The Wave, Arizona | Location on map

We headed out on the 10km (6 miles) round trip in midst June at a temperature of around 38 degrees Celcius (100F) and the temperature soon got the best of us. The combination of some steep slopes and sand dunes got us strolling from shade to shade, as far as we could locate any as there is not much cover available on the trail. During the hike, The Wave is nowhere to be seen until the very last moment, which is of course preceded by a very steep, very sandy slope…

The Wave, Arizona | Location on map

Once at The Wave, the views are amazing. The sculpted sandstone really looks like a large wave has suddenly been frozen in time and has been converted to sandstone. The area of The Wave is not that large, but still very impressive.

The Wave, Arizona | Location on map

When we hiked back, the sun was already setting which made the hike suddenly seem like a breeze. Well, at least I learned a valuable lesson, never underestimate extreme temperatures…
Back home, I saw a book in the bookstore called “Unforgettable Walks to Take Before You Die” which pictures The Wave on its front cover and I must say, this is certainly one I won’t forget soon.