Ultimate 2025 Guide to Visiting Havasu Falls in Havasupai, Arizona

Hiking down to Havasu Falls in Havasupai makes for an incredible multi-day backpacking adventure that should be on every traveler’s bucket list. Located deep within the Grand Canyon, Havasupai is known for a series of its vibrant turquoise waterfalls spilling over bright orange cliffs – it’s a scene like no other and an experience we’ll never forget!

That being said, the 10-mile hike to Havasu Falls is a challenging journey. Havasupai is a remote area of the Grand Canyon, and accessing it requires careful planning as well as securing costly permits from the Havasupai Tribe. If you’re wondering what’s the permit process like and how to come prepared – we’ve got all the details you need!

Havasu Falls is located along the Havasu Creek in the Havasupai Indian Reservation, Arizona. While the creek is at the bottom of Havasu Canyon which is a greater extension of Grand Canyon, it is not a part of the Grand Canyon National Park.

That means that the land is entirely managed by the Havasupai Tribe which is why you must obtain a permit directly from them to access the area.

There are no roads to the waterfalls – the only way in is a 10 mile (16 km) hike in each direction and an overnight stay in the canyon as day hiking is not allowed. The trail starts at the Hualapai Hilltop, located at the end of the Indian Rd 18. The road is paved, so you can get to the trailhead with any vehicle.

If you were playing with an idea to hike to Havasu Falls in one day without the permit, forget it. First of all, day hiking is NOT ALLOWED and there are check points where you have to show your permits. Second of all, the round trip hike is long and it wouldn’t be worth it. There is so much more to see in the area once you make it down to the canyon. We thought the 3 nights were just the right amount of time to take it all in!

The hike to Havasu Falls is approximately 10 miles (16 km) one-way from the Hualapai Hilltop trailhead and takes around 5 to 6 hours depending on your pace.

The trail descends into the canyon and takes you through beautiful desert landscapes which then changes into a lush oasis as you reach the Havasu Creek. Along the way, you’ll pass through the Supai village (after about 8 miles) which is where the tribe members live. There is a small café and a grocery store, though the opening hours are not quite reliable, haha. We’d still recommend packing all the food you need for your entire stay.

Now you might be asking – is the hike hard?

Well, it’s certainly not easy. There is quite a bit of an elevation (2500 ft/762 m to be exact) you need to descend on the way in and climb back up on the way out. There are some steep sections with loose gravel on the ground. Plus, you’ll be hauling the heavy backpack with all camping gear and food.

Another thing to consider is that there are other waterfalls (Mooney, Beaver, Little Navajo and Fifty Foot Falls) in the area that you’ll want to explore during your 3 night stay. We hiked around 35 miles (55 km) total, but honestly, every single mile was so worth it.

To sum it up, we’d say that anyone in a decent physical shape should be able to do it, though we wouldn’t recommend it if you don’t have a prior backpacking experience.

So, are you still in? Great, because now comes the hardest part – obtaining the permits.

We wanted to address something that’s not mentioned in many other blog posts/resources and that are the concerning conditions of the pack animals that can be booked to carry your gear down to the canyon.

While we haven’t directly witnessed any cruelty towards the horses, seeing them tied together so tight and loaded with people’s non sense stuff (like coolers – do you really need a cooler for a backpacking trip?) on a 10 mile trail in a desert with no water source just didn’t seem right. Additionally, there have been multiple animal abuse reports in the past. No animal should suffer for anyone’s vacation, so please think twice before you decide to use these services. It will be so much more rewarding if you carry all the gear yourself.

Let us start by saying that getting the Havasupai permits is not easy. It is a lottery system that gets very competitive despite the hefty permit price tag. But since it’s the only way to visit Havasu Falls, your best bet is to research the process and prepare ahead of time to increase your chances to get them, so let’s get into that.

• There are two lodging options in Havasupai and therefore 2 ways to obtain the permits – campground or the lodge.
• All reservations are made online at HavasupaiReservations.com for the campground or HavasupaiLodge.com for the lodge.
• Campground reservations are $455 per person for 3 nights, available from February to November.
• Lodge reservations are $2,277 per lodge room – up to four people, 3 nights, available from April to November.
• All reservations are 3 nights/4 days. Making a shorter or longer reservation isn’t an option. Of course you don’t have to stay for 3 nights, but there won’t be any refunds.
• The Havasu Falls trail and campground are closed in December and January.
• All reservations must be made under one name (designated trip leader) regardless of the number of people you are booking the reservation for. The trip leader must be present at the check-in. Each reservation allows up to 12 people per reservation (12 permits total).
• There are approximately 350 campground permits and 24 rooms in the lodge available each day, but everything sells out very quickly.
• Reservations are non-refundable unless you transfer it to someone else through the official Cancellation / Transfer list (meaning someone else buys your reservation). There is a 10% fee you’ll loose.

The Havasupai permits are released each year on February 1st, 8 am Arizona Time for all upcoming dates in a year.

Unless you enter the presale (which we highly recommend, more about that below), this is when you’ll want to be ready in front of your laptop, hitting that refresh button the moment the clock shows 8 am and selecting your dates and group size as quickly as possible.

Getting the permits is competitive and the most popular dates sell out quickly, however it’s not impossible! The most important thing to do before February 1st is to set up your account (at HavasupaiReservations.com for the campground or HavasupaiLodge.com for the lodge) and enter the credit card information in advance. That way, you’re all set when permits go live.

In ideal scenario, you should be flexible with the dates as you never know what will still be available once you get to the reservation calendar.

The Tribe introduced the permit presale for the first time in 2024 and it is how we got our permits for the first time we tried to apply, so we highly recommend to try it! Travelers who register for the presale can select preferred dates and a get a chance to secure permits to Havasu Falls before they are released to the general public on February 1st.

As of now, the presale dates for 2025 aren’t published, but the 2024 presale registration period was opened from January 5 to January 18, so it’ll be probably similar. Unlike the general public release on February 1st, it doesn’t matter when you enter the presale during this period as all presale reservations are randomized once the presale ends. If you’re the lucky one, you’ll be notified via email towards the end of the month and your credit card on file will be automatically charged the full reservation amount.

The cost of entering the presale is a non-refundable fee of $15 per person and while it doesn’t guarantee a reservation spot, participants who purchase a presale registration significantly increase their chances of securing a reservation for their preferred dates.

If you weren’t able to secure the permits during the presale or general public sale, don’t give up! Life happens and people do cancel. You can monitor the list of Permit Cancellations / Transfers on the official Havasupai Reservation system.

The list of canceled permits is updated every morning at 8:00 am Arizona Time throughout the year, so keep coming back to see if you can find a cancellation for dates that work for you. We were eyeing these in 2023 and there were quite a few cancellations popping up almost every day!

These are most likely the most expensive permits in the US, so it’s not weird if you’re wondering whether it’s worth it or not.

After visiting in October 2024, we can now say that it is ABSOLUTELY WORTH IT (I mean look at that night sky)! Hiking down to Havasupai is a once in a lifetime adventure and you’ll forget about the money once you get to experience the beauty of this place.

Havasupai camping permits are available from February 1 to November 30, giving you 10 months to consider. While the water temperature of Havasu Creek remains at a pretty constant 70ºF (21ºC) all year long, air temperatures in the canyon can vary a lot throughout the year.

At the end of the day, with proper packing, Havasupai is great to explore year round and you might have to be flexible anyways as the permits sell out quickly. But if you do have the option to choose your dates, here are a few things to keep in mind.

Summer months in the desert (June to September) are very hot, with daytime temperatures often exceeding 100°F (38°C). While it is nice for hanging out in the water, you’ll be dealing with extreme heat while hiking. This is also a monsoon season which brings an increased risk of dangerous flash floods (especially in July and August) and can expect the bugs to be out. Try to start your in and out hikes at sunrise and carry plenty of water to prevent getting heat stroke.

Cooler months (February, March and November) tend to be less busy and it’s easier to get permits, however the temperatures are colder and it’s not comfortable for swimming for most people. You can expect 60-70°F (15-20°C) during the day and 35-45°F (1-7°C) during the night.

Shoulder season months (April, May and October) provide something in between and we think it’s the perfect balance! We visited in second half of October and it couldn’t get any better. The temperatures were comfortable for hiking and it was still warm enough to swim during the mid day. But, as you might expect, these dates are in high demand.

The campground is situated along Havasu Creek, stretching nearly a mile between the iconic Havasu Falls and Mooney Falls.

There are no assigned sites and the campground is first-come, first-served so the sooner you get there on your first day, the more space (and picnic tables) to choose from.

Composting toilets are located on each end of the campground, however there is only one drinking water source (called the Fern Spring) which is closer to Havasu Falls. This was the main reason we decided to stay at the beginning of the campground, otherwise the further sites closer to Mooney are a bit nicer!

IMPORTANT NOTE: Visitors are required to pack out everything they bring in, including your trash. Please make sure to follow Leave No Trace principles to minimize your impact during your visit.

There is a café and small grocery store in the village of Supai, however the options are limited and it’s also 2 miles (3.2 km) away from the campground. We stopped by on our way in and out, but still brought all the food we needed for entire trip as the opening hours aren’t very reliable anyways.

Additionally, there is a cash only Indian fry bread stand just above Havasu Falls, but once again – the opening hours are very random.

While there are no bears in Havasupai, there are other critters that will want to get into your food or trash if you don’t store it properly.

To store your food you’ll need to either bring a bear canister or a rat sack you can hang on the tree which is what we did too and had no issues. Most of the sites actually had a rope left behind.

Never leave your food inside of a tent or backpack while unattended as the critters will chew through your gear (yep, we saw videos of that when we were researching before our own trip).

Now that the Havasupai reservations come as 4 days/3 nights, you might be wondering what else there is to do besides visiting Havasu Falls. While you certainly don’t have to stay for all 3 nights, we highly recommend doing so to make the most of your time.

Day 0: This is the day for getting ready for your big hike and getting as close to the trailhead as possible. We personally stopped in Kingman, AZ to buy all the backpacking food, then stayed at the Grand Canyon Caverns Inn and got the backpacks packed and ready for the next day. This is the closest lodging option to the trailhead (around 65 miles away) + the Havasupai Tourism office where the trip leader has to to check-in the whole group is located inside of the Inn. You’re allowed to check-in for your permit reservation the day before your hike in, so ideally arrive within their office hours and you’ll be good to go as early as you want the next day.

Day 1: You’re going to Havasupai, woot woot! We recommend driving to the trailhead and starting the hike as early as you can to beat the heat and maximize your time in the canyon. The hike in took us around 5 hours with plenty of stops to take photos and a quick stop at the Supai village café. Once you reach the Havasu Creek, it just all starts to be so magical and your jaw will drop the first time you see Havasu Falls from above. Continue to the campground to find a spot and then head back down to Havasu Falls for a refreshing swim.

Day 2: This is a perfect day for exploring the longer trails in the area. We decided to hike to Mooney Falls and Beaver Falls right after breakfast, but some people continue even further to the Confluence – a place where Havasu Creek meets the Colorado river. Note that these trails involve some technical and exposed sections (fixed ladders and chains) and a lot of creek crossings, so it does take more time than what you’d normally count for this trail lenght. It’s essential to have an offline map that helps you to navigate the spots where you should cross the creek. We had water sandals that we changed into for the water crossing, but it would be nice to have grippy water shoes like these that we could hike in the whole time.

The climb down to the base of Mooney Falls might be scary for someone who is afraid of heights. It’s quite exposed and the mist from the falls makes everything wet and slippery. But if you’d ask us – it’s so worth it.

Day 3: We decided to take it easy on the third day to rest and recover before the long hike out the following day. In the morning, we visited the less known waterfalls near the campground –Fifty Foot Falls and Navajo Falls, then spent the rest of the day enjoying the sun and hanging out at Havasu Falls.

Day 4: Time to head back into civilization. We took off early in the morning, aiming to beat the heat and make it back to Las Vegas the same day. Although our pace was slower, we didn’t stop for photos as often as we did on the way in, so the hike out took us about 5 hours as well.

Everyone’s packing list will vary depending on the month of your visit and your personal needs, but here’s the list of everything (+ food you can see on the photo) we packed for the two of us for our Havasupai trip in October. We expected the temperatures to be around 80°F (25°C) during the day and around 40°F (5°C) during the night, but I think we got lucky with the weather being warmer than usual for late October. Make sure to check the forecast as your travel dates approach to adjust your packing accordingly.

IMPORTANT NOTE: There is no water source along the main trail from Hualapi Hilltop to the Supai village. Make sure to carry plenty of water (and even more during the hot months) for your hike in and out.

• MSR Hubba Hubba 3 Person Tent (we like to have a bit of extra room)
• 2x Marmot Trestles Elite Eco 20°F Sleeping Bag
• 2x Unigear Ultralight Inflatable Sleeping Pad
• Jetboil Flash + Full 15.5oz Propane Mix
• 2x Silicone Collapsible Bowl + 2x Camping Sporks
• 2x Camping Mug
• Nakie Hammock (yep, worth the extra weight!)
• 2x Headlamps
• Water Treatment Tablets
• First Aid Kit
• 2x Decathlon Hiking Pad
• 2x Camping Microfibre Towels
• Bear Canister or Ratsack (for protecting your food from critters)
• Trash Bag (you have to pack everything you brought out with you)
• Toilet Paper (the toilets were well stocked, but ya never know)

• Osprey Ariel 55l Women’s Backpacking Pack & Osprey Talon 44l Men’s Backpacking Pack
• 2x Trekking Poles
• 2x Water Reservoir 2l + Nalgene Bottle 1l
• Each of us also packed: Base layers for night, insulated jacket for evenings, rain jacket, shorts, long pants, few tops, swimsuit, baseball hat, socks, underwear, hiking boots and waterproof sandals (you could also pack grippy water shoes instead)

• Printed permits + IDs
• Cash (for purchasing frybread at a stall)
• Power Bank + Cable for Phone Charging
• Our Camera Gear (an essential for us, lol)
• Sunglasses
• Sunscreen
• Electrolytes
• Personal toiletries
• Bug spray (we actually didn’t use it in October, but you may need it during summer months)

Whether you’re just starting your reserach about Havasu Falls / Havasupai or you’ve already secured the permits (wohou, congrats!), we hope this article provided you with some useful information for your trip to this magical place. It truly is an experience of a lifetime!

Got more questions? Drop them in the comments below to see if we can help!

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