For example, for a January 15 permit, you would open the Advanced Lottery page in September. The lottery opens up four months in advance of your trip date. All Advanced Coyote Buttes North permits are awarded by lottery held on. Advanced PermitsĪdvanced permits for Coyote Buttes North are difficult to obtain. Permits for another 16 people, four groups maximum, are awarded via an online lottery held two days in advance. Permits for 48 people, 12 groups maximum, are issued via an online lottery held three months in advance. At most 64 people, 16 groups are allowed into Coyote Buttes North, whichever comes first.

You can obtain online permits and permit information from. To visit The Wave, you need a permit for an area called Coyote Buttes North. Four of the five fatalities were heat-related, so if you go in the warmer months, bring plenty of water, at least four liters, and preferably more. If you use a GPS, mark the Wirepass trailhead and other key points along the route. If you are unsure about your navigation skills, I suggest you hike in with a guide or a friend who has these skills. Over the past five years, five people have died on the way to/from The Wave. The BLM provides a map with your permit and instructions on getting to The Wave, and a few cairns are on the way. Since there is no trail to The Wave, you should be able to use a map and compass or GPS to help with navigation. Your chances are better if you're going alone or in December - February.Ī six-mile round trip hike is required to get to The Wave. In the other months, you usually have less than a 50% chance of getting one at the daily lottery. During the most popular months (April, May, September, October), an estimated 300 people apply for the sixteen daily permits. Only 64 people per day (48 permits granted three months in advance and 16 permits granted one day in advance) are allowed in the area, and demand far exceeds supply. The Wave is best photographed mid-morning to early afternoon to minimize the extensive shadows the other areas listed above are best photographed mid-late afternoon.Ī permit issued by the US Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is required to see The Wave. These include The Second Wave, The Alcove, Top Rock Arch, Melody Arch and the Grotto, Sand Cove, and Fatali's Boneyard. In addition to The Wave, Coyote Buttes North contains many other spectacular rock formations. It is located in the Coyote Buttes North area of the Utah-Arizona border. The Wave is the premier photographic destination in the US Southwest.

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