The New Wave and the surrounding area

The New Wave is a Wave like rock formation just outside Page. While it is certainly no "Wave" it is a good destination should you have extra time while in the Page area. Like The Wave it is made of Navajo sandstone and has extensive fine detail and cross bedding. It opens to the northeast and gets even light mid afternoon. Do not get there too late or the rocks to the southwest will block the sun's rays. It also photographs reasonably well at sunrise shooting towards the southwest.

250 yards to the south-southeast of The New Wave is a rock formation I'm calling Radio Tower Rock, named after the nearby radio towers. This formation is also Wave like and is more photogenic than The New Wave. It should definitely be seen if you're stopping at The New Wave. If you only have a little time in Page skip The New Wave and go here first. Like The New Wave the formation opens to the northeast. It is best shot mid to late afternoon. In spring and summer the other side of the formation should get light at sunrise. The formation frames Tower Butte and Navajo Mountain, and shooting to the north brings in Lake Powell. The radio towers and US89 will work their way into some of your images. They will be small and can be cloned out if you wish to bring your image to a more natural state.

If you are interested in tafoni (small round smooth-edged cave like openings in rock) the ridge to the west of The New Wave has lots of it. The tafoni here pales in comparison to the much better known Paria Windows but is worth seeing if you are in the area and like to explore.

Getting There

From the Glen Canyon Dam Bridge proceed north 0.7 miles and turn left onto a good gravel road. After 100 yards the road splits, take the right fork for 0.1 miles to the turnoff for the Beehive campground. The Beehive campground has six sites with a three night limit. Picnic table at each site. No hookups, dump station, or restrooms. Portable toilets required. No campfires or glass containers. No reservations. $14 per night. If you are not camping turn left and park. The trailhead is at the northwest end of the parking area. The trail is marked in red on the Google map below. The trail is very heavily cairned and goes around the butte that The New Wave is on. If you just want to see The New Wave and Radio Tower Rock take the left where the trail splits. There is a side trail going to Radio Tower Rock shown in green below.

There is one other trail best accessed from the parking area. The Ropes trail is 3.5 miles long round trip and takes you to the northwest shore of the Colorado River. The trail is considered difficult and should only be attempted by strong hikers. The 700 foot drop to the Colorado is exposed and very steep. The trail is named for the fixed ropes at the lower end that are needed to safely descend to the river. The trail to the rim is shown in olive green on the map below. I have not shown the trail down the cliffs and have not hiked it. More information on the trail can be found on hikearizona. I suggest you stop at the Glen Canyon Visitor Center and ask about conditions before attempting this hike.

Google map of the area

To view the map in Google Maps please click anywhere on the map above.

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This page was last updated 10/25/2023