How To Get A Permit For The Wave Arizona

By Alley Keosheyan / May 10, 2017

As the saying goes, “it wasn’t a matter of ‘if’ but a matter of ‘when.’” In this case, the “when” was the summer of 2009, when the powers-that-be at Microsoft thought it would be a fabulous idea to include a photo of The Wave in Paria Canyon, Arizona on the desktop wallpaper of Windows 7.[1] From that moment on, what had until then been a relatively well-kept secret among hikers and backpackers was catapulted to “Arizona Bucket List” status, and suddenly everybody and his brother wanted to go there. Does that include you? Be ready to jump through some hoops, but be ready to experience a place like no other on Earth, and an adventure you’ll never forget!

The Wave is located in the Coyote Buttes North Special Management Area of the Paria Canyon/Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness Area in Northern Arizona. Areas with this designation are considered ecologically sensitive and vulnerable to irreparable damage if access to them is not strictly controlled. Managed by the Bureau of Land Management, only 20 lucky people per day are allowed to visit Coyote Buttes North and The Wave in Arizona. In order to be included on that list, you must obtain a permit. This can be done one of two ways:

Apply in advance for the online Paria Canyon permit lottery through the BLM’s official website. Ten (10) spots per day are given out in this manner. You can – and should – apply up to four (4) months in advance for your desired date. Applications are taken for the entire calendar month for the month four (4) months ahead. If, for example, you wish to hike to The Wave in October (the 10th month on the calendar), you would need to apply online anytime during the month of June (the 6th month on the calendar). The winners of the lottery would then be drawn on the 1st day of July.

The breakdown for the entire year would look like this:

Application Period	Month You Wish To Hike	Lottery Drawn at Noon MST or 1:00 PM MDT On
January 1 – 31	May	February 1
February 1 – 28	June	March 1
March 1 – 31	July	April 1
April 1- 30	August	May 1
May 1 – 31	September	June 1
June 1 – 30	October	July 1
July 1 – 31	November	August 1
August 1 – 31	December	September 1
September 1 – 30	January	October 1
October 1 – 31	February	November 1
November 1 – 30	March	December 1
December 1 – 31	April	January 1

There is a $5.00 non-refundable fee to apply for the online lottery. You may choose three (3) different dates to hike The Wave and apply for up to six (6) people. Applicants are notified of their results in the lottery by e-mail on the first day of the month following the application period. If, for some reason, you are not notified by the second day of the month, please contact the Vermillion Cliffs National Monument Permit Desk. Be sure to check your spam/junk mail folder first, though. Only one application may be submitted per month. Please do not try to “game the system” by submitting more than one application per month. You will be found out and both applications will be forfeited.

Obtain a walk-in permit. Read a first-hand account from someone who hiked The Wave on a walk-in permit.

20 people a day are allowed to hike to Coyote Buttes North and The Wave. 10 will have secured their permits ahead of time by online lottery; the remaining 10 hiking slots can be acquired by walk-in permit at the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Visitor Center located at 745 US-89 in Kanab, UT.

Walk-in permits are dispensed for the following day, so you’ll need to arrange for hotel accommodations accordingly.

To try your hand at getting one, you must show up in person (no phone-ins or proxies) at the Visitor Center between 8:30 – 9:00 AM local time the day before you wish to hike. Note that Arizona does not observe Daylight Saving Time, but Utah does, so if you’re staying in Page, AZ, you’ll have to leave one hour “early” during DST. During non-DST months, Arizona and Utah are on the same time. It has been suggested that first-time participants in this process arrive right at 8:30 AM [2], though it will not affect your chances one way or the other. The BLM ranger on duty will assign numbers to all parties applying. He or she will then draw numbers until all slots are filled.

If your party is chosen, you will then pay your $7.00 per person (and per dog) fee, and get a quick safety briefing by the BLM ranger. You will receive maps, trail guides, and specially-designed bags for packing out both human and animal waste. Spend the rest of your day exploring nearby attractions to your hotel, or just resting up for your trip. Then, get ready to roll to the Wire Pass Trailhead the next morning!

If you strike out at getting a walk-in permit for The Wave, you are welcome to try again the following day. Just hang onto the number you received the previous day and get to the GSENM Visitors Center by 9 AM.

General Notes:

The hike from Wire Pass Trailhead to The Wave is approximately 5 miles round-trip. It is considered “moderate” in terms of degree of difficulty. Individuals should be in reasonably good health and have some desert hiking experience before attempting this trip. Those who wish to go further may opt to visit Top Rock Arch, Second Wave, Melody Arch and Dinosaur Tracks, which will extend your hike to 8 miles round-trip.

Remember this is a desert environment; water and shade are scarce to non-existent. You are responsible for providing your own food and water. 3 liters of water per person and high-energy snacks with moderate salt content are recommended. If you encounter a pool of water in this area, please avoid wading through it unless absolutely necessary. Do not drink from these pools or allow dogs to do so.

There is no “established” trail to The Wave. Many report getting lost on the way in and/or on the way out of the main scenic area. Markers such as cairns are not provided (please don’t make your own) and signs are kept to a bare minimum. Keep the maps you receive from the BLM handy throughout your hike and bring a portable GPS device if desired.

There is no cell phone service in the area. Please inform friends and family of your plans, and be sure to sign in at the register box at Wire Pass Trailhead.

The House Rock Valley Road, the only means of accessing the Wire Pass Trailhead, may be rendered impassable in wet weather. Even in favorable conditions, it can be bumpy and sandy. A vehicle with sufficiently high clearance to navigate these obstacles is recommended. If you are uncomfortable driving in these conditions, you may wish to hire a guide service. Using a guide does not exclude you from the permit requirement, nor does it increase your chances of getting one.

You must pack out all trash, including your own waste. Burying or burning toilet paper is not allowed.

Dogs are allowed, but they must be kept leashed at all times. They are subject to a $7.00 per animal entrance fee (which doesn’t count against the ‘human’ quota), and you are required to pack out their waste as well.

No overnight camping or fires are allowed in the Coyote Buttes area.

Again, The Wave is in high-demand year-round. Statistically speaking, your chances are slim that you will get a permit. You should have a “plan B” in mind if you are not selected for an online or walk-in permit. Areas you might consider exploring include but are not limited to: Coyote Buttes South (a permit is required, but these tend to be easier to get), White Pocket Fold, Steamboat Rock, Cobra Arch, Buckskin Gulch or The “New” Wave near Page, AZ.

[1] https://bearfoottheory.com/hiking-the-wave-in-arizona/

[2] http://localadventurer.com/the-wave-permits-coyote-buttes-north-vermillion-cliffs/

30comments

Jenny - August 13, 2018

When is the “low season” to increase the chance of getting a permit?
I’m sure that you can see 500 people in one day in July in front of visitor center but much less in other months… What month(s) has less visitors?

Alley Keosheyan - August 13, 2018

Hi Jenny,
Great question!
Nowadays, there aren’t too many timeframes that see a dip in the number of permit hopefuls, The Wave is just that popular. However, we do tend to see a slight decrease in applicants during two distinct periods: the hottest part of summer (late June through early September), and the dead of winter (December – February). Notice the word “slight.” People still go for it, and sometimes do so unprepared. Just last month, we had a heat-related fatality involving a hiker from Belgium. These types of incidents, though rare, tend to happen most often in the summer months. With increased demand for Wave permits spilling over into the Winter months, it’s only a matter of time until we hear about hypothermia-related casualties.
Hope that helps and best of luck on your quest to see The Wave! For more information about The Wave and alternate sites that are just as beautiful but don’t require a permit, visit our sister site, http://www.TheWaveAZ.com
Take care,
Alley 🙂

Justin Bowen - July 10, 2018

I’d like to throw my two cents in from someone who hiked to The Wave last week (yes, it was hot).

Choose your hiking partner(s) wisely.

I traveled with my family to Utah for six days between this week and last to do some hiking. The Wave was not part of the itinerary, but I figured that since we were in town it couldn’t hurt too much to apply in-person. If we won we would then have an awesome opportunity to see a one-of-a-kind phenomenon; if we lost, then we’d just be late in getting to our destination (Zion). Imagine my surprise, then, when I learned that we’d won (I actually forgot my number so I had to go up and look after the drawing was over).

Fast forward to the trip, the whole day didn’t start out great. The other half isn’t a morning person. So getting her and the kid up at 4:00 AM (after having had less than 6 hours of sleep because they refused to listen to me about the need for sleep) to get ready for the trip and to drive to the trailhead proved to be almost too much; had I known where the keys were I literally would have left them and went alone. The road, as has already been mentioned, is rough. So driving over the bumpy road with a grumpy person next to me made the morning even worse.

Once there, things were literally no better. I tried to convince her that she needed long sleeves and pants. Nothing I said mattered.

“Why would I wear long sleeves and pants in the desert?”

She put on her shorts and a sleeveless shirt and donned her pack – which did NOT have the gallon of water in it that the ranger recommended (I wasn’t going to make my 11-year old – whose pack only carried 1.5L – carry a full gallon of water, so I attached eight extra 1.5L hydration packs onto my bag – which already contained 3L of water and snacks – so that we wouldn’t run out of water).

On the actual trail, things only got worse. She complained about the uphill slogging through the sand. She complained about the heat. She wanted to go off-trail to find a shorter route to the place that she’d never been to before…in the desert. And then there were the variations on “How much longer?” and “I’m not going any further!” whines from her (my 11-year old was actually perfectly fine for almost the whole trip). Once there, her reaction was essentially “This is it?”.

The outbound was no better than the inbound. More whining. More wanting to take “short cuts”. More complaints about the heat. More comments about not going any further. Suffice it to say, we’re never hiking together again.

Now, you might ask: why would you bring someone on a hike who didn’t like to hike? Well, the answer is this: I didn’t know that she was going to be like this. Based on previous hikes, I actually figured that this would actually be a step down. A couple years prior, we actually hiked into Bryce Canyon FROM Tropic. We took a back road to the outskirts of Bryce Canyon, hiked all the way to Sunset Point, refilled, and hiked back to our car (round trip: over 13 miles – in August). We’ve climbed mountains in Yellowstone, did the Angels Landing trail in Zion, hiked and snorkeled in the Galapagos, and have done so much more that led me to believe that she could easily handle this. I was totally taken aback by her reaction to the hike.

So my lesson that I want to impart to you is, again, to choose your hiking partner(s) wisely. If you are not absolutely 100% confident that your hiking partner(s) will be as excited as you are about the trip, find a different partner. Given that you have a small chance of winning the lottery once, don’t let someone else ruin what might be a once-in-a-lifetime trip for you.

Alley Keosheyan - July 11, 2018

Holy crap, Justin, I’m so sorry you had to go through that, on what should have been a joyous, once-in-a-lifetime occasion. I, too, would have thought that after doing Angel’s Landing, and some of the other activities you describe, The Wave should have been a piece of cake for your “other half.” Oh well, the desert heat cam turn a lot of people cranky who wouldn’t be otherwise. Your points are well-taken and hopefully, will be of some benefit to future travelers considering a trip to The Wave! It does sound as though your 11 YO is a natural-born hiker and would make for a much more agreeable companion on future adventures — perhaps a Grand Canyon Rim to Rim? 😉
Take care, and despite this experience, I hope you get to come back to the area again someday.
Alley
P.S. If your SO is with you on a return trip, she won’t say “is this IT?” if you guys do this.

Tami Fagan - June 29, 2018

Do they only allow 20 permits per day or 20 people on the trail per day? If I am hiking with two friends, do we all need a permit or does just one of us need a permit? If one wins a permit and the other two don’t, do they have to sideline?

Alley Keosheyan - June 29, 2018

Hey Tami,
It is indeed only 20 people per day allowed on the trail. 1 permit = 1 body. If you apply for the online permit on behalf of a party 3 people, that means only 7 more spaces will be left for the BLM to grant for that particular day. Another 10 spaces will be given out by walk-in lottery in Kanab, UT the day prior to when you wish to hike.
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

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Carol - June 4, 2018

how can I find out who won the lottery for August 2018?

Alley Keosheyan - June 4, 2018

Hi Carol,
If you applied for The Wave lottery, and were successful in obtaining a permit, you should have received an e-mail from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) notifying you of such by now. For further inquiry, you would need to contact the Bureau of Land Management’s Kanab Field Office at (435) 644-1200 or utknmail@blm.gov If you were not drawn in the on-line lottery, you may also apply in-person for a walk-in permit the day prior to when you wish to hike at the Grand Staircase-Escalante Visitors Center in Kanab.
Good luck,
Alley 🙂

Mariann - May 29, 2018

Hi Alley,
Thank you for this detailed information. I am part of a group of four that is trying to get tickets for October 2018. We have a fairly flexible schedule, so can plan our trip around our Wave permits (if we get them.)
My questions are:
1. Do you increase your chances of getting a permit if you enter May 1 as opposed to May 31 or is the lottery based on the entire month and what day you apply doesn’t affect your chances? If so, would it be better to wait until the last day and see which days have the least applications?
2. Can each of our party of 4 submit a different application or can only one person from the group apply?
Thank you,
Mariann

Alley Keosheyan - June 4, 2018

Hi Mariann and thank you for your excellent inquiry regarding Wave permits.
1. The day you apply for the online lottery does not affect your chances whatsoever of getting (or not getting) a permit. Apply when it’s convenient for you, or, as you suggest, wait until later in the month to guage which dates have fewer applicants.
2. Only one permit request per party is allowed.
If you are not chosen via the online lottery, you may apply in-person for the walk-in lottery the day prior to when you wish to hike at the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Visitors Center in Kanab, UT.
For more information about The Wave, and other activities to pursue in the likely event you are not successful in obtaining a permit, visit our sister site, TheWaveAZ.com
Good luck and safe travels!
Alley 🙂

Jessica Sugar - May 22, 2018

Hello, I’m wondering what happens if there are ever cancellations? Thank you!

Alley Keosheyan - May 23, 2018

Hi Jessica,
If you’re referring to cancellations for Wave permits, these are given away during the walk-in lottery held the day prior to when you wish to hike at the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Visitor Center in Kanab, UT.
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

Jessica Sugar - May 23, 2018

I was and thank you!

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Thomas Fung - January 31, 2018

I’m flying over with a frd from Hong Kong. I would like to make a reservation on either 14/15 Feb. How is there any chance to get 2 lottery?

Thank you

Alley Keosheyan - January 31, 2018

Hi Thomas,
If you’re referring to how to get to Kanab, UT to try your hand at the walk-in lottery for Wave permits for the following day, your best bet is to drive. If you’re flying into Las Vegas, the approximate drive time is 4 hours. Connecting flights from Las Vegas to St. George, UT are also available that would reduce your drive time to approximately 90 minutes. In either case, though, you should plan to arrive in Kanab, UT the day prior to when you want to try the lottery, and stay in a hotel for a minimum of 2 days time: 1 night prior to the lottery, then another night after you complete your hike to The Wave, should you be successful in obtaining a permit. In the likely event you are not successful, there are several tour companies in the area that can take you to other beautiful places that aren’t so hard to get access to, such as White Pocket, the “White” Wave, Mystical Slot Canyon and others.
Hope that helps and good luck,
Alley 🙂

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cara - January 19, 2018

Hi Alley,
I’m a bit confused with the Wave tours… Do we need to apply for the lottery if we are on a tour? Wouldn’t that be included on our tour? Also, do you recommend any tour companies that take you in?
Thank you so much!

Alley Keosheyan - January 19, 2018

Hi Cara,
Sorry for the confusion. As it states in the notes, toward the bottom of the article

“Using a guide does not exclude you from the permit requirement, nor does it increase your chances of getting one.”

So you would still need to go through the online lottery process, unfortunately, or try your hand at getting a walk-in permit if you strike out there. In the likely event you do not get a Wave permit, the tour companies that go to this area would be able to take you to alternate sites via prior arrangement, such as White Pocket, Steamboat Rock, Cobra Arch, Buckskin Gulch or you could visit The “New” Wave near Page, AZ on your own.

As for the best tour company to use, that would probably hinge on where you were staying. For example, if you were staying in Page, Arizona, Roger Ekis’ Antelope Canyon Tours is licensed to go to these areas. If you’re staying in Kanab, Utah, Dreamland Safari Tours comes highly recommended. Right between the two towns on US is Paria, Utah, home of Paria Outpost & Outfitters. They have also been going to The Wave and surrounding attractions for many years.
Hope that helps! Have fun and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

Jen - January 3, 2018

Hi – I’m wondering how to increase my chances of winning the lottery?

I’ve been listing my party as 4 people. Does this give me a smaller chance of winning, than if my party size was only 2 people?

Aside from my husband, I’d like to bring our two good friends (who we often hike with).

Do they mean they draw passes for 10 parties (of varying sizes), or 10 unique individuals? In other words, if my party of 4 got a pass, would they draw for 9 other parties, or just 6 other people?

Alley Keosheyan - January 4, 2018

Hi Jen,
Unfortunately, there’s no way to really increase your odds of winning the lottery. Names are drawn at random and so many people apply on any given day that it’s a huge stroke of luck if you win. And yes, when they draw 10 passes, it’s 10 people, not 10 parties. So if your party of 4 won, only 6 other people would get to hike that day. Of course, you’re welcome to apply for 2 people, but that’s no guarantee that your friends would get drawn the same day.
Now, one tiny exception: plan your hike during bad weather periods. That means dead of winter/heat of summer. Hiking at either time is risky, but summer is especially, because daytime high temperatures can exceed 110 degrees, increasing your risk for heat-related maladies, including dehydration, heat exhaustion, heat stroke and even death (it’s happened). The Bureau of Land Management, naturally, assumes no responsibility for these incidents as lottery winners are well-informed of the potential risks beforehand.
I know that probably doesn’t help, but we wish you the best of luck! Be sure to plan for some alternative activities in the likely event you do not win the online or in-person lottery.
Take care,
Alley 🙂

Clax Basso - August 13, 2017

I understand the necessity to preserve this beuatiful spot. But I live in Europeand I came 3 times in three different years to Kanab to try to see the Wave, and I never got a permit, in a total of 12 attempts.
To be honest is rubbish, especially becaue you have to be every day in it to have a walk in permit ( after failed the online lottery obisuly) for 12 mornings I wasted most of my morning to attend a lottery. I am sorry but I think that in the 21st century there should be a better system. Even because then the few pwoplw allowed to get to the wave they make every single stupoid pictures the a man mind is allowed to think of, making it probably more dangerous for the wave than 100 toruist per day consciousnly respecting the place. I am sorry but I have seen now hundreds and hundreds of stupid pictures on internet of people going to the Wave, bringing no respect. and I am a photographer. This is very, very disappointing

Alley Keosheyan - August 16, 2017

Dear Clax,
Trust us, we feel your pain on this. Between us and our friends, family and associates we probably have over a hundred failed attempts at getting Wave permits.
The Bureau of Land Management has tried several methods in order to ensure that not only does the fragile area get protected, but everyone gets a fair shake at getting a permit, and right now, this is the best they can offer. If you have an idea for a “better system,” by all means, pitch it to them – but be prepared to deal with an entrenched, convoluted bureaucracy.
That’s why we suggested alternative activities, such as White Pocket, Steamboat Rock, Buckskin Gulch and Cobra Arch at the end of the piece.
Wishing you all the best,
Alley 🙂

Mike Corn - April 25, 2018

“I live in Europe”…”people…make stupid pictures”…”I am a photographer” If I understand this correctly, we should therefore grant a special privilege to this foreigner? Karma is a b*tch!

Alley Keosheyan - April 25, 2018

Hey Mike,
No one’s saying that at all, but then again, we understand how that particular “foreigner” feels. Scores of people come from all over the world and sometimes spend weeks (and a lot of money) in Kanab, UT, Page, AZ and the communities near The Wave, trying, trying again, and trying again, etc., etc., ad nauseum for just a few highly coveted and hotly competed for permits. And more often than not, they go home disappointed. That’s why we’re working on a sister site to this one, http://www.thewaveaz.com to help promote alternate sites that offer sightseeing that’s just as good, if not better, than The Wave, yet aren’t so strictly regulated. Check it out if you’re inclined.
Best wishes for continued good karma,
Alley 🙂

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Robert - June 23, 2017

How to get permit in toward end of December this year

Alley Keosheyan - June 26, 2017

Hi Robert,
Thank you for visiting our site!
If I understand you correctly, you’re wanting to actually hike The Wave around the end of December? If that is the case, you can enter the North Coyote Buttes online permit lottery beginning August 1st. The last day to submit an entry is August 31st. Those who succeed in securing a permit will be notified via e-mail on September 1st.
If you do not succeed in getting a permit through the online lottery, you can also try for a walk-in permit the day prior to when you wish to actually hike at the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument (GSENM) Visitor Center located at 745 E. Highway 89 in Kanab, UT. Applications for walk-in permits are taken from 8 AM to 9 AM, with winners drawn at 9 AM sharp. If the day you wish to hike falls on a Monday, keep in mind that in December, the visitors center will observe winter hours, so permit applications will be taken the Friday beforehand.
Hope that helps. Good luck!
Alley 🙂

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How To Get A Permit For The Wave Arizona

Alley Keosheyan

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