Standard-Examiner staff
It might seem strange at first, but there’s a reason why a wilderness area in the heart of one of the most remote areas in the continental United States has a strict quota on the number of visitors allowed in each day.
Within Southern Utah’s Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness lie the Coyote Buttes, a striking landscape of colorful, ancient sand dunes frozen in time and scoured by erosion into beautiful, sweeping patterns that tempt more visitors than the fragile ecosystem is equipped to accommodate.
Congress created the wilderness area in 1984, citing its outstanding scenery, desert wildlife, colorful history, and opportunities for primitive recreation. While it encompasses more than 112,000 acres, most visitors come to see a specific and relatively small section of the wilderness within the Coyote Buttes area.
A sandstone formation known as The Wave has captivated photographers and nature enthusiasts of all kinds for decades. Located in the Coyote Buttes North area, The Wave is a uniquely eroded sandstone area famous among photographers for its undulating, wave-like appearance.
Today, it’s considered a must-see and must-shoot for any aspiring landscape photographer, and its popularity has risen to the point that officials now restrict the number of permits to 20 per day for both Coyote Buttes South and Coyote Buttes North in an effort to minimize damage to the fragile ecosystem.
Permits for Coyote Buttes South are usually available, but due to the popularity of The Wave, Coyote Buttes North are on a lottery-only system.
If you enter the lottery for Coyote Buttes North, attempting to obtain a permit for the peak visitation months of April, May, September or October, the odds of drawing one are about 10 percent. For other months, the odds are better.
Half of the available daily slots for Coyote Buttes North and Coyote Buttes South are issued online. The other ten are issued as walk-in permits.
Advance permits are required for day use, and there is no overnight camping allowed in the Coyote Buttes permit area. Dogs are allowed, but must be kept under control at all times.
Group size cannot exceed six in the same permit area on the same day.
While you have to jump through some extra hoops to see it, a visit to Coyote Buttes is a stunning wilderness experience that can’t be replicated anywhere else on the planet.
Apply for a permit online: https://www.blm.gov/az/paria/obtainpermits.cfm?usearea=CB
More information: Call 435-688-3200 or 435-644-4600
