Arizona’s Coyote Buttes Named One of Earth’s ‘Most Colorful Places’

Arizona’s beautiful landscapes have earned themselves yet another reward. Travel and Leisure has named the Coyote Buttes one of the “most colorful places on Earth,” placing the Arizona sight among other legendary, vibrant wonders. Other examples named on the list are the Rio Tinto in Spain and the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.

A specific portion of the Buttes called “The Wave” was chosen out of the vast area for the magazine’s recognition. The Wave is a bowl-like sandstone formation that features lines on its surface that resemble the lines that indicate height on a topographical map. These lines give the eye an impression of unmistakable curvature drawn across the smooth surface of the sandstone itself.

The sandstone itself is a hue of brick red and golden yellow, a beautiful combination in itself. However because of the curves of The Wave, the sandstone can take a number of colorful appear a number of colorful varieties.


Depending on the time of day that you visit, you can see The Wave in shades of red, orange, pink, and purple. According to scientists, these colors appear because of the iron oxide that is in the sandstone. The iron oxide along with the orientation of the sun causes the rock to present itself in differing colors.

The Navajo Sandstone at the site is believed to be 190 million years old. The Wave can be found about 80 miles away from the Grand Canyon North Rim Lodge and can be visited from there in about an hour and a half. From Phoenix, The Wave is an approximately six hour drive. The Coyote Buttes are along the Utah-Arizona Border.

To learn more about Coyoto Buttes and The Wave, click here