Access & Permits
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...
Mt. Whitney FCFS Permits Released
Mt. Whitney Trailhead, Whitney PortalThe Mt. Whitney permit lottery ran February 1–March 1, with results posted March 15. Any permits that went unclaimed after the April 21 acceptance deadline are released on April 22 at 7AM PT on recreation.gov on a first-come, first-served basis. Both day hike and overnight permits are available for the quota season running May 1...
Half Dome Cables 2026 Preseason Lottery
Half Dome, Yosemite National ParkThe Half Dome cables route is one of the most popular hikes in the national park system, drawing far more demand than the trail can safely handle. NPS limits the number of hikers on the cables each day to reduce congestion on the exposed granite slabs and decrease the risk of accidents — the final...