The waterfalls within the Havasupai Indian Reservation in Arizona come straight from a dream. The turquoise waters surrounded by towering canyons are worth the effort to get there.
Havasupai means people of the blue-green waters,, and the Havasupai Tribe manages the land and there are multiple checkpoints once you arrive at Supai Village. Many think it’s part of the Grand Canyon, but it’s actually a side canyon called Havasu Canyon and is outside of the National Park.
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Last Updated: January 7, 2020
HOW TO GET A HAVASUPAI RESERVATIONS / PERMITS
[ UPDATE: Online reservations open February 1, 2020 this year ]
This is the hard part. They start taking reservations for the year at the beginning of February at 8:00 am and they are usually sold out within a couple minutes. In the past, it was done through a phone line but now it’s all done online here. Lodge reservations start the year before. For 2020, it started on June 1, 2019 and is already completely sold out (with the exception of occasional cancellations). For Lodge reservations, call (928) 448-2111 or (928) 448-2201.
FEES
Campground Reservations (all campground reservations are 3 nights / 4 days)
- $100 per person per weekday night
- $125 per person per weekend night (Friday/Saturday/Sunday nights)
OTHER COSTS IF YOU'RE NOT BACKPACKING / CAMPING
- Pack Mules: $400 round-trip ($300 extra for a late run if you miss drop off times)
- Havasupai Lodge: $440 per room per night (accommodates up to four people), a $110 entrance/environmental fee is charged per person
- Helicopter Transport: $85 each way (first come, first serve) – prices may differ now, and we can’t find the updated info.
THE HIKE TO SUPAI VILLAGE + CAMPGROUNDS (10 Miles Total)
- The trail into Supai begins at Hualapai Hilltop, where there is plenty of parking for regular vehicles (and very limited for RVs if it’s busy).
- From Hualapai Hilltop, there is a quick 2 mile descent into the canyon. You will go down switchbacks, and hiking poles will come in handy.
- The next 6 miles to Supai Village is relatively flat or very slow descent (which means getting out is mostly uphill).
- After arriving in Supai, it is another 2 miles to the campground where you continue to descend into the canyon.
HAVASUPAI CAMPGROUNDS
The Campground is a “camp wherever you want” campground. It runs for over a mile on both sides of Havasu Creek between Havasu Falls and Mooney Falls. It took us over an hour to find an area big enough for our 13 person group. There is also drinking water available and primitive toilets.
Pro Tip: Bring your own toilet paper, because sometimes they run out.
THE FIVE WATERFALLS OF HAVASU CREEK
1. Little Navajo Falls
It’s also called New Navajo Falls or Upper Navajo Falls. This is the first set of falls you will see on the way to the campground from Supai.
This one was a little confusing. Due to recent floods in 2008, the 70 ft Navajo Falls was destroyed and multiple falls have been created. Some people refer to them as Upper and Lower Navajo Falls, but the only one notated by a sign there refers to them as Little Navajo Falls. Either way, they are beautiful and worth exploring.
2. Lower Navajo Falls / Rock Falls
3. Havasu Falls
Havasu Falls is 0.5 miles away from the campgrounds. It drops over 100 feet into a beautiful pool. You will pass these falls when you’re hiking in from Supai Village to the campgrounds.
4. Mooney Falls
Mooney Falls is the largest of the Havasupai waterfalls, it’s only 0.5 miles after you pass the campgrounds but you have to descend through two tunnels, chains, and ladders. The lines can get long and it took us over an hour to get down.
Pro Tip: Watch out for centipedes!
5. Beaver Falls
Beaver Falls is the furthest away and requires trekking through water, narrow trails, and over sketchy wooden bridges. It’s 3.5 miles each way (7 miles round trip) and a good place to cliff jump too.
More Essential Tips for Hiking Havasupai
- If you want to know what to pack, we put together the Ultimate Packing Guide for Backpacking Havasupai.
- Create and update your account online before February 1 so that you can easily log in to look for dates once it’s open.
- All reservations include necessary permits, fees, and taxes.
- There is only one name per reservation and that person needs to be present to check in the day of with photo ID or the entire reservation is forfeited. You can enter in a Potential Alternative Trip Leader (PATL) when you sign up and transfer to that person if you’re unable to make it.
- Pack Mule reservations are also done online. Do this as early as possible since they are limited. Each Pack Mule can carry up to 4 bags with a maximum of 32 pounds per bag and a maximum size of 36 inches long, 19inches wide, and 19 inches tall. All bags must be soft sided with nothing hanging on the outsides and ice chests or coolers are NOT permitted. A lot of people put their backpacks into duffel bags for more protection. Keep in mind that they only bring your bags to the village so you need to still carry your gear the final 2 miles to your campsite.
- Helicopters are not guaranteed. They are primarily used by the locals and a reservation is simply a waitlist for a potential open space. You should still be prepared to hike in and out.
- Havasupai is subject to flash floods, so check the weather forecast and always know where to find high ground (there will be signs). Monsoon season is late June through August.
- With that said, they do have the option to purchase travel insurance after making your reservation.
- Be sure to bring your permit info, paid receipts, and government ID. There are multiple checkpoints during the hike and at the campsite. Also, write down or take a photo of your license plate number as that is needed.
- When turning onto the road to Hualapai Hilltop, drive slowly and carefully, there was a lot of wildlife and cattle on the windy road.
- They have become much more strict about what you are and aren’t allowed to bring. Review the rules and be ready for checkpoints. Our friends who recently went said there was a checkpoint where they poured out any alcohol they found in the car.
- No alcohol, drugs, drones, or weapons are allowed.
- It gets really hot during the hike! To avoid the sun, we arrived at the parking lot and slept in the car so we could wake up and start the hike at 4AM. That helped us avoid much of the heat. We also hiked out during the night which was disorienting without moonlight. Luckily, there were only a couple of places where you could take a wrong turn. They don’t recommend hiking at night.
- There is a small restaurant in Supai and a food stand at the front of the campground.
- You just need to pack enough water to get to the campground, there is a fresh water you can refill with there.
- Frequent flooding causes waterfalls to disappear and reappear. What you see now may not exist in the future.
- REMINDER: Arrive early and get a campsite as soon as you can! It’s all first come first serve and can fill up quickly.
Check out our Havasupai Vid
- Destination
- Place
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Have you ever tried to get Havasupai Falls reservations? How was your experience? Any other tips you would add?
If you have any other questions, please leave them in the comments so everyone can benefit from them. Also, if you know the answers to any of the questions feel free to chime in. We love hearing from you!
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Esther + Jacob
Esther and Jacob are the founders of Local Adventurer, which is one of the top 5 travel blogs in the US. They believe that adventure can be found both near and far and hope to inspire others to explore locally. They explore a new city in depth every year and currently base themselves in Las Vegas.
What is the best time of year to do this adventure? I want to do with my 18 year old daughter before she heads to college next fall(2019)??? Thanks in advance
Hi Sue. I think Spring or early fall is probably the best time to do this hike. Summer will be brutally hot hiking into the canyon, and late fall and winter you’ll start getting shorter days and won’t have as much time to hike. The water is cold and if you want to go swimming, hotter days are ideal, but if I had to weigh my choices I’d rather take being cold while swimming than hiking that long in the heat.
Does anyone have any reservations for any days between October 23 to 27?
Please email me.
[email protected]
I SUPER appreciate
Looking for space for 2 people for any nights between 5/23/18-5/28/18!! Please email or call me at(253) 370-9914 or [email protected]!
Hi all,
Can someone help us pls, we planned our Trip to USA und we dont get Permits for 15.-16.9.2018. if someone have 4 permits we will be very Lucky
Marina
I have 2 permits for one night. Hike down on Sep 30th and camp and hike back up on Oct 1st if you are interested.
Hello,
Do you know of any blogs or forums where people sell any extra permits/spots they may have if they cannot fill their group?
Thanks!
Sorry, Jess. I’m not familiar with any. In past years, people who had extra spots commented on this post, but not sure if that’s still a thing or where they are going now. If you find out, we’d love to know too!
we have 2 available for march 7-8, 2018.
Hi Mandy,
I am interested in the 2 available permits for March 7-8,2018. Let me know what is the best phone number to reach. Thank you Ester for this post.
are they still available?
My wife and I are looking to make reservations. Do you still have two available spots?
Did your entire group need to arrive at the same time? Or could a group leader “check in” first?
You check in at the base of the canyon, which is really far into your hike. You only have a couple miles left at that point. Only one person needs to check everyone in. During your hike though, there will be checkpoints and I believe you need to be with the leader during those checkpoints.
I read that you can now make reservations online rather than having to call a billion times. Do you know where we can make online reservations?
https://www.havasupaireservations.com/ They just opened it today! They had it last year, but then they ended up taking the online reservations down.
Wish me luck I am trying to get a permit for June for 2 people I’m praying I can get one
Best of luck Cathleen! I hope you get them!
Hi,
I was hoping to book into the lodge 15-16 oct 2018 but there is no availability at this time. I am going to keep calling and praying for cancellations. If anyone has a room of four but space for 2 people in the room around these dates please let me know as I am desperate to tie havasupai into my U.S road trip.
Email me at [email protected]
I look forward to hearing from you!
Cara x
2 spots open NOV 7-9 in my group 9 guys 6 girls …. 817-938-6220 I am josh
Thanks for posting your open spots. :) Hope you guys have an incredible hike!
How the heck do you get through on the phone to make a reservation at the lodge? Never an answer or voicemail box to leave call back info. Frustrating but at the same time, we want to go soooooo badly I refuse to give up!
Thanks,
Gail
321 223-9575
[email protected]
Unfortunately the best thing to do is to keep calling. You may have to wait until next February when they open up again for next year. They may just be out of spots this year.
I was able to get reservations at the lodge for August 2018. Do I still need a permit to hike or is the permit for the campsite. I’m hoping I’m good to go with just having reservations.
We’ve never done the lodge, but I would guess you’re all set. Just to be safe, I would check with them.
When did you book for August 2018? It was my understanding that Feb 1st was when they start taking reservations for the year?
Thanks, Melinda
You should do it immediately. They book up quick, and each year it increases in popularity.
I was wondering how far away the lodges are.
The lodge is in Supai – just shy of 2 miles from Havasu Falls
Hi! I am not from the area, so I will be flying in and taking shuttles to the South Rim. Is there any way to get to the reservation without having a car from there?
Hi Laura,
Unfortunately I’m not sure that there is an easy way to get there. I would highly suggest renting a car if you plan on doing both.
Jacob
Do you have to camp out there? Can one sleep in the car instead but still get permits for hike? Or is it recommended you get a spot at campiste?
Not sure if I’m understanding your question. There’s a debate on whether you can still get day hike passes, but nothing has been confirmed 100% from them. They’re ridiculously hard to get in touch with. You probably could hike in and out the same day to get back to your car, but I wouldn’t recommend it. It’s a long hike, and I don’t think you’d have much time there to enjoy the falls.
Hello, I’m trying to surprise my husband by taking him on a trip. We are from Sacramento, California. We arnt used to long hikes unfortunately. (Also my first time planning a trip.) What would u recommend as for sightseeing or small hikes? Also if I wanted to join on in this specific location, how would I be able to reserve a helicopter in advance?
From what we understand and what we were told when we were there, the helicopters can’t be reserved. It’s first come first served, so sometimes you’re waiting several hours to catch a ride to and from. One of our friends waited around 6 hours to get back up and regretted not hiking back up instead. This is the only hike I know of on the reservation, so for smaller hikes nearby, I would visit the Grand Canyon.
How are you guys able to travel to a new city every year? What do you guys do for money if you don’t mind me asking? I need that life! :)
Hi Sabrina! Most of the money comes through partnerships with brands. We wrote a post a while back on how we travel for a living if you’re interested – http://localadventurer.com/how-to-travel-for-a-living.
Hi! I’ve noticed that all of the campsites for the entire year filled up within the first week of open registration. I’n sure that some adventure guided tour company came in and bought up all the sites. Do you know if they resell these sites? Or any other information would be helpful, thanks!
I think the majority of them actually get bought out by individuals.. from my understanding. We were able to reserve up to 20 people. They’re pretty hard to come by.
When is open registration for 2018?
When can I start calling and what’s best # to call?
Can I reserve a lodge room now? How many can a room hold?
How much per person for lodge?
Thanks
Connie