Many of the folks who travel to Kanab do so in hopes of being one of the 20 folks per day who win the lottery and the privilege of hiking 6 miles in the desert to view the Wave. This remote, iconic rock formation was made famous when it appeared as a desktop wallpaper in Windows 7. If you win the right to purchase a permit for this hike you still have to find your own way. To protect the delicate area, there is no trail. You can hire a guide if, like me, you don’t like wandering aimlessly in the desert hunting for rock formations.
The Non-Hiker Alternative to the Wave
Not excited about the hike to the Wave, Storm and I decide to take the Jeep off-road on a sandy trail inside the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument. The trail we select requires no permit, guide or lengthy hike. After 16 miles of a well marked path, we park at a huge trailhead. Then we hike (and I use that term loosely) from the parking lot to see a formation call White Pocket. This natural wonder is part of the same geologic area as the Wave.
Once we survive the grueling 100 yard walk from our Jeep to White Pocket, we find ourselves in a slick rock wonderland that is totally open for exploration. We may have missed the Wave, but for the effort expended on our part, I will take White Pocket anytime. I love this ride so much, I want to do it again. I am thinking next year maybe we can get more of our Jeep friends to meet us over near Vermilion Cliffs for a group ride out to White Pocket and other natural wonders. How does that sound?
Enjoy the Beauty of White Pocket
