The Wave, one of the most exclusive and dramatic hiking spots in the southwestern United States will get easier to visit under a new proposal. If you are interested in hiking the colourful sandstone rock formation, it is the right time for you to plan a trip next month.
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The US Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced that it will allow 64 people per day to hike the popular rock formation known as The Wave, situated in the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument near the Utah-Arizona border. Previously, only 20 hikers were allowed onto the site in order to preserve the backcountry wilderness experience and protect the sandstone formation. The new limit of 64 visitors per day will go into effect on 1st February. From that time, the BLM will monitor resources and social conditions and could implement further increases or decreases in the future.
The Wave is one of the world’s most incredible and visually stunning natural wonders. Therefore, it is extremely difficult to access. If you are interested in hiking the colourful sandstone rock formation, there are two options for you to choose from. Forty-eight people or 12 groups (whichever comes first) each day are awarded permits through an online lottery four months in advance and the other half is released for walk-in visitors every day. Along with your permit, you will get a map with photo points directing you to The Wave. It is only accessible by foot and there is no trail, so you must follow the landmarks on the map and walk six miles round-trip in order to visit.
Situated in the Coyote Buttes North section of the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, The Wave is famous among nature photographers and hikers for its unusual features. In 2018, more than 200,000 individuals applied for the 7300 permits available to take the 9.5km round-trip hike through the Coyote Buttes North section of the park to reach the site. However, only 3.6% of applicants were granted permits to visit The Wave.
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