Permit Coyote Buttes North - The Wave
Everything about the desired permits
General information about the permits for Coyote Buttes North
To visit the Coyote Buttes North (CBN) area you need a permit. This must be purchased prior to the visit. Every day 64 of these permits are issued. Each permit is valid for one person. 48 of these permits are issued four months in advance by online lottery. 16 additional permits will be drawn online two days in advance. If you are caught in the CBN area without a permit, you will be subject to hefty fines. The area is regularly controlled by rangers of the BLM.
Both the online lottery and the on-site online lottery are very crowded. Since the chances of getting a permit are therefore not particularly high, you should always have a backup program up your sleeve.
Online Permits
Each month, permits for 48 people or 12 groups (max. 6 people/group)/day, whichever is reached first, will be drawn.
You have to register 4 months in advance on the website of www.recreation.gov i.e. you can register e.g. the whole January for Permits in May. You don't have to hurry, because you have the whole month of January to register. The whole of February you can then register for June, the whole of March for July and so on.
When registering, you enter your name and email address and select three preferred dates in the relevant month. Groups can consist of up to 6 people. You then pay a $6 processing fee by credit card. Once you have received your confirmation email, it's time to wait...
The lottery always takes place on the first day of the following month. For example, if you registered in January to win permits in May, the lottery will take place on February 1 at 9 a.m. (Kanab time). After the lottery, all participants will be notified by email. In the unlikely event that you win a permit, follow the instructions in the email and your permit will be sent to you by mail. This can take 4-6 weeks, so don't worry, the permit will arrive.
But even in case you don't get the permit for some reason, you don't have to panic. Since the permits are not transferable, you can also pick up your permit personally on site, because the name is registered.
Walk in Permits
As of 15.03.2022: The on-site lottery will also be converted to an online system. Sixteen permits or four groups—whichever is reached first—will be drawn. This only works via the recreation.gov app or a browser on your smartphone!!!
Timing of the permit drawing:
Day 1: You can register for the on-site permit draw online via the recreation.gov app from 6 am to 6 pm. To do this, you have to be in a certain area. This area can be found on this map . Essentially, it covers Kanab and Page and the area in between. Registration must always take place two days before the desired hiking day to the Wave. At 7:15 pm you will be informed by email whether the lottery was successful and you have won a permit.
Day 2: Permits must be accepted and paid for by 8 a.m. From 8:30 a.m. (local time), you will receive your permit and all necessary explanations and safety instructions at the pick-up point (see below).
Permits can be picked up at the following locations:
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument VC, 745 East Highway 89 or
Page-Lake Powell HUB, 48 S Lake Powell Blvd, Page, AZ 86040
Please note that Arizona has a different time zone from March to November. The pickup times refer to the time in Utah!!! I.e. during Daylight Saving Time 8am Utah time is 7am in Arizona.
Day 3: If you were lucky enough to win a permit on day 1, the hike to the Wave will take place today.
Costs: Registration costs $6/group - If you win a permit, the permit costs $7/person.
Permits that are not picked up or are cancelled will expire and will not be returned to the lottery.
All important information about the lottery and the conditions can be found at the website of recreation.gov. Through this page you can also register for the permits.
We tested this process in April 2022 and everything went relatively smoothly. For us, the registration for the lottery only worked via the app. It didn't work via the browser, which is probably due to the fact that the cell phone can be localized and thus it can be determined whether you are really in the required area. Otherwise, everything is very simple. After registering, you simply wait for the email and, if successful, you will receive instructions on how to proceed.
A few more general notes:
Before heading out to the trailhead, always check the road conditions along House Rock Valley Road as well. It is unpaved throughout and the road to the trailhead where the hike starts is 8 miles off pavement. During and after rain, House Rock Valley Road can become impassable!!! Everyone drives off the road at their own risk and is not insured in case of an accident (check conditions in the rental car contract!!!).
If you are lucky enough to win a permit, the rangers will give you not only the permit, but also a detailed description of the trail with photos and GPS coordinates, as well as safety instructions. Nevertheless, you are hiking in the middle of a wilderness, there is no predetermined trail, and you have to be able to find the right path yourself using the information you are given.
If you want to hike the Wave in summer, you should be prepared for extreme heat. There is almost no shade along the entire trail! If you don't feel confident driving to the trailhead yourself or finding your own way, you can also hire a guide. There are several providers in Page, but especially in Kanab.
We wish everyone good luck!!!
If you want to get a taste of what to expect on the hike to the Wave and the area around it, you can read here what we have experienced.