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Havasu Falls (w/packing list!)

Morgan

Havasu Falls is located on the Havasupai Reservation in the Grand Canyon. Havasupai means people of the blue-green waters – and nothing compares to the vibrant blues and greens of the Havasu Creek!

I recommend a 4 day / 3-night trip to truly experience the wonder and beauty of Havasupai.

Reservations

To camp in Havasupai, you need to make a reservation. The permits sell out quickly so make sure you plan well in advance. The Havasupai tribe is launching a new online reservation system but until then, they take reservations by phone. Click here for the official site.

A 3-night stay cost me $148.5. You will pay once you reach the village which is 8 miles from the trail head. Provide them with the confirmation number upon payment. And note that they only accept cash. I’ve included a breakdown of the costs below:

*Plus 10% tax

If you can’t get a permit, several companies provide guided tours. Wildland Trekking is a great option – tours start at $975 per person.

The Hike

We slept in the car at the Hualapai Hilltop parking lot the night before to get an early start – I highly recommend leaving before 6 a.m. to avoid the summer heat. After the steep switchbacks at the beginning, the trek down was fairly easy and took us less than 3 hours to get to the village (8 miles from trailhead). They estimate it takes 4-7 hours to get to the camp (2 miles from the village). However, there is little shade along the trail so bring 2-3 liters of water. We hiked with our gear – if this sounds too intense, you can make reservations two weeks in advance to have a mule carry up to 130 lbs to the camp ($120 one-way). I should also probably mention that you can take a helicopter ride to Supai village – it’s just not the same!

Camping

The campground is one mile long and lies between Havasu Falls and Mooney Falls. It’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen! There are three bathrooms and one drinkable water faucet – most people set up camp between these. If you want more privacy, there are several mini Islands that you can pitch your tent on or hang your hammocks – just hike past the 2nd bathroom and cross one of several wooden bridges to access them. Unfortunately, fires are not allowed so you will need to bring a camping stove – check the bottom of the article for a suggested packing list. There are also a lot of sneaky squirrels that will chew through your bag to get to your food – so keep your food separate and hang everything from the trees!

Day Trips

Havasu Falls is only one of several breathtaking waterfalls in Havasupai. For a complete overview of the falls and how to locate them (it is not always easy!) click here. We were set to experience all of them and I’ve outlined our itinerary below.

My favorite waterfall was New Navajo (pictured below). However, it was really tough to find and we had to wade through water to access it so don’t be dismayed!

New Navajo Falls

Mooney Falls

Beaver Falls

Return Trip

The hike out of the Canyon is much more difficult – especially if you are carrying 30 lbs of supplies. Someone in our group injured themselves, so we decided to pay for a mule to take our backpacks. Best decision ever! And if you decide to hire a mule, you only have to book a day in advance at the village (and they take credit cards!). We left at 3:30 a.m. to avoid the worst of the heat which I recommend.

Suggested Packing List

You feel every ounce while hiking into Havasupai so I recommend keeping your pack as light as possible. I’ve provided links to the gear I used. You should also have a really sturdy backpack. I recommend the Deuter 60+10 SL or Osprey Renn 65.

Essential

Optional

More Pictures

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