Reservation6/10
Cottonwood Cove Trailhead permit
Teepee-striped sandstone in the same wilderness as The Wave, released on a calen...
Pro scans every minute · free hourly
The Wave (Coyote Buttes North) Permit
Vermilion Cliffs National Monument · Arizona
Lottery open now — cancelled permits never return
The legendary sandstone formation—one of the most photographed geological wonders on Earth. Only 64 people per day allowed.
The Wave lottery is open now
Applications are open now. The Wave runs a new lottery every month for dates about four months out. We'll remind you before the deadline and when results post.
Applying with friends puts more entries in the same draw.
How lottery pools workPlan the full trip, not just the permit
Build your full itinerary start to finish
Add your dates and get a day-by-day plan: what needs a permit, what gear to bring, and one link to share with your whole group to coordinate every step.
Start a plan — it's free
No permit needed to start
The Wave Quick Facts
Permit RequiredYes
Booking MethodLottery
Demand LevelExtremely High10/10
SeasonYear-round
Cost$6 application + $7/person
Daily Quota64 people
Lottery Odds64 people/day, no published rate
Max Group Size6 people
The Wave Permit Facts
- As of September 2026, The Wave in Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, Arizona requires a permit issued via lottery.
- The Wave is one of the most competitive permits in the United States, rating 10/10 on PermitSnag's demand index.
- The The Wave lottery typically opens Advanced lottery opens the 1st of the month, 4 months ahead and closes Advanced lottery closes the last day of that month, with results announced Advanced lottery runs 9 a.m. MT on the 1st of the following month.
- The The Wave route covers 6.4 miles with 350 feet of elevation gain, rated moderate.
Planning The Wave for 2027
These are the 2027 dates the agency has published. We read them from the provider and store nothing we were not given.
| Results announced | January 1, 2027 |
|---|
Source: Bureau of Land Management, Arizona Strip District (Vermilion Cliffs National Monument). Read the official permit page.
“You must have a permit to visit Coyote Buttes North and Coyote Buttes South.”
Checked against the agency page on August 20, 2026.
Key Information
Key Dates
Lottery OpensAdvanced lottery opens the 1st of the month, 4 months ahead
Lottery ClosesAdvanced lottery closes the last day of that month
ResultsAdvanced lottery runs 9 a.m. MT on the 1st of the following month
SeasonYear-round
Permit Details
TypeDay Use
Booking MethodLottery
Demand Level10/10
LocationColorado Plateau, AZ
Pro Tips
- •The advanced lottery application month is four months before the hike month — apply in January for a May hike
- •The daily lottery is a second, separate draw for the other 16 spots: apply two days before your hike, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., on a phone, inside the geofence
- •One Recreation.gov account can hold only one active Coyote Buttes North application or reservation at a time
- •Coyote Buttes South runs the same two-lottery system for formations that are nearly as good and far less contested
- •Download the BLM route map, photo guide and GPS coordinates that come with the permit — there is no trail
- •Bring more water than you think; there is none on the route and no shade
What to Expect
Route Details
Distance
6.4 miles
Elevation Gain
350 ft
Route Type
Out & Back
Duration
4-6 hours
Difficulty
ModerateElevation Range
4,850 - 5,200 ft
Highlights
- •A 6.4-mile round trip that BLM calls physically demanding, across terrain with no developed trails or facilities
- •Navigation by the BLM photo guide and GPS coordinates rather than signage
- •No shade, no water and no restrooms anywhere on the route
- •Time to explore well beyond the main chutes — Coyote Buttes North is a whole permit area, not one rock
- •At most 64 other people in the entire area on any given day
Best Time to Visit
March through May and September through November are the comfortable windows, and also the hardest to draw. Summer is the easiest lottery and the most dangerous hike. Winter draws the fewest applicants but is the season BLM warns the access road may be impassable even with four-wheel drive.
Hazards & Considerations
- !Dehydration — no water anywhere on the route and no shade to wait it out in
- !Navigation failure on terrain with no trail; BLM says visitors must use wayfinding skills and are responsible for their own safety
- !Flash flooding in the wash sections; do not start if rain is in the forecast
- !Summer heat on fully exposed slickrock
- !The access road, which can be impassable to any vehicle when wet — and a permit you cannot reach is still non-refundable
Weather Forecast
Trailhead (4,850 ft)
Today
☁️
82°
62°
30%
Mon
☁️
80°
62°
23%
Tue
🌧️
81°
64°
26%
Wed
🌧️
81°
62°
Thu
🌧️
68°
60°
27%
Fri
🌧️
76°
60°
Sat
☀️
79°
64°
View full NWS forecast →Mountain weather changes rapidly. This forecast is a guide—always be prepared for worse conditions.
How to Get This Permit
1
Create an account before the lottery opens
Find this permit on the managing agency's booking system, then verify your email and add payment info ahead of time.
2
Apply during the lottery window
Submit your application between Advanced lottery opens the 1st of the month, 4 months ahead and Advanced lottery closes the last day of that month. Apply for multiple dates to increase your odds.
3
Wait for lottery results
Results are typically announced Advanced lottery runs 9 a.m. MT on the 1st of the following month. Check your email and the account you applied with.
4
Apply again next time
PermitSnag reminds you about the The Wave lottery dates we hold, so you can apply again. You can also enter as a pool with friends.
Learn More
When to Go
Peak: March through May and September through NovemberShoulder: December through February
Conditions
The best conditions of the year and, with fall, the most contested lottery months. The Paria Contact Station reopens March 15.
Crowd Level
ModerateAdvantages
- +Temperatures that make a 6.4-mile off-trail hike with no shade reasonable
- +Rain pools sometimes hold water from spring storms
- +House Rock Valley Road is usually passable to a two-wheel-drive, high-clearance vehicle
Challenges
- !The same weather everyone else wants, against a hard cap of 64 people a day
- !Wet spring storms can make the access road require four-wheel drive
Difficulty Assessment
Physical Demand2/5
Fitness and endurance required
Technical Skill3/5
Climbing, scrambling, or specialized skills
Exposure Risk1/5
Steep dropoffs and fall potential
Navigation4/5
Route finding and trail clarity
Commitment2/5
Difficulty of bailing out mid-route
Best For
Anyone in reasonable physical condition who is comfortable with off-trail navigation in remote wilderness.
Recommended Experience
GPS navigation experience strongly recommended. Desert hiking experience helpful but not required.
Not Recommended For
Those uncomfortable with navigation or unable to use GPS. Not suitable for those who cannot handle desert heat.
About This Permit
The Wave is a sandstone formation inside Coyote Buttes North, itself a small piece of the 112,500-acre Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness. BLM limits visitation to protect it, and the cap is hard: a daily maximum of 64 people.
Those 64 come from two completely separate lotteries. The advanced lottery awards 48 people and up to 12 groups, whichever comes first, and you apply during the calendar month four months before your hike month — January for a May hike — with the draw running at 9 a.m. Mountain Time on the 1st of the following month. The daily lottery awards the other 16 people and up to 4 groups. It works differently: you apply two days before your hike, between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., from a mobile device, and you have to be physically inside the geofenced area to do it. A laptop will not work.
Maximum group size is 6 in both lotteries, and every person counts, including infants who are not walking. Dogs do not count against the quota but must be on the permit and carry their own fee. If your group hires a BLM-authorized guide, that guide counts against neither the group size nor the daily limit; you get one guide per group. A $6 fee applies to each application and $7 per person on top for a winning permit. Everything is non-refundable and non-transferable, and no America the Beautiful pass gets a discount.
BLM calls the suggested route a strenuous, physically demanding 6.4-mile round trip. There is no trail. Permit holders get a route description with a map, a photo guide and GPS coordinates, and are expected to navigate with them.
The Experience
Why It Matters
The Wave is one of the planet's most remarkable examples of cross-bedded sandstone—ancient sand dunes turned to stone, then carved by wind and water into sinuous, flowing lines. Discovered by hikers in the 1990s, it has become the holy grail of landscape photography and a pilgrimage site for geology enthusiasts worldwide.
The Route
From Wire Pass Trailhead, the route follows a wash for about a mile before climbing onto slickrock. There is no marked trail—navigation relies on photo waypoints provided by the BLM and GPS coordinates. Twin Buttes serve as the primary landmark.
The terrain shifts from sandy wash to deep sand dunes to sculpted slickrock. The Wave itself sits in a bowl between rock formations, invisible until you're nearly upon it. Two main chutes compose the classic 'Wave' formation, but the surrounding 1,600 acres of Coyote Buttes North contain dozens of additional features worth exploring: The Second Wave, The Boneyard, Top Rock Arch, and prehistoric dinosaur tracks.
The Feeling
Nothing prepares you for the moment you crest the rise and The Wave appears. It's not just a formation—it's a portal to deep time. The flowing bands of red, orange, and cream were ancient sand dunes 190 million years ago. Now they ripple like frozen waves, drawing your eye along curves that seem impossible in stone. You'll spend hours exploring every alcove and chute, watching the light shift and reveal new details.
Trailhead Information
Wire Pass Trailhead
4,850 ft elevationThe trailhead for the suggested route into Coyote Buttes North. BLM describes the permit area as backcountry, undeveloped wilderness with no developed trails or facilities.
Restrooms
No water
No Service
Parking
Small dirt lot. Nothing here — no water, no shade, no facilities. Everything you need comes in the car with you.
Getting There
The access road is unpaved and minimally maintained. BLM says most of the time a two-wheel-drive, high-clearance vehicle can reach the trailhead, four-wheel drive with high clearance may be required when the road is wet, and during the rainy season and winter it may be impassable for all vehicles, even with four-wheel drive.
Nearest Services
Kanab, UT and Page, AZ are the closest towns with services. The seasonal Paria Contact Station on Highway 89 between mile markers 20 and 21 is open March 15 to November 15, 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily.
Rules & Regulations
- •A permit is required to enter Coyote Buttes North; there are no exceptions and no walk-ups outside the daily lottery
- •Daily maximum of 64 people: 48 people and up to 12 groups through the advanced lottery, 16 people and up to 4 groups through the daily lottery
- •Maximum group size is 6, and all group members must stay together for the entire hike
- •Combining with a separate permit to exceed 6 people is prohibited and can be cited
- •Everyone counts toward the permit, regardless of age, including infants who are not walking
- •Dogs do not count against the daily quota but must be listed on the permit and require a fee, added during permit confirmation after a successful application
- •An authorized guide does not count against group size or the daily limit; one guide per group
- •The permit applicant must be the one to pick up the permit, not a group member
- •The permit is valid only for Coyote Buttes North on the date and group size stated — it is not valid for Coyote Buttes South or Paria Canyon Overnight
- •All permits are non-refundable and non-transferable, and no Interagency pass gives a discount
Gear Checklist
Required
- GPS with the BLM waypoints loaded, plus the printed photo guide as backup
- At least a gallon of water per person — there is none on the route
- Sun protection: hat, sunscreen, sunglasses
- Footwear that handles sand and slickrock
- Your permit
Recommended
- More water than the minimum, especially outside spring and fall
- Camera and tripod
- Layers — desert temperature swings are large
- Emergency shelter or space blanket
- Food; you will be out longer than the mileage suggests
Plan Your Trip
Lottery concierge
Your next shot at The Wave
Applications open October 1, 2026 and close October 31, 2026. Results are posted November 1, 2026.
Track this permit and your concierge takes those dates from here: an email when applications open, another before the deadline, and one when results post. You apply once and stop watching the calendar.
Better odds with a crew
The Wave is a lottery. Every friend who applies adds another entry, so a crew gets more shots at the same permit than any one of you alone.
One of you runs the pool (Pro or a $19 alert). Everyone else joins free.
🎒
Gear Checklist
Required and recommended gear for The Wave
🚐
Shuttle Services
Trailhead transportation options
Browse all shuttles🧭
Guide Services
Experienced wilderness guides
Browse all guidesSome links may be affiliate links. Purchases support PermitSnag at no extra cost to you.
Key Landmarks
↑
350ft
Gain↓
350ft
Loss⛰️
5,200ft
High📏
3.5mi
Distance📐
1.9%
Avg GradeClick on a marker to view details•8 landmarks
Landmarks (8)
Lottery Statistics
64 people/day, no published rate
estimated success rate
Get detailed lottery statistics and tips. Sign up to track this permit.
Boost Your Chances
Apply with a crew to multiply your combined odds, and let auto win-detection tell you the moment you win — you never have to check Recreation.gov. Win-detection reads the result email you forward us, so it takes a one-time setup in your inbox (about two minutes, and we walk you through it). Pool and auto win-detection are on Pro or a $19 permit alert.
Apply these for the best odds
- Use the Daily Lottery if you are already traveling in the area. It holds 16 of the 64 daily spaces and is geofenced near Kanab, so only people already nearby can enter it.
- Enter every month. You apply during a calendar month for a permit in the calendar month four months ahead, and each person may submit only one application per lottery.
- Keep the group to six. The maximum group size is 6 people and all group members must stay together for the entire hike, so a larger party needs more than one winning permit.
Opens the official lottery — you submit your entry. We never automate or store your Recreation.gov login.
Full lottery odds & strategy →The Wave FAQ
How do you get a permit for The Wave?
Two lotteries, both on Recreation.gov, and they are separate systems. The advanced lottery is the planning one: you apply during the calendar month four months before your hike month, and the draw runs at 9 a.m. Mountain Time on the 1st of the following month. The daily lottery is the last-minute one: you apply two days before your hike, between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., from a mobile device, and you must be inside the geofenced area to submit. There is no other way in.
How many people are allowed at The Wave each day on a permit?
Sixty-four. Recreation.gov states it plainly: "A daily maximum of 64 people are permitted to visit Coyote Buttes North." Forty-eight people and up to 12 groups, whichever comes first, come from the advanced lottery. The other 16 people and up to 4 groups come from the daily lottery. Maximum group size is 6 in either one.
What are the odds of getting a Wave permit?
Neither BLM nor Recreation.gov publishes a success rate for Coyote Buttes North — not overall, not by season, not by month. What they publish is capacity: 64 people a day, split 48 to the advanced lottery and 16 to the daily lottery. Any percentage you see quoted for The Wave comes from somebody's own tally, not from the agency. What is knowable is that summer and winter draw fewer applicants than spring and fall, and that the daily lottery only competes against people already standing in the area.
How much does a Wave permit cost?
A $6 fee for each application, plus a $7 per person use fee if you win. No pass gets you a discount — Recreation.gov specifically excludes the entire America the Beautiful series, including Annual, Senior, Access and Volunteer passes. Everything is non-refundable, and a cancelled permit does not go back into the pool.
Can you bring a dog on a Wave permit?
Yes. Recreation.gov says dogs do not count against the daily quota of 64, but they must be included on the permit and require a fee, added during the permit confirmation process after a successful lottery application. You cannot add a dog on the day of the hike.
How hard is the hike to The Wave?
BLM calls it a strenuous 6.4-mile round trip and Recreation.gov calls it physically demanding. The difficulty is not the distance or the 350 feet of gain — it is that there is no trail. The permit area is undeveloped wilderness with no developed trails or facilities. Permit holders get a route description with a map, photo guide and GPS coordinates, and are expected to navigate by them. BLM says you are responsible for your own safety and should weigh the fitness of everyone in the group before you apply.
What is the road to the Wire Pass trailhead like?
Unpaved and minimally maintained. BLM says most of the time a two-wheel-drive, high-clearance vehicle can reach the trailhead, that four-wheel-drive high-clearance vehicles may be required when the road is wet, and that during the rainy season and winter it may become impassable for all vehicles, even those with four-wheel drive. Since permits are non-refundable and cannot be rescheduled for any reason, check conditions before you drive.
What happens if you miss the advanced lottery?
Enter the daily lottery. Recreation.gov points people there directly: if you missed the advanced online lottery and you are already in the southern Utah or northern Arizona area, that is the remaining path to one of the 16 daily-lottery spots. You need to be in the geofence, on a phone, two days before you want to hike, between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Coyote Buttes South runs the same two-lottery structure and takes far fewer applications.
👥Community
Trail Conditions
No active conditions reported
Sign in to report trail conditions.
Photography Guide
Golden Hour
Late afternoon light is what the Second Wave and the Boneyard want. The main chutes are a midday subject — low sun just fills them with shadow.
Best Light
Roughly 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. inside The Wave itself, when the sun is high enough to reach the bottom of the chutes. Save the surrounding formations for the last two hours of light.
Beat the Crowds
BLM caps the whole permit area at 64 people a day across 1,600-plus acres, so this is never crowded in the ordinary sense. Getting there early still buys you the main chutes alone before the rest of the day's permit holders navigate in.
Classic Shots
- 📍Wide angle straight into the main chute
- 📍Tight frames on the cross-bedded bands, which are Jurassic-age Navajo sandstone
- 📍The Second Wave in late afternoon
- 📍The lace rocks of the Boneyard against the cliffs
- 📍Melody Arch on Top Rock
- 📍Rain pools when they hold water after a storm
Can't Get a The Wave Permit?
Consider these alternatives if your preferred dates aren't available.
Coyote Buttes South
Same AreaThe other half of the Coyote Buttes permit area, with its own advanced lottery and daily lottery on Recreation.gov.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
Same permit machinery, far fewer applicants. The formations are extraordinary but none of them is the Wave, and the access roads are rougher.
Buckskin Gulch
Same AreaThe long slot canyon that starts from the same Wire Pass trailhead, inside the same 112,500-acre Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
A day-use permit instead of a lottery, and a completely different landscape — deep, dark and narrow instead of open slickrock.
Paria Canyon (through-hike)
Similar ExperienceThe multi-day overnight route through the same wilderness. BLM is explicit that a Coyote Buttes North permit is not valid here — it is its own permit.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
Several days instead of an afternoon, and a permit system with far less pressure. You trade the single most photographed formation for the canyon it sits above.
White Pocket
Similar ExperienceBrain-rock formations elsewhere in Vermilion Cliffs National Monument with no permit requirement at all.
No permit needed
Tradeoffs
No lottery to lose, but the access road demands high-clearance four-wheel drive and route-finding. Nothing there looks like the Wave.
🏕️
Where to Stay
Nearby campgrounds to complete your The Wave trip
Trip planning
Articles that plan a trip around this permit.
A small favor
One tick helps us more than you’d think
Google lets you pick the sites it highlights for you. Add PermitSnag and our permit pages get marked as one of yours in AI Overviews and AI Mode.
Add PermitSnag in Google
Takes less than a minute.