The Big Mac via The Wave Trail
3.6 mi
Distance
1 hrs 51 min
Time
terrain
781 ft
Elev Gain
Overview
This is a easy one way trail to The Big Mac in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.
This trail goes by The Second Wave, The Swirls, Top Rock Arch, Dune, Melody Arch, Joannes Arch, Dannys Arch, and Butte.
Rate this Hike
★★★★★
Only photo 74 shows The Big Mac, all others are not even close. The Best route to The Big Mac is from Cottonwood Spring Road but requires driving through deep sand to park at 36°58'18.2"N 111°58'51.3"W
Hike towards the West onto hard rock walking surfaces and then North. At the base, follow the sand lines as they rise to The Big Mac.
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The Big Mac rock is located beyond The Wave (36.98954857894864, -112.0019384356022) and is easier to approach from the South at the Cottonwood Cove parking area of The South Coyote Buttes hiking North to take advantage of the rising rock strata that forms natural paths. These layered rock strata lines rise from the sandstone to form long, rising lines making ascending easy and natural. All other approaches to The Big Mac (W, N) entail crazy scrambling, sand covered slickrock and steep features to pass.
Approaching from the South is far easier and safer, which is the way we came.
The Big Mac is a great feature, well worth the hike and it looks just like one!
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