The Wave is one of the most famous red rock features in the Southwest, but permits to the popular hiking area on the Utah-Arizona border are hard to come by.
Visitors will soon have a more convenient option to getting one.
It’s possible to get a permit to visit The Wave through a lottery, months in advance.
The other option was to wake up early and stand in a long line. But in mid-March, the line is going away, and visitors will be able to get permits on their phones.
The advanced reservation system will remain in place, but a new system will allow visitors in the Four Corners area to reserve a spot through an app, says David Hercher of the Bureau of Land Management.
“But the beauty of it is, that, you apply, and then you go on about your business. I mean, you want to go to Four Corners? Go to Four Corners. You’ll get a notification if you’ve actually been awarded a permit,” Hercher said.
Because service is spotty in northern Arizona, he recommends downloading the app before you travel.
For more information, visit blm.gov/programs/recreation/permits-and-passes/lotteries-and-permit-systems/arizona/coyote-buttes-north.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been updated to correct Hercher’s name.
