The Wave Permit Lottery: How to Win a Coyote Buttes North Permit

To hike The Wave in Coyote Buttes North, on the Arizona–Utah border, you need a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) permit won in a Recreation.gov lottery. The BLM allows up to 64 people or 16 groups per day: 48 people through an advance lottery held four months ahead, and 16 through a daily lottery entered by phone two days ahead from inside a geofenced area. As of November 2026, each application costs $6 and winners pay $7 per person, plus $7 per dog.

How does The Wave permit system work?

Every visitor to Coyote Buttes North needs a permit, including non-walking infants, and permits are for day use only. The BLM splits the daily quota between two online lotteries on Recreation.gov. The in-person walk-in lottery in Kanab ended in 2022 and was replaced by the mobile daily lottery.

Group size is limited to six people, and you cannot combine permits to exceed six. Fees and rules are as listed on the Recreation.gov Coyote Buttes North permit page and BLM fact sheets in November 2026; check them before you apply.

When do you apply for the advance lottery?

You apply in the month that falls four months before your hike. The lottery runs on the first day of the next month, and results arrive by email right after.

1. Create or sign in to a Recreation.gov account and open the Coyote Buttes North Advanced Lottery.
2. Choose up to three dates in the target month and enter your group size. Each person may submit only one application per lottery.
3. Pay the $6 application fee and add an alternate permit holder if you can.
4. Watch your email on the 1st of the next month.
5. If you win, accept and pay the $7 per person fee by the deadline in the email. The BLM says permits must be accepted by the 15th; missing a deadline voids the award.

After the lottery runs, you cannot change the date, group size or permit holder names. If the primary holder cannot go, the listed alternate may lead the group. Permits are non-refundable and non-transferable, and there are no rain checks.

How does the daily lottery work?

The daily lottery is for travelers already in the area. You must apply from a location-enabled phone inside the geofence, which the BLM describes as about 3,272 square miles along the US-89 corridor roughly from Kanab, Utah, to Page, Arizona. Desktops and laptops do not work.

1. Be inside the geofence two days before the date you want. To hike on a Monday, apply on Saturday.
2. Submit your application in the Recreation.gov app or mobile site between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Utah time.
3. Check results that evening and complete payment if you win.
4. Keep the app updated. Recreation.gov warns that out-of-date apps can cause payment problems.

Utah and the Navajo Nation observe daylight saving time, but the rest of Arizona does not. From March to November, Page is one hour behind the lottery clock, so set your phone accordingly.

What are the odds of winning a Wave permit?

The BLM does not publish official odds, and demand far exceeds the 64 daily spots in spring and fall. Applicant numbers rise around holidays and in the mild months of March to May and September to November. Winter applicants generally face less competition, though winter brings icy sandstone and roads that can be impassable.

A few habits help within the rules:

• Pick three dates in the advance lottery, including weekdays.
• Consider applying for winter or summer months, when fewer people apply, and plan around cold or heat.
• Keep groups small. With 16 groups or 64 people per day, whichever comes first, a smaller party fits the remaining space more easily.
• Stay several days in Kanab or Page so you can enter the daily lottery more than once.

Never use more than one application per person or apply under someone else’s name to increase chances; Recreation.gov allows one application per person per lottery.

How long is The Wave hike and how dangerous is it?

The usual route starts at the Wire Pass Trailhead, about 8.3 miles down House Rock Valley Road from US-89, and covers about 6 miles round trip with roughly 350 feet of elevation change. There is no marked trail for most of the way; winners receive route information, and you should also carry a GPS track and paper map. House Rock Valley Road is unpaved and minimally maintained, and it can become impassable after rain.

The BLM warns that extreme heat, lack of shade and no drinking water have caused fatalities from May to September. Heavy rain can cause flash flooding, and winter brings ice-covered sandstone and cold.

• Start at sunrise in warm months and carry at least a gallon of water per person.
• Wear sun protection; the sandstone reflects heat and light.
• Expect unreliable cell coverage. Recreation.gov notes that phones may still reach 911 but are not dependable.
• Stay on durable rock surfaces and do not walk on the fragile sandstone ridges or carve anything.

What can you do if you do not win a permit?

The Vermilion Cliffs area has several alternatives, some with their own permits.

Our guides to Antelope Canyon tours and Horseshoe Bend cover the Page side, and our Utah natural wonders guide lists stops beyond the national parks.

Where should you stay for The Wave?

Kanab, Utah, and Page, Arizona, are the two main bases, each roughly an hour from the Wire Pass Trailhead by paved road plus the dirt road section. Both towns sit inside the daily lottery geofence. Kanab puts you closer to Zion and Bryce Canyon; Page is better for Antelope Canyon and Lake Powell. Camping is available at the BLM Stateline Campground on House Rock Valley Road, which is small and first-come.

Bottom line

Enter the advance lottery four months out with three flexible dates, and if you are traveling nearby anyway, plan extra days in Kanab or Page for the daily lottery. Budget $6 per try and $7 per person if you win. Treat the hike seriously: no shade, no water and a long dirt road. If luck runs out, Coyote Buttes South, White Pocket and the Page-area canyons make a strong backup plan.

FAQ

Can you hike The Wave without a permit?

No. A permit is required for every person entering Coyote Buttes North, including infants. Entering without one breaks BLM rules and can lead to a citation.

How far ahead can you get a Wave permit?

The advance lottery opens four months ahead: you apply during one month for hikes in the month four months later. The daily lottery is only two days ahead.

Can you bring a dog to The Wave?

Yes, dogs are allowed if they are listed on the permit, and the fee is $7 per dog. Dogs do not count toward the six-person group limit, but heat on the sandstone can injure paws.

Do you need a guide for The Wave?

No, permit holders can hike on their own with the route information. For non-commercial permits, the BLM allows one hired outfitter guide per party who does not count toward the group size.