Coyote Buttes South (CBS)
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Note: On dirt roads, road conditions can change constantly. Therefore, we strongly recommend that everyone check the road conditions before each trip. The most current information is usually available on the BLM website in Escalante.
GSENM-Road-Condition-Report
Our visits: So far 2 visits in October 2011 and October 2014
First things first!!!
To visit the Coyote Buttes South (CBS) area you need a permit. This permit must be purchased prior to the visit. Every day 20 of these permits are issued. Each permit is valid for one person. 10 of these permits are issued online four months in advance. 10 more permits will be given away every morning at 10am at the BLM in Kanab, for the following day. If you are caught in the CBS area without a permit, you will be subject to hefty fines. Rangers from the BLM check the area regularly. The exact rules for the allocation of the online permits can be found since 01.10.2020 on the page of Recreation.gov.
Because of the more difficult accessibility, the rush for permits here is not quite as big as at the CBN. If you are a little flexible in the date, it should not be such a big problem to get a permit at the moment.
Directions to the trailhead
So far we have visited the CBS twice. Both times we did the tour, mainly because of the drive, with a commercial provider (Paria Outpost).
The approach is not very easy, because the roads are at best dirt roads, which are on the one hand stony and on the other hand very sandy. The journey should therefore only be made with an appropriate 4x4 vehicle.
Basically, there are several ways to reach the trailhead at Cottonwood Cove. Probably the most commonly used are the one via Paw Hole and the one via Pine Tree Road. The former is shorter, but usually much more sandy. Easier is probably the drive via Pine Tree Road and Poverty Flat Ranch. Despite all this, the road conditions vary constantly and reliable statements are very difficult to make. Ultimately, everyone must decide for himself what he can trust himself and his vehicle.
The hike in the CBS
The CBS area that can be accessed from Cottonwood Cove is very large. There are no trails, anyone with a valid permit can basically explore the area completely on their own. The tracks of our two hikes are linked above.
Our rating: The CBS are an absolute highlight on a journey through the Southwest. The sandstone has incredible colors and shapes. You should definitely have seen this one. A great place where you can easily spend a whole day and return several times without getting bored.
