THE WAVE PERMIT LOTTERY

Which Recreation.gov lottery to use for The Wave (Coyote Buttes North), when to apply, the odds, and your permit cost — sorted out in plain English. Free, no sign-up.

Your plans

When are you hiking?
This decides which lottery to use
How many hikers?
Up to 6 people per application
Estimated permit cost
$20

$6 application + $14 per-person (2 × $7)

The $6 administrative fee covers one application of up to 6 people. The $7-per-person fee is only charged if you're awarded a permit, and it's non-refundable. Dogs are $7 each too.

Heads up: there's no marked trail to The Wave and no water, shade, or facilities. You'll navigate ~6 miles round-trip from the Wire Pass Trailhead — bring a map and plenty of water, and avoid the extreme summer heat.

Advanced Online Lottery

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Plan months ahead — 48 of the 64 daily spots are awarded here.

When to apply: The lottery for a given month opens four months in advance and stays open the entire prior calendar period; you have a full month to apply. Results go out the first of the month by email.

  1. Go to Recreation.gov and find the Coyote Buttes North Advanced Lottery for the month you want to hike — it opens four months ahead.
  2. Submit your application with up to three preferred dates and your group size (up to 6 people per group).
  3. Pay the $6 non-refundable administrative fee — this covers the whole application, not each person.
  4. Wait for the drawing after the window closes; you'll be notified by email on the first of the month whether you won a permit.
  5. If awarded, pay the $7-per-person (and $7-per-dog) fee within 14 days to finalize your permit before your trip.

Your odds

Around 20% of advanced-lottery applicants win across the year. Odds vary sharply by season — peak months (April, May, September, October) draw hundreds of applicants per day and can drop your chances below 10%, while winter dates are far easier. Improve your chances by entering flexible, off-peak dates, and by also trying the daily geofence lottery once you're near Page or Kanab if your advanced application doesn't win.

Ready to hike? See the full The Wave trail guide →

The two Wave permit lotteries

Advanced Online Lottery

Recommended for you

Plan months ahead — 48 of the 64 daily spots are awarded here.

When to apply: The lottery for a given month opens four months in advance and stays open the entire prior calendar period; you have a full month to apply. Results go out the first of the month by email.

  1. Go to Recreation.gov and find the Coyote Buttes North Advanced Lottery for the month you want to hike — it opens four months ahead.
  2. Submit your application with up to three preferred dates and your group size (up to 6 people per group).
  3. Pay the $6 non-refundable administrative fee — this covers the whole application, not each person.
  4. Wait for the drawing after the window closes; you'll be notified by email on the first of the month whether you won a permit.
  5. If awarded, pay the $7-per-person (and $7-per-dog) fee within 14 days to finalize your permit before your trip.

Daily Geofence Lottery

Already near Page or Kanab? Try for one of 16 next-next-day spots.

When to apply: Apply two days before you want to hike, between 6:00am and 6:00pm, using a location-enabled phone while you're inside the geofence area. Results are emailed around 7:15pm that same evening.

  1. Get within the daily-lottery geofence (the Page/Kanab/Vermilion Cliffs area) two days before you want to hike.
  2. Open Recreation.gov on a location-enabled mobile device between 6:00am and 6:00pm and apply for the Coyote Buttes North Daily Lottery with your group size (up to 6 people).
  3. Pay the $6 administrative fee to enter that day's drawing.
  4. Check your results around 7:15pm the same evening — you'll be notified whether you won a permit for two days out.
  5. If awarded, pay the $7-per-person (and $7-per-dog) fee to finalize the permit before you hit the route.

The Wave Permit FAQ

Do you need a permit for The Wave?

Yes — every visitor to Coyote Buttes North (The Wave) needs a permit, and they're awarded only by lottery through Recreation.gov. There is no walk-up access and no marked trail. Just 64 people (16 groups) are allowed in per day, so a permit is essential.

How much does a Wave permit cost?

Permits are awarded by lottery on Recreation.gov. It costs $6 per application (a non-refundable administrative fee), plus $7 per person if you're awarded a permit. Dogs are also $7 each but don't count toward the 6-person group limit. The fees are non-refundable.

What are the odds of getting a Wave permit?

Roughly 1 in 5 advanced-lottery applicants win across the year, but odds swing hard with the season. In peak months (April, May, September, October) hundreds of people compete for each day's spots and your chances can drop well below 10%, while winter dates are far easier. The daily geofence lottery is similarly competitive in peak season.

When should I apply for the Wave lottery?

If you're planning months ahead, use the Advanced Online Lottery — it opens four months before your hiking month, and you have a full month to apply for 48 of the 64 daily spots. If you're already near Page or Kanab, use the Daily Geofence Lottery: apply two days before, between 6am and 6pm from inside the geofence on a location-enabled phone, with results emailed around 7:15pm that evening.