Havasupai Falls Travel Guide
Havasupai Falls Travel Guide
Havasupai is quickly becoming the next outdoor adventure that everyone wants to experience for themselves. Filled with beautiful waterfalls, Havasupai is an adventure located on an Indian reservation in the south rim of the Grand Canyon. Something so beautiful does come with a price, and that price is the 10 mile long, dreadful hike. If you’re like me, there are alternatives to the hike that'll make it a bit easier like hiring a mule to carry your pack or skipping it all together with a helicopter ride. In this travel blog, I’ll be going over how and when to buy tickets to Havasupai, when the park is open, where to stay, what to bring, and everything you’ll expect as you embark on this wonderful journey to Havasupai.
Best time to Visit Havasupai Falls
Havasupai is opened from February - November and closed from December - January.
BEST TIME OVERALL
March - June is the best time to visit Havasupai as the weather isn't in the 100s or too cold to enjoy. April - October is high season with lots of people.
CHEAPEST TIME
There is no cheapest time to visit Havasupai. The prices for permits are the same year round.
BEST WEATHER
March - June. Weather is warm and not scorching hot. Be careful with weather in the later months. There is a monsoon season filled with flash floods (July-September) and thunderstorms.
June-August is probably the hottest months reaching up to 100°F.
HOW TO GET A HAVASUPAI FALLS PERMIT
Acquiring a permit in Havasupai is similar to getting Coachella tickets, within moments of the ticket release, permits sell out. All tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable so be sure to plan ahead.
When to purchase
February 1st of each year at 8:00 AM PST
Price
$140.56 - 1 Person | 2 Days | 1 Night
$171.12 - 1 Person | 3 Days | 2 Nights
$201.67 - 1 Person | 4 Days | 3 Nights
*an additional $18.34 per night is added for weekends and holidays
How
You can reserve your campground here.
*Check the official Havasupai Reservation website or the National Park website for the most current and up to date information
Currency | Budget
Currency
They accept USD and credit cards (Visa and Mastercard). I'd recommend bringing hard cash as well as credit cards. There are card readers, but the internet and service is not reliable and the card reader might not work when you need it the most.
Budget
Save up for this trip! Reservations, campgrounds, gear, flights, and car rentals can add up. I’d recommend saving at least $500-$600 USD.
Where to Stay
There are only two accommodation options in the Supai area; camping and staying at the lodge.
The Havasu Falls Campground
In order to camp in Supai, you must have a camping permit and reservations can be up to 8 months to 1 year in advance. It cost $93/person for first night and $23/person for the nights after and this includes the village entrance fee of $40 and the environmental fee.
Once at the camping grounds, you'll need to check in. It is first come, first serve and there is a capacity of 200 people.
Near the entrance, there is a water spigot (to fill up water bottles) and there are four toilet facilities spread around the campground. No sinks in the toilet facilities, just hand sanitizer and toilet paper.
Lodge
If you do not want to camp, you can stay at the Havasupai Lodge. It is difficult to reach them, but keeping trying!
Havasupai Lodge is located in Supai Village and it is a bit run down. In order to reserve, it requires a $40 non-refundable deposit, in which you an pay via your Chase Sapphire Reserve. The lodge cost $145/night and can sleep up to 4 people in one room. This doesn’t include the environmental fee which is $5/person. It is usually booked 7 months - 1 year in advance so plan ahead. If plans change, you also have two weeks prior to your trip to get a refund.
How to Get to Havasupai Falls
Getting to Havasupai:
Take Route 66, then Route 18. You’re going to reach Hualapai Hilltop parking lot. The last gas station is in Peach Springs. The Hualapai Hilltop parking lot is where you’ll start your trip as this is where the trailhead to Supai Village is located.
Closest Airports
The Las Vegas airport is the closest airport to Havasupai being 4 hours away. You can also fly into Phoenix, which is 5 hours away.
How to Get to Havasupai Campground
First you'll head to Hualapai Hilltop parking lot where you'll park your car. From there, there are two ways to get down to the Supai Village:
Helicopter
Yes, you can take a helicopter to the campground which is operated by Air West (call 623-516-2790 for more information). This is on a first come first serve basis and the natives have priority over you. You must sign in once you get to the Hualapai Hilltop parking lot if you want to do this option. Registration is between 10am-1pm. If you are in a group, you might have to split up. It drops you off 2 miles from Havasu Fall Campground in Supai Village.
A helicopter ride is $85 each way and you're only allowed one medium sized bag weighing between 20-40 lbs. This option is weather permitting and takes less than 10 minutes.
Hiking
If you choose to hike, every single person must have a reservation! It is an 8 mile hike from trailhead to Supai Village and another 2 miles hike from the village to the campground. Total time will take around 3-4 hours. It is highly recommended to go as early as possible as it is advised to not hike in the daytime heat.
If you choose to hike, you have three options getting your bag to the village:
Option 1: Take them with you
The first option is to just hike with what you came with.
Option 2: Rent a Mule
A 10 mile hike is dreadful, especially in the heat. It can take a lot on your body. Add your camping gear, food and water, you can easily be hating life. Luckily, you can rent a mule to help ease the 10 mile hike. You'll have to reserve one a least one week in advance! To rent a mule leaving Supai, you’ll have to reserve a day in advance.
They'll only carry gear supplies or trash. It will cost $120 one way or $240 round trip and the mules can carry around 4 bags. They will take around 3-4 hours to get to village.
However, I must say that the treatments of mules aren't the best.
Option 3: Send it with the Helicopter
And the third is to send it via helicopter. It is about $20/bag. You can pick it up at the Supai Village.
What to Bring
Gear
Water
Pillow
BackPack & Day BackPack
Toiletries
Towel
Toothbrush/paste
Deodorant
Imodium (anti-diarrhea)
Clothes
Hiking clothes
Hiking Shoes (must break in prior to your trip or you'll be miserable)
Dri-fit shirt (no cotton)
Swim wear
Swim Trunks/Bikini
Other
Hat
Sunglasses
Warm Layers (for night)
Misc
Mirrorless Camera - Light but powerful
Food & Drink
On the campgrounds, there is a mini grocery store hut where they serve food and drinks (no alcohol). However, they are not always open. When they sell out, they sell out. This is not a very reliable source of food and would highly recommend bringing your own food and pretend this hut doesn't exist (it'll be a nice surprise for when you get there!).
Food
Freeze Dried Meals:
Dried or Freeze Dried Fruit:
Snacks
Drink
At least 1 gallon of water
Electrolyte Replacement
Coffee/Tea
Things to Do & See
After embarking on the 10 mile hike to the campground, in order to see the various falls, you'll need to do some more hiking. There is more information on their location once at the village.
Here are a few falls to check out:
Havasu Falls
Navajo Falls
Mooney Falls
Supai Indian Village
Havasu Canyon
Park Rules
No dogs, drugs, alcohol, parties, weapons, night hiking, rock climbing, cliff jumping, nudity, or drones.
Traveling Necessities
Additional Havasupai Guides
Havasupai Falls Travel Guide - Pinterest
