Coyote Buttes North Daily Lottery (The Wave)

Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness

Important Information:

If you are planning to visit Coyote Buttes North (The Wave), there are only two possible options to get a permit.  

The Coyote Buttes North Daily Lottery (The Wave) - apply on this website

or

The Coyote Buttes North Advanced Lottery (The Wave)apply to Advanced Lottery here 

Quick information about the Daily Lottery.

Quick information about the Advanced Lottery.

It is your responsibility to understand this information before applying for a permit. There are no refunds for lottery applications or permits, and permits cannot be rescheduled for any reason.

The lottery system is based on the time in Utah and the Navajo Nation. There are multiple deadlines to be aware of: submitting the application, accepting the lottery, picking up your permit. Carefully review the chart under Important Dates to see details concerning time zones.   

Overview of Coyote Buttes North

Coyote Buttes North is just a small part of the 112,500-acre Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness, but the permit area has some of the most visually striking geologic sandstone formations in the world, including the “Wave”. 

Coyote Buttes North Permit Area is within a backcountry, undeveloped wilderness area and does not contain any developed trails or facilities. Permit-holders are given a route description, which includes a route map, photo guide, and GPS coordinates along the suggested route to the Wave. The hike to the Wave is a physically demanding 6.4 mile round-trip hike. Permit-holders should be in good physical condition and be comfortable navigating in undeveloped areas.

The road that accesses the permit area is unpaved and minimally maintained. Most of the time, it is possible to reach the trailhead in a two-wheel-drive, high-clearance vehicle. However, four-wheel-drive, high-clearance vehicles may be required when the road is wet. During the rainy season and the winter, the road may become impassable for all vehicles, even those with four-wheel drive. Be aware that cell service is spotty in this region.

Notifications and Alerts

Permit & Season Information

A permit is required to visit the Coyote Buttes North permit area, which features “The Wave”. Permits are distributed by lottery, either through this Daily Lottery, two days ahead of the permit date, or through the Advanced Lottery four months ahead of the permit date.  

Application submissions to the Daily Lottery are limited by a geofence. To apply, a group member must be within the geofence during the application window of 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM, two days before the permit date.  

The lottery is held daily.  

There are multiple steps and deadlines to be aware of: submitting the application, accepting the lottery, and picking up your permit. Missing any deadline will void your successful permit award. Refer to Lottery Information for details. Carefully review the chart under Important Dates to see particulars concerning time zones. The lottery system is based on the time in Utah and the Navajo Nation.

Need to Know

Permit Information

 Permits are non-refundable. Permits cannot be rescheduled for any reason.

Safety is your responsibility!

Rules and Regulations

Fee Policy

Application Fee: A non-refundable $6.00 lottery fee is required for each lottery application.

Recreation Fee: If selected in the lottery, a recreation fee of $7.00 per person or dog is required. This fee is paid online when filling in additional information to complete the process after successfully winning. Everyone, regardless of age, must be included in the permit. This includes infants that are not walking. Payment of recreation fees is only required if a permit is awarded through the lottery. 

Cancellation Policy

Cancellation Policy: All fees are non-refundable. If a permit is cancelled, it does not return to the pool.

Change Policy: There will be no change or modification allowed to permit dates, applicant name and group size following the application process. The only way to modify these details is to cancel the first application and submit a new one, which will require an additional payment of the $6.00 application fee. 

If the primary permit holder cannot make the trip on the permit date and is not present, the permit is invalid.

Contact Information

Mailing Address

669 S. Hwy 89A Kanab Utah 84741

This is not a permit pick-up location. See the Getting Here section for details.

Phone Number

(435) 644-1200

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