PAGE, Ariz. — The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is now allowing hikers to apply for Wave permits online forgoing the in-person application for next-day permits, the department announced.
This change in accessing permits gives those in the nearby areas a chance to use their cell phones to reserve a permit to hike The Wave, a more convenient option than the in-person lottery system, the BLM said.
Under the previous in-person system, hikers looking to apply for day before permits had to do so at the Kanab, Utah field office. The new lottery process will give applicants within the intentionally set geographic boundaries access to the system over their mobile device.
The geofence area includes the Arizona towns of Page, Greenhaven, Marble Canyon, Vermillion Cliffs, Jacob Lake, White Saga, Fredonia, Moccasin, and the Kaibab Paiute Indian Reservation.
Other locations where hikers can access the application are Big Water, Paria, Johnson Canyon, Kanab, Mt. Carme, Orderville, Glendale, and East Zion in Utah.
“This is an exciting change for BLM managers in both Arizona and Utah,” said Kanab Field Office Manager Whit Bunting. “Over the last two years, BLM Utah and BLM Arizona have worked alongside city and county officials in both states to increase recreational opportunities and visitor access to The Wave. This geofence transition is another important customer-service step in that direction.”
The advanced online lottery system that gives applicants the ability to apply four months in advance will still exist, the department said.
The new permitting system went into effect on Tuesday and can be accessed through the Recration.gov mobile app.