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, for years, only 20 lucky people per day were allowed to visit Coyote Buttes North and The Wave in Arizona. In February 2021, the BLM approved an increase in the daily hiker quota to 64 people, or 16 groups, whichever comes first. In order to be included in that number, you must obtain a permit. This can be done one of two ways:
1. Apply in advance for the online Paria Canyon permit lottery through Recreation.gov website. Forty-eight (48) 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, etc.
For more information regarding the Wave go to www.thewaveaz.com
There is a $9.00 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.
2. Obtain an in-person permit through a daily virtual lottery. Read a first-hand account from someone who hiked The Wave on a walk-in permit.
64 people a day are allowed to hike to Coyote Buttes North and The Wave. 48 will have secured their permits ahead of time by online lottery; the remaining 16 hiking slots can be acquired by in-person/walk-in permit. **Effective March 2022, the lottery for last-minute hiking permits to the Wave will transition to an app-based system, administered by Recreation.gov, whereby visitors may apply for a permit to hike the Wave from their cell phone or other mobile device two days prior to when they wish to hike. Entries will be monitored through a geofence system which limits participation to those physically present within a designated radius around the communities of Page, AZ, and Kanab, UT. Geofence Perimeter Map Successful applicants would then be notified by text to pick up their permits and attend a mandatory safety briefing at the Page-Lake Powell Tourism Hub in Page, AZ, or the Kane County Visitor Center & Office of Tourism in Kanab, UT. Fact Sheet for New Mobile-Based Wave Permit Lottery
General Notes:
For more information regarding the Wave go to www.thewaveaz.com
218 Responses
My 52-year old son & I (a fit 78-year old) would like to visit the wave, antelope canyon & horseshoe bend in the fall 2025. We can stay in the area for a week or 10 days to hike some 3-mile or under hikes. We will, of course, try for permits; but, if they are not available, can you suggest some hikes & similar scenery that do not require permits in that area. We have stayed in Page, rented a houseboat on Lake Powell. We are free to fly out anytime in the fall after August. Please advise an itinerary for us & also suggestions of where to make hotel reservations in the area. Thank so much.
Hi Susan,
Thank you so much for your inquiry. I do apologize for the delay in reply.
It sounds as though you know a lot about the area already, so that puts you at an advantage from the get!
If, as you say, you are “free to fly out anytime after August,” I would suggest scheduling your visit for mid-October. That time of year offers wonderful hiking weather, which you’ll definitely appreciate should you be successful in obtaining permits for The Wave.
In the likely event you strike out on Wave permits (gotta be honest, the odds are pretty slim, but there might still be a way for you to see it; more on that in a minute) and you are wanting to find some alternative hikes that feature similar scenery to The Wave without the permit requirement, here’s what I would suggest:
Day 1: Fly to Las Vegas, overnight in Las Vegas
Day 2: Drive to St. George, UT (~2.5 hours), detour through Valley of Fire State Park (stunning area!) to hike the easy Fire Wave Trail, overnight in St. George
Day 3: 2nd day/night in St. George, UT to hike Yant Flat aka the Candy Cliffs, ~1 hour drive from St. George, another area with beautiful Wave-like rock formations, but no permit required. Should you get done exploring that area early enough, you might also visit Snow Canyon State Park, Red Cliffs Reserve, Petroglyph Park, just to name a few. If either of you are into vintage airplanes, the Western Sky Warbird Museum is an unexpected pleasure!
Day 4: Drive to Zion National Park, ~1 hour from St. George, UT. Overnight at the Zion Lodge if you can get reservations; if not, then overnight in Springdale or Hurricane. Springdale is the hub for the Zion Canyon Shuttle, which you would be required to utilize if you do not stay in the park. Hike Emerald Pools, Riverside Walk, the Grotto, or if you want something a little more challenging, try Scout’s Lookout or go a short ways into the Narrows (water levels permitting). 10 Best Hikes in Zion
Day 5: 2nd day/night in Zion, hit trails you may have missed on Day 1 there, or take a day trip to the Kolob Canyon section of the park.
Day 6: Drive to Bryce Canyon (~3 hours from Springdale), hike Mossy Cave, Bristlecone Loop Trails, or one of many other beautiful trails in the park; or take the scenic drive or free shuttle to various canyon viewpoints, overnight in Bryce Canyon area.
Day 7: Drive to Kanab, UT early (~1 hour from Bryce Canyon), take a guided tour of White Pocket. White Pocket is another one of those areas that’s amazingly beautiful and (knock on wood) doesn’t require permits to visit – YET. The hiking involved is not very difficult, it’s the drive to the trailhead that has left many visitors stranded with a very expensive tow and/or repair bill. Hiring a guide to White Pocket is strongly recommended. Overnight in Kanab, UT.
Day 8: Drive to Page, AZ, optional stop to hike the Paria Rimrocks/Toadstool Hoodoos. Tour Antelope Canyon in the afternoon (we will put your name on the 2025 priority contact list and notify you as soon as 2025 booking inventory opens up), overnight in Page, AZ.
Day 9: Fixed wing airplane flight over the Wave from the Page Municipal Airport. Afterwards, head to Grand Canyon South Rim, stopping at Horseshoe Bend on the way out of town (allow 60-90 minutes to park, walk to the rim, take photos, walk back to parking lot). Total drive time factoring in stops such as Horseshoe Bend, Cameron Trading Post, Grand Canyon viewpoints between Desert View and Grand Canyon Village: ~4.5-6 hours. Overnight at Grand Canyon South Rim.
Day 10: return to Las Vegas (~5 hour drive), fly home
Custom Trip Map
If you luck out on getting a Wave permit, then your itinerary would need to revolve and evolve around the day your are granted for the hike. The application for October hiking permits is the month of June. It is also possible to apply for a walk-in permit 2 days before your desired hike date, but you would have to physically be within a certain radius of Kanab, UT, or Page, AZ. For more information on Wave permits, visit our partner site, http://www.TheWaveAZ.com
As for where to book hotels, staying inside the parks is always most desirable, especially at Zion, Bryce, and the Grand Canyon. However, these are always the first hotels to fill once inventory is made available for booking. Fortunately, there are gateway communities (small cities or towns located within close proximity to the park(s)) where you might find prices more reasonable, availability more flexible, and more amenities to your liking. For Zion, the gateway communities on the Western border of the park are Springdale and Hurricane. On the Eastern side, Kanab, UT, is a conveniently located not only for Zion, but Bryce Canyon. For Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend, Page, AZ, has over 2 dozen hotels in varying price points and amenity classes, from Motel 6 to Marriott and pretty much everything in between. Tusayan, AZ, is the closest gateway community to Grand Canyon South Rim (~7 miles from the park entrance) and has 5 hotels to choose from.
Hope that helps! If you have further questions, please feel free to contact me directly at reservations@antelopecanyon.az
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂
Would a guide need a permit as well?
Hi Trace,
If you’re referring to The Wave, then no, your tour guide would not need a permit.
Representatives of authorized tour companies are automatically “grandfathered” into the permit quota. However, you and your hiking party would still need to secure Coyote Buttes North permits for yourselves.
For more information, visit our partner site, http://www.TheWaveAZ.com!
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂
Guten Tag
Dass ihr Einschränkungen machen müsst, verstehen wir.
Doch wie kann jemand Monate im Voraus den genauen Termin für einen Besuch festlegen, wenn er auf Reisen ist und nicht in den Ferien??
Es sollte eine Möglichkeit geben für Spontanbesuche, ungeplant.
Zudem sollte euer System täglich funktionieren….
Tat es NICHT.
Schade
German translation by Google Translate
Lieber Coni,
Zum Schutz dieser einzigartigen und fragilen Landschaft gelten Beschränkungen für den Besuch von The Wave. Um Ihre Frage zu beantworten, wie man einen Urlaub plant, wenn man nicht weiß, ob man ihn besuchen kann, beginnt man damit, die vielen alternativen Orte der Gegend zu erkunden, wie White Pocket, West Clark Bench, Soap Creek, Cottonwood Canyon, die „Neue“ Welle, um nur einige zu nennen. Wenn Sie den starken Wunsch verspüren, die Welle zu sehen, aber keine Genehmigung erhalten, können Sie sie mit einem Starrflügler oder einem Hubschrauber überfliegen. Teuer? Ja. Aber für den Preis werden Sie zusätzlich zu The Wave eine herrliche Vielfalt an Landschaften sehen! Weitere Informationen finden Sie auf unserer Partnerseite http://www.TheWaveAZ.com: Sie haben also keine Genehmigung erhalten – was nun?
Vielen Dank für Ihre Anfrage.
German translation by Google Translate