocky sections were pretty tame. We took 1066 about 5.7 miles to an old abandoned ranch called Poverty Flat. I had been this way before but somehow in the maze of roads we got on the wrong road here. Instead of staying left on 1082 we went right onto 1084. We knew this didn’t seem correct right away. After discussing it we decided that this would still get us to South Coyote Buttes so why not do a little journey into the unknown? 1084 turned out to be a very interesting way to get to South Coyote Buttes. First of all, this road had a lot more deep sand than the main route. We followed this due north for a long way until we were maybe a quarter mile from the Utah state line. Here we curved to the west and had tremendous views from a high ridge looking over towards South Coyote Buttes. To the north of our position was a huge rock mountain that I determined was Steamboat Rock. This spot was as close as you can get by vehicle to Steamboat Rock so one day I’d like to go back and hike out there. Soon the road curved back to the south and climbed some sandy hills before descending to reconnect with the main route to South Coyote Buttes. Turning right, in short order we came to the spot just outside the permit area where we had camped on our previous visit. I breathed a sigh of relief that it wasn’t taken but there’s not a whole lot of people that even come this way, let alone camp overnight. We both set up our tents and camp chairs and kicked back for the afternoon, pleased with our success and excited for the next day.

**Our camp was walking distance from the trailhead for South Coyote Buttes**

In the late afternoon we headed down the road to the trailhead. Our permit was for the following day so we couldn’t go in there but just to the east out of the permit zone was another set of rocks so we hiked out to check them out. The weather was perfect and it only took us a few minutes to get to the rocks. These are the rocks that include a tall pillar called “The Chess Queen”. This whole area was great for exploring. In addition to many fascinating rock features, we had excellent views out to South Coyote Buttes, The Wave, Buckskin Gulch, the West Clark Bench and even White Rocks Canyon and Sidestep Canyon way off is the distance.

Back in camp we had dinner, got our stuff ready for the next day and went to bed early. In the morning we all had breakfast and got ready for a big day of hiking and exploring. Since Debbie and Darren had never been here, we took them on almost the exact same route that we had done with Steamboat Mike back in ‘24 (that’s 20, not 19!).

**Map of the Cottonwood Cove area of South Coyote Buttes**

We started out heading to the south end called the Upper Terrace, where there are numerous features like The Postman, Olympic Torch and The Ice Cream Shoppe. From there we slowly worked our way north down into Middle Terrace and then the Lower Terrace. Along the way were so many amazing features. The rock is so colorful and the shapes are unimaginable.

**Debbie and Bridgit on our way to the Upper Terrace**

**Darren and Jon making their way to Middle Terrace**

It’s a lot of hiking to cover the area from the Ice Cream Shoppe in the Upper Terrace all the way down to the Witches Hat in the Lower Terrace. Bridgit and Debbie saw a ton of coolness and were ready to work their way back to our camp. Just back a bit from the Witches Hat was a large gap that led to the front side of the buttes. From there an easy descent would take them back to the top of the main trail leading back to the trailhead. Once we were sure they knew how to get there we said our goodbyes. As they headed back, Darren and I began phase two of the hike.

First we dropped down a steep gully to get down into an amazingly swirly section of rock that included some dinosaur tracks and a feature called the Southern Wave. Then we dropped down to a sandy wash and hiked in a southwesterly direction between The Nomads and the West Slope. There are not as many features down on this side but one area that I called The Chocolate Drops was particularly beautiful.

**Looking down towards the Southern Wave**

**Darren in The Chocolate Drops section**

Near the south end of the West Slope, Mike and I had climbed up and over to get back to the trailhead. I remember at that time gazing over to the southwest corner to an area called The Cove. I really wanted to check it out but that day I didn’t have the energy to tack on the extra hiking. My plan all along on this trip was to get out to that area, do a little exploring and in particular, look for a feature called the Whale’s Eye. I had seen photos of it in a book I had at home. It was a large domed rock, very smooth in texture and covered with pink and red swirls. It was so cool looking in the book and I really wanted to see it for myself.

When Darren and I got to the spot where Mike and I began our exit, we turned to the west and hiked out to The Cove. When we got there, a large wall of rock was in the center and it looked like you could hike back behind it from either side. We headed left or south and with a few steep slickrock slopes to climb we made it back behind the wall. This was a little different than the rest of South Coyote Buttes but every bit as dramatic. We looked all over and though we saw lots of cool stuff, we couldn’t find the Whale’s Eye.

After poking around The Cove, we worked our way back to the wash and began our climb out of the West Slope. A little way up the hill we looked back and there it was! The Whale’s Eye was not where we had been exploring but more on the south end and up a different hill from the main cove area. In hindsight, we should have hiked back and climbed up to see it up close. Instead I zoomed in and got a few decent shots of it. I guess I’ll just have to go back a third time!

We made it back to camp by two, packed up and drove back to Kanab. Though it seemed farther, Darren and I hiked about six miles, proving you can see a lot in South Coyote Buttes in one day. We never saw another person the entire time we were hiking. I have no idea why this place isn’t more popular. The road isn’t that hard. They only give out twenty permits each day and I suspect a number of those go to guided tours with a limited amount of time to explore. I think it’s just one of those places that hasn’t quite been discovered yet. Whatever the reason, It’s a very special place and extremely worthy of a visit. I’ve now been there twice and would gladly go again.

Spring 2026 - Idaho, Utah, Arizona, 5.2.26 - 5.27.26, Part 8: Double Barrel Arch, South Coyote Buttes

Spring 2026 - Idaho, Utah, Arizona, 5.2.26 - 5.27.26, Part 7: The Nautilus, Sidestep Canyon, Peekaboo Slot, The Great Chamber

Rainbow Ridge, Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Washington, 8.10.2025