In May 2023, four friends and I hiked to “the Wave,” an awe-inspiring Navajo sandstone cross-bedded rock formation in northern Arizona consisting of 190-million-year-old sand dunes that calcified and hardened into rock. Almost as special as the place itself was the lack of crowds: A permit system helps regulate the number of daily visitors, so at times, it felt like we had the Wave to ourselves.
But those coveted permits didn’t come easy—four months earlier, my hiking buddies and I entered the online lottery for the fifth year in a row. After four years of unsuccessful attempts, our persistence paid off. We literally won the lottery!
Many hiking trails and outdoor adventure destinations in the United States have adopted similar crowd-limiting permit systems to improve safety for visitors and reduce the environmental impact of tourism. And while the system is somewhat of a hassle, trust me—it’s worth the trouble.
The following are six of the most epic hiking experiences in the country, and they all require permits. In most cases, hiking with a smaller group will improve your odds, since everyone will need a permit. You’ll also better your chances if each person requests permits for the entire group. But there are some site-specific things you’ll need to know, like weather considerations, costs, and trip-length restrictions, in order make the most of your application.
Only 64 people per day are allowed to visit the Wave in Coyote Buttes North.
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Coyote Buttes North (“the Wave”)
Arizona and Utah
“The Wave” is a famous, swirling Mars-like sandstone rock formation in Coyote Buttes North, part of the Paria Canyon–Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness that spans 112,500 acres of northern Arizona and southern Utah.
Snagging a permit for this 6.4-mile round-trip hike used to be one of the most difficult in the country, with a daily quota of only 20 people. In 2021, the number of permits increased to 64 per day or 16 groups, whichever comes first; 48 permits are distributed in advance through an online lottery and 16 are given out via a daily lottery. Group sizes are limited to 6 people, and each lottery has a group limit—12 groups for permits in advance and 4 for the daily.
The advanced lottery takes place each month, four months before the permit date. For example, all permits for May are drawn on February 1 at 9 a.m. MT, so those hoping to hike in May must enter the lottery sometime during the month of January and can request up to three dates. Recipients then have 14 days to pay for their permits, which are mailed four to six weeks after payment.
In March 2022, a mobile-based system with a geofence replaced the long-running in-person daily lottery. Applicants must use a location-enabled mobile device on the Recreation.gov website or mobile app three days in advance of the anticipated hiking date. The geofence perimeter includes large portions of southern Utah and northern Arizona. Currently, 4 percent of applications submitted for both lotteries win a permit.
The daily lottery occurs from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. MT with a drawing at 7:15 p.m. Winners are required to attend an in-person safety briefing the next day at 8:30 a.m. at a permit pickup location to accept their permit and pay fees. Visitors traveling from Arizona should be aware that Utah observes daylight savings time, while Arizona does not.
There are no obvious markers or designated trails in Coyote Buttes North—and there is no cell signal—so the permit comes with a detailed photo guide with GPS points for the area. Be aware that flash floods are a threat in July and August.
It costs $9 to enter both lotteries, and winners pay a $7 per person fee.
It’s a 10-mile hike to reach Havasu Falls and its nearby campground.
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Havasu Falls Campground
Arizona
Havasu Falls is one of five waterfalls on the Havasupai Reservation, surrounded by but not part of Grand Canyon National Park. The 10-mile hike to the falls and campground is relatively flat and easy—the hard part is securing an elusive permit. Not even avid hikers are allowed to tackle Havasu as a day hike, and because campground space is limited, spots go quickly. Permits go on sale on February 1 each year; reservations are only available online through the Havasupai Tribe’s website.
If camping isn’t your style, the Havasupai Lodge is an eight-mile hike from the trailhead, in the town of Supai. Havasu Falls is an additional two miles from there. The lodge operates on a shorter season (April 1 until November 30) than the campground, which closes during December and January.
Try to avoid the monsoon season between June 1 and September 30. A flood in July 2018 closed the trail for almost six weeks. Changes to permit rates and registration procedures are released each January on the website and official tourism Facebook page. In 2024, campground permits, which include a three-night stay, cost $455 per person.
The highest mountain in the lower 48 states, Mount Whitney is popular with both day hikers and overnight campers.
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Mount Whitney Trail
California
The 14,505-foot Mount Whitney, on the edge of Sequoia National Park and Inyo National Forest in California, regularly attracts adrenaline junkies because it’s the tallest mountain in the lower 48 states. The most popular trail to the summit climbs more than 6,000 feet in just under 11 miles.
Even day hikers need permits on the trail (and others in the Mount Whitney Zone Day Use area); in peak season—May 1 to November 1—they’re only available through a lottery system. The system currently allows 100 day hikers and 60 people on overnight trips daily during peak season. At other times, there is no quota on permits.
To enter, log in to Recreation.gov between February 1 and March 1. Choose your desired dates, enter the group size (15 people maximum), and indicate whether you want a day hike or an overnight permit. You can list up to 10 alternative date choices and three alternative trip leaders per application. Only one application per group or household is accepted. Results are released on March 15. In 2022, a record number of applications—26,767—were made and 29 percent of applicants received one of their requested dates.
Know that the trails are not clear of snow until after July and that technical climbing gear is usually not needed between mid-July and early October. There is a $6 fee per application; winners must pay an additional $15 per person before April 21 to claim their spot. Any unfilled slots will be open to the public on April 22.
For four-and-a-half months of the year, a system of cables enables nonclimbers to reach the top of Half Dome.
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Half Dome Cables Route
California
Half Dome is the star of the Yosemite National Park skyline and one of the park’s biggest challenges. The 14- to 16-mile hike gains 4,800 feet of elevation and rewards the effort with panoramic views of Yosemite Valley and the High Sierras. The most infamous part of the hike is a set of cables that allows visitors to scale the final 400 feet to the summit without rock climbing equipment. The cables go up each year on the Friday before Memorial Day and are removed the Tuesday after Columbus Day.
When the cables are up, every hiker must have a permit; most of these permits are awarded via a preseason lottery that runs March 1–31. Winners are notified in mid-April. A limited number of permits are available two days in advance during the season through a daily lottery on Recreation.gov. The daily lottery occurs two days before the hiking day from midnight to 4 p.m. PT.
Each day, 225 permits are available through the preseason lottery. During the 2023 season, 22 percent of the 35,289 applications for the preseason lottery were successful; applications for weekdays had a higher success rate than those for weekends. You can add up to seven dates when applying for the lottery in advance. Roughly 19 percent of people who apply for the daily lottery win. Backpackers should request a Half Dome permit with their wilderness permit through a separate process. The preseason lottery costs $10 and there is a $10 permit fee for all winners.
If you want to camp at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, you’ll need to snag a permit first.
Photo by Shutterstock
Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim Hike
Arizona
Hiking the Grand Canyon rim to rim is one of the most iconic ways to experience the national park. The 21–25 mile trek is strenuous—fewer than 1 percent of visitors attempt it—and often requires an overnight stop in one of three backcountry campgrounds (Bright Angel, Havasupai Gardens, and Cottonwood), which all require a permit. (All Grand Canyon backcountry trips that require camping outside of the developed campgrounds on the North and South Rim require a backcountry permit.)
The lottery process for backcountry permits is complicated, so reference the handy charts on the National Park Service website to ensure you don’t miss your entry time frame. To obtain first dibs at your preferred dates and campground, enter the early access lottery four months before your desired start date. Applications are open on the 16th of the month and close the first of the following month at 5 p.m. MST. For example, the lottery for permit start dates in June opens on January 16 and closes on February 1. On the second of the month, lottery winners receive a time within a two-week period to log in and choose from available dates and campgrounds. Afterward, lottery entrants who did not win can log in to snag a slot. All leftover dates are available to the public on the first of the following month.
To apply for a last-minute permit, visit the Backcountry Information Center in person the day before you’d like to hike. Since these permits are only valid for one night at either Havasupai Gardens or Cottonwood Campground, those seeking multi-night permits should enter the lottery.
Beginning in April 2024, lottery entry costs $10, and winners pay an additional nightly fee of $15 per person for every night they camp below the rim and $4 per person above the rim.
Averse to carrying camping gear? Try the lottery at Phantom Ranch, a set of cabins and dormitories at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. To secure a bed, apply for the online lottery system 15 months in advance of your desired hike date. One lucky AFAR writer snagged a last minute cancelation in 2023).
Angels Landing
Utah
The adrenaline-boosting 5.4-mile round-trip Angel’s Landing hike is the most popular hike in Zion National Park. The courageous hikers who tackle the 20+ steep switchbacks, known as “Walter’s Wiggles,” and navigate the chain railings on the harrowing 500-foot ascent along the spine of the iconic shark-fin rock formation are rewarded with sweeping 360-degree views of Zion Canyon.
To control crowds and congestion, the park implemented a pilot permit program in 2022 that has issued over 400,000 hiking permits through a lottery system. No matter the season, a permit is currently necessary to hike Angels Landing in Zion National Park.
The pilot program consists of two lotteries—a seasonal lottery (one to three months in advance) and a day-before lottery. The seasonal lottery has four different entry periods (winter, spring, summer, and fall) based on the month of your hiking date. Visitors wanting to hike between March 1 and May 31 should enter between 8 a.m. MT on January 1 and 11:59 p.m. MT on January 20. Applicants can pick and rank seven dates and start times (before or after 9 a.m.). Permits are issued five days later.
Last-minute planners can try their luck in the day-before lottery. It opens every day at 12:01 a.m. and closes at 3 p.m. MT. Permits are issued an hour after the application closes for the following day. The daily quota of permits varies based on parking capacity, trail conditions, daylight hours, and seasonal shuttle hours. The seasonal lottery issues half of the permits and the day-before lottery distributes the remainder.
Rangers may check for permits at any time so be sure to print or download your permit before hitting the trail. Hikers are advised to pack two to four liters of water because none is available on the trail. Plan hiking dates carefully to avoid the extreme heat from May to September and the monsoon season from July to September. The fee to enter the lottery is $6 and includes up to six people. Winners must pay an additional $3 per person.
This article originally appeared online in January 2019; it was updated in March 2024 to include current information.
