Photo courtesy of the Arizona Office of Tourism.

If not The Wave, try White Pocket

There’s certainly nothing like The Wave. Whether you recognize it from National Geographic as one of their favorite southwestern adventure gems or maybe even as the default photo on your Microsoft computer, the destination is undoubtedly one of Arizona’s most popular. The location and demand make the spot a bit too difficult to seamlessly visit – especially during the summer months. Your next best option, as recommended by the Arizona Office of Tourism? White Pocket. White Pocket is a group of domes and ridges covering an area of one square mile, below a larger mesa lined by similar rocks. White, or light gray, is the dominant rock color, in contrast to the red of the Coyote Buttes, but the general features are similar – swirling, thin-layered strata, adjacent layers of contrasting color, and curious erosive features. Other colorful pockets are found further south and east on the plateau. This sweet spot serves the same stellar views as The Wave, without all of  the hassle.