Vermilion Cliffs National Monument
Paria Canyon/Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness
Coyote Buttes Permit Area - Trailheads & Access Points
Cottonwood Cove Trailhead
april snow at cottonwood cove trailheadDescription 
The Cottonwood Cove Trailhead is an undeveloped access point that provides entry to Coyote Buttes South. There are no trails, direction signs or other navigational information once you leave the parking area. Please park in existing disturbed areas. Four-wheel drive is mandatory, as are topographic maps. Driving off-road to avoid difficult road conditions is illegal. 

Trailhead Location 
To access Cottonwood Cove Trailhead from Highway 89, travel east from Kanab 38 miles, turning right onto House Rock Valley Road (BLM Road 1065) just before the sharp left turn markers. Or travel west from Page, Arizona 34 miles on Highway 89 over the dam, past the Paria Contact Station (which has updated road and canyon conditions) and turn left onto House Rock Valley road just after the sharp right turn markers. Drive south on House Rock Valley Road, an unmaintained gravel road, turning left onto one of the two main routes onto the plateau and drive through deep sands and rocky outcroppings that require high-clearance 4-wheel drive vehicles to the parking area following the topographic map from one of the many routes within the area.

Permits, Fees, Limitations  
Group size is limited to 6 people in this permit area. Groups larger than 6 must split into smaller groups and hike within the permit area on separate days.

Permits for day hiking are purchased in advance either on-line or through the walk-in permit process at the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Visitor Center in Kanab, UT (745 E Highway 89 across from Walkers gas station and Wendy’s restaurant). The fee is $5.00 per person, per dog per day and is limited to 20 people per day (dogs do not count against this total).

What to Expect

Information

 

Permits

Accessibility 
House Rock Valley road is not maintained and may be impassable when wet.  Four-wheel drive is mandatory and topographic maps are needed to access the trailhead.  High clearance vehicles are suggested.  During flood events, Buckskin Gulch may be impassable when trying to reach the access point from the north.  Updated road conditions are available through the Kanab Field Office or theArizona Strip Field Office.

Water Availability/Hiking in Water 
No drinking water is available within 30 road miles of the access point. The Paria Contact Station is the closest water source when it is open. 

Safety Concerns  
Visiting the Cottonwood Cove Trailhead requires backcountry navigation and driving skills.  Four-wheel drive is mandatory, as are topographic maps.  Please stop by the Paria Contact Station or the Kanab Field Office for maps, road conditions and navigation advice.

Hikers must be extremely cautious traveling in the area as it is easy to get turned around and geologic landmarks are difficult to locate.  Hiking in the area requires good backcountry navigation skills.  Elevation at the access point is above sea level: 5,500 feet (1,676 meters).

Biting deer flies can be bad in the late spring/early summer. Wear long pants to avoid bites. Heat-related injuries, dehydration or elevation sickness could be potential problems. Neither water nor cell coverage is available in the area. Hikers must carry a minimum of one gallon of water per person per day.

Camping and Lodging  
The closest developed campgrounds are Stateline Campground, 1.5 miles south on BLM Road 1065 and Whitehouse Campground located 2 miles south of the Paria Contact Station located on Highway 89.  Dispersed, primitive camping is available within Vermilion Cliffs National Monument and House Rock Valley on Arizona Strip Field Office Lands at least ¼ mile from water sources and developed recreation sites.  Dispersed camping is permitted at the trailhead. Lodging is available in Marble Canyon and Page, AZ and Kanab, UT.

Food and Supplies  
The nearest source of food and supplies is Kanab, UT, and the communities of Marble Canyon or Page, AZ.

First Aid  
No first aid is available within the monument.  The nearest hospital is in Page, AZ, 42 miles away.

Maps
USGS 7.5 minute quads: Coyote Buttes and Poverty Flat, Arizona.