Coyote Buttes: Major changes at the Wave Permits Lottery

 Date: 01-Feb-2022Category:

Evening Light on the Second Wave at the Coyote Buttes Permit Area

Soft evening light on the Second Wave

Some major changes at the Wave permits application are planned for next month. As of June 2020, up to 64 people or 16 groups (whichever comes first) are allowed into the Coyote Buttes North Area on a daily basis. Since then, a total of 48 permits or 12 groups maximum are issued via an online lottery held four months in advance; you can apply here: www.recreation.gov/permits/274309.
The remaining 16 persons (or 4 groups maximum) received their permits by attending the daily walk-in lotteries at the visitor center in Kanab. The rangers used to have a funny little raffle drum for drawing the lucky winners, but starting March 15, 2022 all this will be replaced by a virtual lottery. From now on, you can apply for those 16 "last minute" permits by using your cell phone or tablet within a designated "geofence" only (do not forget to turn your GPS on!). This area includes the towns of Big Water, East Zion, Glendale, Johnson Canyon, Mt. Carmel, Orderville, Paria in Southern Utah as well as Fredonia, Greenhaven, Jacob Lake, Marble Canyon, Moccasin, Vermilion Cliffs, White Sage and the Kaibab Paiute Reservation in Northern Arizona. Applications must be submitted at www.recreation.gov/permits/4251909 two days prior to the trip. And - in case you are lucky - the permits have to be picked up in person on the day before. Please also check the official website for more details: www.blm.gov

Things have changed quite a bit since our first visit in 2002. Back then, the rangers only issued 20 permits on a daily basis, nevertheless it was much easier to visit this premier photographic location. With its increasing popularity things changed for the worse and I wonder if we will ever be able to get there back again. For now we feel incredibly fortunate that we had the opportunity to do the hike several times. On one of our last visits, in early November 2010, we had a fabulous weather and pretty clouds throughout the day. That's when we took this month's image. It shows the swirls and patterns of the Second Wave which is located only about 200 m "behind" the other (main) Wave.

 

Image data: Nov 1st 2010; 1/200 s at f/14, ISO 100; Canon EF 17-40mm 1:4 L USM at 35 mm, Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Related Links: More images from the Coyote Buttes North Area