2023 Havasu Falls Camping & Permit Guide

Havasupai is one of the most special places I have ever visited. I’ve been twice now and both times I was MIND. BLOWN. Before my first visit, I’d seen photos of the milky turquoise blue waters of Havasu Falls and I knew it was going to be special, but I didn’t realize how incredibly magical this place is. It’s truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

If Havasu Falls is on your bucket list, there are some important things to know before you go. First, you MUST have a permit PRIOR to your visit. Permits are not given out on-site and there is no day hiking allowed. Permits are also very competitive and in most years, they sell out the day registration opens.

To help you get the best chance of securing your Havasupai Falls Permit, this blog post covers everything you need to know including dates, fees, and more. I also highlight some important Havasu Falls camping information so you can get the most out of your time there.

All of this information has been updated with the 2023 reservation process and fees.

Important Reminder: As it goes in all of the destinations we share, please practice good trail etiquette and remember to Leave No Trace. This means packing out all of your garbage (including toilet paper), being respectful to others on busy trails, and following the established rules.

---

Permit Process for Visiting Havasu Falls

The Havasupai Tribe closed access to the falls in March 2020 due to the pandemic and has not allowed access since. 2023 will be the first year since its closure that guests are allowed to visit the falls.

As I mentioned above, in order to visit Havasupai and Havasu Falls, you MUST obtain a permit before your trip. The permit process helps to preserve the natural beauty of Havasupai and provides the Havasu Tribe with an income.

The biggest obstacle to planning a backpacking trip to Havasu Falls, though, is actually getting a Havasupai permit. In most years, permits sell out for the entire year on the DAY that the reservation lines open. Reservations for the season open on February 1st at 8:00 AM Arizona Time.

How to get a Havasu permit

Permits for Havasupai are available on a first-come-first-serve basis, which is different than a lottery-based system where everyone has a fair chance of winning a spot.

Your best chance of getting a Havasu Falls reservation, then, is to be online and ready the minute registration is open, which is 8 AM Arizona Time on February 1st.

Be sure to make an online account at HavasupaiReservations.com anytime before February 1st. Then, on February 1st, log into your account before 8 am Arizona time and be ready to refresh your screen the minute the lines open.

Havasupai permits will likely sell out within a few hours.

Havasupai Permit FAQs

Tips for obtaining a permit

Getting a Havasu camping permit is very competitive, so to increase your chances, follow these tips:

• Create your online account before February 1st. You don’t want to waste precious time creating your account the day reservations open.
• Have flexible dates. Mid-summer is when everyone is on summer vacation, so it’s also going to be the most competitive time. If you can go mid-week in March or late November, then you’ll have a better chance of getting a permit.
• Remember that Arizona doesn’t do daylight savings time. Double-check what that means for your time zone. It would be a bummer to log in an hour late!
• Create your Potential Alternate Trip Leader (PATL) list in advance. A PATL is the ONLY person your permit will go to if you can’t make your trip. If you don’t designate a PATL, you risk forfeiting the trip for everyone in your group. You can choose up to 10 Potential Alternate Trip Leaders.

Pack mule reservations

If you would like your gear carried in by a pack mule, you can add your name to a waitlist after you’ve secured your campground reservation. You’ll be notified if the Tourism Board has approved your Pack Mule request.

What if you didn’t get a permit?

If you don’t score a permit before they sell out for the year, you may still be in luck. The online Havasupai Reservation System has a Cancellation/Transfers Page where you can purchase canceled trips. In 2023, the only way to get a permit for Havasu is through the cancellation/transfer list.

If there are dates that work for you, but the permit includes more spots than you need, you can sell those extra spots on the official transfer system after you purchase the canceled trip.

This list is updated daily at 8am Arizona Time.

---

How to Prepare For Your Havasu Falls Camping Trip

If you’re lucky enough to nab a permit, you’ll need to do some planning since the Havasupai Indian Reservation and Havasu Falls are quite remote and you need to carry in and out all of your supplies.

Here are a few tips to help you plan your Havasu Falls camping trip:

1. Have everyone in your group make an online account

While only one name is on the camping reservation, all members of the group must make an account at havasupaireservations.com and confirm that they have read and understood the Havasupai Rules and Laws.

A summary of these Rules and Laws includes:

• NO cliff jumping
• NO rock climbing
• NO littering
• NO amplified music
• NO feeding animals
• NO fishing
• NO kayaks, standup paddleboards, pool floats, or other watercraft
• NO alcohol/drugs/smoking (including marijuana)
• NO fires (aside from gas cooking canisters)
• NO drones
• NO nudity or inappropriate clothing
• NO photos allowed in the village or of Havasupai tribes members

You can read the complete list of rules here. There are fines ranging from $200 to $5000 if you get caught doing any of these things or even jail time. Please be a kind visitor and don’t break these rules, ruining it for everyone.

2. Plan your itinerary

Each Havasu Falls camping reservation is for 4 days and 3 nights. It’s best to plan on being at or near the trailhead before your permitted day so you can get an early start on the 10-mile hike to the Havasupai campground.

Here is a suggested itinerary:

Day 0: Arrive in the area

You want to arrive near the Hilltop Trailhead parking area the day before you start your hike to Havasupai Campground. There is no tent camping allowed at the parking area, but visitors have reported sleeping in their vehicles. Water is not available in the parking area, but there are bathrooms.

Other options for accommodations include:

• Closest Cities with Hotels
  • Peach Springs (68 miles/1 hour 20 minutes from trailhead)
  • Seligman (90 miles/1 hour 40 minutes from trailhead)
  • Kingman (118 miles/2 hours from trailhead)
• Closest Campgrounds
  • Grand Canyon Caverns RV Park and Inn in Peach Springs
  • KOA in Seligman
  • Kingman has a number of camping options

Day 1: Hike to Havasupai Campground

On the day of your reservation, make your way to the Hilltop Trailhead parking area with a full tank of gas. The closest gas station is 70 miles away. After parking in the visitor’s area, display your Campground Reservation Confirmation Code visibly on your dashboard.

At the trailhead, you can organize your gear and get ready for your 10-mile hike.

It is 8 miles to the village of Supai where you’ll check in at the Tourist Office. You’ll receive a wristband that you must wear throughout the duration of your visit as well as a tag for each of your tents, which will be checked daily by a ranger who patrols the campground.

After you’ve checked in, you can continue on the last two miles to the campground.

The next section has more detailed information on what to expect on the trail to Havasupai Campground.

Days 2 & 3: Explore!

Havasupai has five waterfalls you can visit. The two lower falls include Havasu Falls (the most famous one), Mooney, and Beaver. The upper falls include Fiftyfoot and Little Navajo Falls.

Spend your days exploring these falls (remember, no climbing or jumping) and relaxing in this beautiful spot.

Day 4: Hike back out to the Havasu Falls Trailhead

On your final day, pack up camp and start your 10-mile hike back to the trailhead. If you are visiting in the summer, you’ll want to get a very early start (like 4am) or wait until the late afternoon to beat the heat.

Organize your camping gear and supplies

For your 4-day 3 night trip to Havasupai, you need to pack in AND OUT all of your gear and supplies. This includes food, supplies, trash, and camping gear. Water is available at the campground.

There is a small store in the village of Supai where you can get basic snacks and drinks, but don’t rely on supplies here.

---

Havasupai Hiking Trail Guide

The total distance to the Havasu Falls campground is approximately 10 miles one way and the trail begins at the Hualapai Hilltop parking lot at an elevation of 5,200 feet.

Immediately, the trail begins a 1,000-foot descent over the first mile, dropping you into Havasu Canyon. Once you reach the wash, the trail follows a dry river bed for the next 6.5 miles, gradually dropping another 1,000 or so feet until you reach the village of Supai at mile 8.

Note: there is no water available at the trailhead or on the trail, so make sure you pack enough to make it to the campground.

The hike on the way in is long but not too difficult and the initial descent is on a well-maintained series of switchbacks. Once you are in the dry river bed, the hiking can be a bit slow due to the sandy gravel, but the trail is very easy to follow.

If at any point you think you’ve lost the trail, just keep following the river bed until you meet back up with the path.

When you reach the Supai Village, your first stop will be the Havasu Falls Campground office. Stop here to check in and get your wristbands.

Once you pass through the Supai village, it’s another 2 miles and a couple of hundred feet down to the Havasupai campground.

I recommend hiking down to Mooney Falls at a minimum during your visit to Havasupai, but if you have time for a full-day hike to Beaver Falls, it’s well worth your time.

The hike down to Mooney Falls is challenging, very steep, and requires the use of chains for support and ladders. Take your time, and don’t feel rushed by other people. You’ll be proud of yourself when you get to the bottom, and in my opinion, going down is scarier than going back up.

Once you’re down there, the trail continues to Beaver Falls. It is stunning with way fewer people than you’ll find around Havasu Falls. Pay attention to the trail since it crosses the river a number of times. With a leisurely pace, the hike to Beaver Falls takes about 5 hours round trip.

It has a few steep sections but is fairly flat for the majority of the hike. You can’t miss Beaver Falls when you arrive. There is a sign and sometimes a ranger is present.

Tip: Beaver Falls is an amazing place to take a dip, so if you want some sun for your swimming excursion, get there earlier in the day before the sun goes behind the canyon wall.

The hike back out to your car is a bit more challenging than the hike into the campground. By the time you reach the climb at the end, it’s likely that you’ll be a bit tired. Make sure you have plenty of water and snacks for the return.

Also, there is very little shade on the trail, so depending on the time of year, the hike out can be deathly hot. That extreme dry heat can suck the life right out of you, and even in March when the temps were in the mid-80s, it was quite hot hiking out.

If you are doing this hike in summer, plan to start the trek out in the very early morning, like 4am early, or stay and swim and hike out in the early evening. Just make sure you have enough batteries for your headlamp in case you get caught in the dark.

If you do decide to stay and enjoy the falls and hike out later in the day, it’s definitely worth a stop at Navajo and Fifty Foot Falls. Both are lovely, and there are also some private areas you can swim in along Havasu Creek.

For more information on all of the different waterfalls in Havasu Canyon, head over to this blog post.

Havasupai Lodge: If you’re not a camper, there is a lodge in the village of Supai. You still need a Havasu permit to stay at the lodge. To make a Havasupai Lodge Reservation, use the online HavasupaiReservation.com system.

---

Havasu Camping Guide

Campsites

The camping area at Havasupai is about a mile long and sits between Havasu Falls and Mooney Falls. Campsites are first-come-first-serve and are scattered throughout. If you are concerned about getting a prime campsite, get an early start from the trailhead.

A majority of the sites are right on the river that runs through the campground, and most of the sites have picnic tables. It’s also important to note that there are campsites on both sides of the river with several footbridges that make for an easy crossing.

Both times I visited Havasu Falls, the crowds seemed thinner the further down the campsite area we walked. The only disadvantage of being nearer to Mooney Falls toward the end of the campground is that the water spigot where you fill up your water bottles is located near the start of the campground.

The campground is also hammock heaven with tons of trees to swing from. I slept in my ENO DoubleNest Hammock for the first time ever on this trip and it was perfect. If there’s a chance of rain, don’t forget to bring a tarp if you plan on sleeping in a hammock.

Toilets

There are four composting toilet facilities evenly spaced throughout the campground and they were surprisingly clean with plenty of toilet paper. There are NO showers. Please use the toilets provided to ensure the area stays pristine for others’ use.

Campfires

Campfires are not allowed in the Havasu Falls camping area or anywhere in Havasupai.

Water

There is potable water available in the Havasupai campground. You will need to bring vessels to transport your water back to your campsite. If you don’t want to constantly walk back and forth to the spigot, we recommend bringing a collapsible water container.

Wildlife

Watch out for marmots. They are sneaky and will get into your food if it’s left out where they can get to it. When you leave your camp to go for a swim or a hike, make sure to hang it or store it safely. Bringing a bear canister is easier than hanging your food in a tree.

Havasupai Camping Rules

When you are camping in Havasupai it’s important that you:

• Practice Leave No Trace in order to keep the campground and the falls clean for everyone to enjoy.
• Be respectful of other campers and watch your noise at night. It travels fast in the canyon and is an easy way to get on your neighbor’s bad side. Quiet hours are from 8pm to 5am.
• Use the restrooms rather than going outside your tent.
• Pack out all of your trash and don’t leave your trash in the bathrooms for the campground staff to pick up. All trash left behind must be sent out via helicopter, so it’s much easier if everyone does their part to carry everything out that they brought with them.

For a full list of what to bring, head over to our Havasu Falls Packing List blog post.

---

The Best Time to visit Havasu Falls

The best time to visit Havasu Falls depends on what you want to do there. Do you want to swim? Or do you want to avoid the crowds? Here are the pros and cons of visiting Havasu Falls for the different seasons:

Spring or Late Fall

• Pros: Fewer bugs and fewer people
• Cons: Variable weather could mean less than ideal swimming temps. One year I went in March and had swimming weather (80 degrees) during the day and very cold nights (40 degrees). On my most recent trip in May, it rained and was not suitable for swimming until the last day. The plus side of this is that the hike out (which can be unbearably hot) was very tolerable.

Summer or Early Fall

• Pros: Hot weather means you can sit and hang out in the water all day
• Cons: Hot temps mean hiking could be miserable and potentially even dangerous. In the heat of summer, when Havasu Falls is the busiest, people get up at 4am to begin the hike out. Summer is also monsoon season with flash floods being most likely from mid-June to late September.

A note about monsoon season: Monsoon season in Arizona typically runs from mid-June through September. Havasu Canyon has historically seen flooding, including dangerous flash floods. Be prepared by checking the weather forecast, complying with rules and regulations, and checking in at the tourist office before you head to the campground.

I hope this guide helps you plan an unforgettable trip to Havasupai! It’s one of my favorite places I’ve ever visited for its beauty and magnificence. lt’s truly a special place.

What questions do you have about planning a backpacking trip to Havasupai? Did you get a Havasu Falls permit this year? Leave a comment below!