jssmith1978

How do I get to hike the wave Utah from Zion? I hear there is a special permit needed. Is that true, and do you have any idea how to get it.

enzian

Yes, a permit is required. There is a lottery system for obtaining them. Details:

http://www.blm.gov/az/asfo/paria/coy...es/permits.htm

Dayle

jss,

You do know that the Wave is not near Zion National Park? It's in the Escalante/Grand Staircase National Monument.

There are other wonderful hikes in the Zion Natl Park area that require permits too.

Floridafran

enzian gave you a good site. The set up is still like it was when we obtained our permits for a May 2006 hike to The Wave. There are 2 ways to do it. In advance, via the online method and by taking a chance as a walk-up. The site explains it - although their explanation could be clearer.

The Wave is under of the control of the Bureau of Land Management as a special area which borders both the Paria Canyon - Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness and the Grand Staircase/Escalante National Monument. The people at the BLM I dealt with were all very helpful, knowledgeable, and full of tips for not only hiking to The Wave but seeing other great things in the general area. I called them before the date to do the online lottery and I feel certain the advice I was given on how to do it contributed to my success. Within 10 minutes after the calendar for May opened, all the permits were gone. I was lucky enough to have gotten 2 of them. So if you're serious about going, invest in a call to those guys for some tips.

It's an awesome place and my husband and I want to go back one day. However, we will chose a cooler month. In mid-May the temps were right around 100. There's virtually no shade and no water, so no chance to cool off much. Don't know when you want to go but I'll be happy to answer any questions if I can.

Be sure to check out that website. It used to have a little "test" you took to see if you "knew enough" to attempt the hike. I don't know if that's still there, but there is safety info there as well as warnings that I recommend you read. It would be easy for an unprepared person to get into trouble on this hike.

Bill_H

If you can't score one of the 10 on-line advance permits then you can just show up at the BLM office and see if you can get one of the ten 'walk-up' permits. They added these because people without internet connections threatened to sue several years back.

In the summer this office is near mile marker 21 on the road between Page and Kanab, I think near the White House trailhead turn-off. In the winter you have to go to the main BLM office in Kanab.

Have tried this a couple of times, in the winter it was no hassle getting a walk-up permit (usually just 3-5 people wanting in) but in the spring (and I guess summer/fall) there are often more than 10 people so they just draw straws to see who gets in. The most I've seen was 16 people but the rangers said they occasionally get up to 30 people trying for the 10 spots.