This trip is a short Veterans day trip to the Page area that allows us to access to multitude of slot canyons in the area. This time we even have ought a permit to enter the Coyote Buttes South region that we wanted to explore for some time so we are looking forward to it. We leave relatively late and as such are not stopping often only to stretch our legs before reaching Page - a 6 hour drive.
 |  |
| Stopping on the way | There are still flowers |
We are trying a different hotel this time - it has quite large rooms and we are soon fast asleep as tomorrow we have a long day of exploration ahead of us.
 |  |
| Motel room in Page | Large living room |
We start the day with an American hotel breakfast (not a lot of food basically) and then we are on our way towards the Paria Box our goal for the day. Still we make one exploratory detour on a side road on the way which is initially paved, barely. The pavement actually disappears after a bit which is even better and the road climbs above the highway to some nice views.
 |  |
| Road into the hills | View from above |
 |  |
| Interesting formation in the valley | Why not walk towards it? |
The real surprise however are the toadstools at the end of the road, just two of them but quite impressive especially in such a random area.
 |  |
| Surprise on the way | Close to the toadstools |
After returning to the car we continue our drive towards the Paria Box which we intend to reach from Cottonwood Road. The road is closed a bit farther after our stop so there are no other cars beside us as we drive towards the parking lot and then start wading through the water towards the slot canyon. Well not continuous wading as the water is quite cold but we do wade a lot more often than we are used to - glad that we brought our water shoes.
 |  |
| Road to the Paria River | Decided to walk through the canyon in the river |
 |  |
| Canyon is closing in | Cool white wall |
Of course we have to explore whatever side trails we find and we are surprised when we discover many weird human artifacts either from the nearby Paria movie set or simply from trappers or other people that lived in the area - still living in a semi jail below a rock?! In other side canyons we see natural hidey holes shaped by the water that are fun to look into and imagine that we are going to find something (not a chance:)).
 |  |
| A weird find in the mountains - jail?! | And a safe? What is going on? |
 |  |
| Many hidey holes | Exploring them - who knows what we find? |
As we pass through the box the walls are quite high and narrow and we have to pass through the water more often however soon we are on the other side and the perspective opens up. This side is where the Paria movie set was and we are looking for remnants as we are starting our walk back through the slot canyon to the car.
 |  |
| Red (and high) canyon walls | Surprise arch |
 |  |
| On the other side of the narrows | Still walking in the river - why not? |
And we find some remnants from the movie days specifically a modern adobe ladder on a side wall nicely hidden that is however starting to fall apart which allowed us to notice it. We explore it for a bit but don't really climb on it as it doesn't like safe. Still from the base and close by we get some good views of the Paria Box slot canyon and we notice that the sun that heated us on the way through the canyon has already left it - ouch - it will be much colder on the way back.
 |  |
| Can you see the fake stairs? | Close up reveals they are modern |
 |  |
| Entering the Paria Box to get to the car | Yes we are walking through the river |
How cold is it? There is ice on the side of the river that much:). We go much faster through the river on the way back and look whistfully at the canyon walls still illuminated by the sun especially a red rock massif behind the white canyon wall that looks impressive.
 |  |
| Ice near the river - yes water is cold | Red mountain peeking |
 |  |
| Quite impressive | Close up of mountain |
After arriving at the car and drying off (and bringing some warmth off in our frozen legs) we drive back to Page where we eat at a BBQ place that we enjoy before going to sleep - tomorrow is the day we are going to Coyote Butter South.
 |  |
| BBQ dinner | Close up of good food |
 |
| South Coyote Buttes wonderland |
Today after breakfast and checking out we drive towards the Coyote Buttes which are quite far on a dirt road in the middle of nowhere. We are always surprised that this is a permit protected area - how many people can really come here during a day? And 10 permits per day only? It seems so restrictive compared to other sites even ones that need protecting. But it is what it is so we have a permit for the South side not the North one which is impossible to get (due to the world famous Wave). We start driving towards the South side from the main dirt road but the road is quite sandy so we park and hike to the entrance of the area.
 |  |
| That is where we are going | Road to the hiking area |
 |  |
| View from parking lot | Entrance gate |
The area is quite nice and interesting (again though not necessarily permit worthy compared to other places in the region) with lots red stone formations everywhere including a coke ovens like formation.
 |  |
| The camel - more or less | Interesting peaks |
 |  |
| Getting close to them | Very cool rock formations |
 |  |
| "Coke ovens"- everywhere we look | Close up of one stone towers |
There is actually quite a lot of color in the red rocks besides the red that you can see from far away and the striations are quite Wave like from place to place.
 |  |
| Colorful wall | This looks like the wave |
 |  |
| Soo many colors | Alien circles:) |
As we explore the area we find many interesting spots and we enjoy the solitude as we take photos and walk around the rock formations.
 |  |
| Another interesting area | Wave like side canyon |
 |  |
| Another of the many tower formations | Looking back at the "coke ovens" |
But in the end we have to return back to the car and that is where the things get interesting as a cow/bull follows us closer and closer almost running towards us but we get to the gate faster. It is a weird and exhilarating moment - the first time that a cow ever has taken an interest in us (or maybe was just going in our direction). Soon we are back in the car and we have a long drive back to the Phoenix ahead of us which goes uneventfully.
 |  |
| Cow in the distance | Getting closer and following us |
