The Wave — Coyote Buttes North August 2026 Permit Lottery Open

Coyote Buttes North, located in the Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness on the Arizona-Utah border, is home to The Wave — a sandstone rock formation known for its sweeping, layered curves and difficult access. Permits are strictly limited to 64 visitors per day and are distributed entirely by lottery through recreation.gov, making this one of the most competitive permit draws in the American Southwest.

The lottery for each months opens several months in advance: see the table below.

You enter the lottery here: https://www.recreation.gov/permits/274309

The windows to apply for August 2026 opens and closes in April. Applications are submitted at recreation.gov and winners are selected randomly — applying early within the window offers no advantage over applying later. The online lottery costs $9 per application regardless of outcome, and winning permits are $9 per person. Each application can include up to six people.

The trailhead is located near the Utah-Arizona border outside Kanab, UT, and requires a high-clearance vehicle to access via dirt road. There is no marked trail to The Wave itself — navigating to the formation requires a map and basic route-finding ability. The permit includes access to the full Coyote Buttes North area, which contains several additional formations beyond The Wave worth exploring if you make the draw.