NEW MEMBER OFFER!

Get 35% off GOES, your essential outdoor guide

LEARN MORE

GET MORE WITH OUTSIDE+

Enjoy 35% off GOES, your essential outdoor guide

UPGRADE TODAY

Odds of Getting a Wave Permit Plummet as Demand Spikes

More than 160,000 people applied for the 7,300 spots to hike the iconic sandstone canyon last year.

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.

The Bureau of Land Management limits visitors to the striking sandstone formation called The Wave near the Utah-Arizona border to just 20 per day. But as demand for the lottery-driven permits keeps growing, the odds of actually landing one are dropping. The chances of winning the online lottery during the busiest months is 2 percent; in-person odds are a bit better, but require traveling to Kanab, Utah. 

Popular on Backpacker