hiking the wave: worth the hype or just a struggle?
We finally got lucky and won the lottery to hike The Wave on the Arizona/Utah border. I’ve seen those stunning photos online for years, so my expectations were sky-high. We woke up at 4:30 a.m., packed enough snacks to feed a small army, and drove two hours through pitch-black desert roads—only to realize the trailhead was even harder to find than we thought. There are barely any signs, and the GPS lost signal halfway there.
Once we started hiking, the scenery was unreal—those red sandstone swirls really do look like another planet. But the trail itself? Not so friendly for knees that have seen a few decades. The sand was deep, the sun was relentless, and I kept wondering if my knees would forgive me. We met another couple about our age who were also struggling, and we all joked about needing a helicopter rescue. By the time we finally reached The Wave, we were sweaty, exhausted, and a little cranky. The photos were gorgeous, but I couldn’t help but think: was all this effort really worth it, or is this one of those places that’s better in pictures than in person? Has anyone else made the trek and felt the same way? I’d love to hear if you found it magical or just plain exhausting. I’m torn between bragging about making it and warning friends to skip it!
#TheWave #HikingAdventures #TravelOver50 #Travel
