The Wave (Coyote Buttes North) permits: dates & how to apply

Last verified October 15, 2026.

Sandstone waves at Coyote Buttes North, The Wave, in Vermilion Cliffs.

Before you apply

Pick your lottery. There are only two ways to get a permit (timing is listed above). You can apply to the Advanced Lottery from anywhere on any device. The Daily Lottery only works on a mobile device from inside the geofence (Recreation.gov: Daily Lottery).
Name your alternates when you apply. You can't add them after the lottery runs. Each alternate needs a Recreation.gov account and must accept the email invite within 3 days. Alternates can't enter the lottery themselves, and becoming one stops that person from applying for their own permit (Recreation.gov: Advanced Lottery).
Count everyone, including infants and dogs. Everyone must be on the permit, including infants who aren't walking. Dogs are allowed but must be on the permit (Recreation.gov).
Send one application per person. People who send more than one per lottery are disqualified, and you can't hold more than one permit for the area at a time (Recreation.gov).
Think about the season before you apply. Permits can't be rescheduled, even when conditions are poor. Extreme heat and lack of shade between May and September, along with no drinking water, "have led to fatalities in this permit area" (Recreation.gov).

Common mistakes

Missing the confirmation step. Advanced Lottery winners must log back in, confirm, complete any remaining details and pay by the 15th of the month, or they lose the permit (Recreation.gov).
Missing a Daily Lottery deadline. The Daily Lottery has several deadlines (applying, accepting and picking up), and missing any one voids the award. Recreation.gov says "The lottery system is based on the time in Utah and the Navajo Nation" (Recreation.gov: Daily Lottery).
Applying from a laptop or an old app. For the Daily Lottery, "desktop or laptops will not work," and "Out of date Recreation.gov mobile apps will cause issues with payment" (Recreation.gov).
Following routes from third-party apps. Recreation.gov calls these "unofficial, user generated routes" and says visitors have gotten lost or seriously injured following them (Recreation.gov).
Assuming a Wire Pass self-pay permit covers The Wave. BLM says self-pay permits for Buckskin Gulch, Paria Canyon and Wire Pass "do not give you access to Coyote Buttes North (The Wave)" (BLM FAQ, published 2022).

What changed this year

TBA. As of Oct 15, 2026, the official pages don't announce rule changes. Check Recreation.gov: Advanced Lottery.

Tips

Be honest about navigation. There are no trails in the permit area. Permit holders are offered an orientation and a route description, but the route itself is unmarked (Recreation.gov).
Weigh the hike for your whole group. Recreation.gov calls the suggested route "a strenuous 6.4 mile round-trip hike" and asks you to consider everyone's fitness before applying (Recreation.gov).
A guide is allowed. If you win a permit and hire an authorized outfitter and guide, the guide doesn't count against your group size limit. Each party is limited to one guide (Recreation.gov).
Check the road before you go. The access road is unpaved and minimally maintained. Four-wheel-drive, high-clearance vehicles may be needed when it's wet, and in the rainy season and winter it may become impassable for all vehicles (Recreation.gov).
On the day: register at the trailhead going in and coming out, and keep the group together. The area is day use only, and drones are prohibited (Recreation.gov).
Emergencies: call 911. Cell phones are unreliable here but may reach 911 when other numbers don't work (Recreation.gov).

Key dates

Advanced lottery (Recreation.gov 274309)

October 1, 2026–October 31, 2026 (Mountain time) start/hike month Feb 2027 (BLM: Advanced Lottery FAQ)

Lottery runs: November 1, 2026, 9:00 a.m. (Mountain time) (BLM: Advanced Lottery FAQ)

Daily lottery (Recreation.gov 4251909)

6:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m., 2 days before (Recreation.gov: daily lottery)

PATTERN. Published recurring schedule

Where to apply

Coyote Buttes North Advanced Lottery (The Wave): Check current availability on Recreation.gov.

Coyote Buttes North Daily Lottery (The Wave): Check current availability on Recreation.gov.

No availability data. Recreation.gov's public RIDB data has none, and we don't scrape it. Pages link each facility's booking page for current availability.

How it works

Recreation.gov (advanced 274309; daily 4251909). $6 application; $7/person (and per dog) if selected. Up to 3 dates per application; one application per person per lottery. (BLM: Advanced Lottery FAQ) (Recreation.gov: advanced lottery) (Recreation.gov: daily lottery)

Fees

Coyote Buttes North Advanced Lottery (The Wave)

Fees (as of October 15, 2026):

“There is a non-refundable $6 administrative fee to apply per application.” (BLM: Advanced Lottery FAQ)
“The fees are $7 per person per day. Dogs must be included on the permit, and the fee is $7 per dog.” (BLM: Advanced Lottery FAQ)

Coyote Buttes North Daily Lottery (The Wave)

Fees (as of October 15, 2026):

“A non-refundable $6.00 lottery fee is required for each lottery application.” (Recreation.gov: daily lottery)
“If selected in the lottery, a recreation fee of $7.00 per person or dog is required.” (Recreation.gov: daily lottery)