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Catch The Wave: How to get a permit and plan your hike from sa国际传媒官网网页入口
This stunning Arizona hike is a day鈥檚 drive from ABQ, but access is by lottery
Only a day鈥檚 drive from sa国际传媒官网网页入口, on the Arizona-Utah border in the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness Area (west of Page, Arizona) is one the most fantastic places on earth.
It鈥檚 The Wave.
The Wave is absolutely amazing and will meet or exceed any expectations that you might already have.
Even better, the Bureau of Land Management, who manages the area, limits the number of people who can hike out to The Wave each day. This assures you of a pristine experience. Otherwise, the place could easily be overrun by tour groups and people who are clearly not prepared for a rugged desert hike.
Although rugged, the hike is quite doable by someone who is already active and is familiar with desert backcountry hiking. But it is more work than you would expect in a normal seven-mile hike.
If you hope to go to The Wave this Fall, you need to act now. You must apply four months in advance to enter the lottery for a permit. That is, if you want to go in October, you need to apply in June. The lottery is then held on the first day of the month after you apply.
You will be notified almost immediately if you win, and the BLM will mail the permit to you before your date. Your permit must be attached to your pack, as there are rangers checking, and there are severe fines.
The hike begins at the Wire Pass Trailhead on House Rock Valley Road, a little more than eight miles south of U.S. Highway 89 in Utah. House Rock Valley Road is unpaved but can be driven by a normal higher-clearance SUV. It is impassible during bad weather.
As for the hike itself, there is no formal trail, but you will be provided a picture map to guide you to The Wave. Most of the hike is on sandstone slickrock (so make sure your walking stick, or poles, have rubber tips and that your boots have good traction).
The picture map does have GPS coordinates, so a handheld GPS can come in handy. Although some people hire guides, the combination of the picture map, a handheld GPS and other hikers along the way should be enough to get you to The Wave and back.
But most of all, be prepared to be wowed at every turn 鈥� The Wave and the surrounding area is that fantastic!
