Hike This Quick and Beautiful Trail in Arizona to “Surf” a Famous Rock Formation

Can you believe that we’re still serving you awesome Arizona hikes? Yep, it’s almost impossible for us to stop giving you beautiful trails, given that the state is one big outdoor wonderland. Well, it’s time for another adventure! We have just what you’re looking for: Wave Cave Trail. It’s a breathtaking hike that leads to such an incredible picture spot. You’ve probably seen this from your friends’ Instagram accounts, so make sure not to miss out!

The Wave Cave Trail is A Sweet and Short Hike, But Don’t Underestimate It!

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Yes, this trail is pretty short, and you only need to finish a 3.2-mile hike. Still, this trail showcases the Superstition Wilderness from a different light! You’d think you know all the best views in the place, but boy, you are so wrong. You don’t need to exert too much effort because the trail starts off relatively flat and unassuming. Your eyes might get lost in the beautiful and massive canyons ahead, but you need to watch your steps soon after, because the trail is about to change.

You’ll find many directional arrows that confirm you are heading for the right direction. This makes the trail very easy to follow. In fact, hikers think the only chance for you to go astray is when the trail splits left, right, and center. That way, you’d need to continue straight on (through the fenced entrance) into the wilderness area.

Overall, it’s such a solid hike. Just remember to watch where you’re going and be on the lookout for rattlesnakes. There have been numerous sightings of these venomous snakes. There are many different photo-worthy spots around. You just have to stop to appreciate nature’s inspiring art.

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There are also a few desert plants a.k.a. giant cacti around. If you’re a visiting tourist, and is not used to these plants, you better do some documentation! In fact, if you want to see towering cacti, this is the best place to be. As for the elevation gain, you need not worry much. It’s pretty easy, but the trail transforms into a steep climb at the end, leading up to the cave. But of course, the sweat you feel climbing up will be replaced by a flood of happiness once you see the beautiful views. It’s worth it. Believe us!

You’ll See Beauty in Every Corner

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Wave Cave Trail features beautiful wildflowers and is primarily used for nature trips and hiking. If you want to see it in its best form, you need to hike it anywhere from September until April. You can even bring your furry friend along. You know, once you conquered all or most of the dog-friendly hikes in Arizona. Just remember to keep them on a leash.

This is pretty much one of the best hikes in the Superstition Mountains because it lets you enjoy the beautiful area from a different perspective. The easy hike, in the beginning, will soon lead you to a narrow path with deep canyon cliffs.

The Wave Cave Offers the Best Scenery the Superstition Mountains Has to Offer

Once you’re done with the Wave Cave Trail hike, you will reach the famous rock window that everyone just can’t stop talking about. Just be creative with your poses as you try and surf the rock formation. It’s really special.

Photo Ideas You Might Want to Try:

Hey, it’s totally okay if you run out of poses. That’s a common problem we all share, especially since we post a lot of photos in our social accounts. Here are some photo ideas you might want to duplicate:

The Classic “I Did It” Pose

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Sometimes, all you can do is to raise your arms in celebration of the awesome activity you just completed.

The Yogi Jump Pose

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The pose is already awesome if you’re doing it solo. But do it with a couple of good friends and it’s pretty amazing. Just remember to ask the photographer to take the shot in time with your jump, or else, you’d have to do it over and over again.

The Surfer Boy/Girl Pose

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It’s not called a Wave Cave for nothing, right? Be sure to bring justice to the beautiful hike by surfing the rock formation at the end. Just be fun!

The View is 3x More Beautiful With You (My Furry Friend) Pose

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This is such a cute photo idea. Just having your furry friend close to you while taking in the beautiful views is a memorable experience.

Excited Dog Meets Wave Cave Pose

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So you conquered the trail with your dog. What now? Make sure to take a photo with the good-est boy or girl in the popular rock formation. Having a photo showing the silhouette of you two enjoying the view is nice. But a candid one is still a good idea. We just hope your dog doesn’t pee on the famous photo spot.

The Totally Inlove Pose

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The best hikes are the ones conquered with your significant other. Once you reach the end (or rather, top) of the Wave Cave Trail, send the world a little love with some cute poses. You can do a heart sign by connecting your hands, or just share a kiss. Either way, we are loving the Totally Inlove pose.

Look at my Pistol Squat Pose

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We don’t know about you, but we think #PistolSquatEverywhere is totally a thing! Show off your strong legs by doing a pistol squat on top of the rock formation. Mind the balance, okay!

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No matter what photo idea or pose you try, we’re sure it will be beautiful. Think of a pose before climbing the rock formation, because there are actually many people waiting to snap the winning shot.

The View is Super Gorgeous!

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The panoramic scene is simply stunning. You can just stare at the view for a long time and you won’t even get bored of it. Just look at the desert landscape. You’d think it’s such a sad and dry place, but in reality, it’s only dry. It’s so much alive! This should definitely go on your list of things to do in Arizona.

Wave Cave Trail Hiking Tips

• The bugs and flies are relentless in the Wave Cave Trail. A strong and effective bug spray will come in handy, and will help keep the hike an enjoyable one. This is the number one concern because many hikers are bothered by the flies. If you can’t endure them, or if you don’t have a pretty strong bug spray, just don’t hike the trail now.
• There’s no shade on the trail, so you better come prepared with trail snacks and water to give you the boost you need to finish the hike. If you can’t bear the Arizona heat, you better hike this trail early to avoid dehydration.
• Expect steep climbs and loose rocks. There are some people who mark arrows on the rocks to keep the climbers on track and safe from injury.
• Take your time coming down from the rock formation. There are loose rocks and you might fall hard.

Wave Cave Trail Details:

Distance: 3.2 miles
Elevation Gain: 872 feet
Route Type: Out & Back
Location: Gold Canyon, Arizona

From Phoenix, you should take the US-60 East before turning left onto Peralta Road. Follow the dirt road for about 6.3 miles and you’ll reach a small parking area on your left hand side.

What do you think about the Wave Cave Trail?