The Cottonwood Teepees are the signature formation of Coyote Buttes South: a field of cone-shaped sandstone pinnacles rising from rolling desert terrain, their surfaces cross-bedded with swirling layers of red, orange, and cream. They are less dramatic than The Wave in the north unit but more varied and harder to reach, which keeps them quieter.
The area around the teepees also features free-standing wind-sculpted rocks known by names like Turtle Rock, The Frog, and Dali Rock — informal designations that describe their shapes well. There are no trails; you pick your way across deep sand between the formations. Come as early as possible in the day, both for cooler temperatures and for the slanted light that brings out the colors in the layered rock.