2020 Havasu Falls UPDATE: Tourism is currently suspended in Havasupai. All reservations between March 15- September 8 2020 are eligible to reschedule for 2021. This means everyone else will have even less of a chance to go in 2021 as there will be less reservations available. You MUST get a reservation to camp in Havasupai, and they fill up instantaneously. They start February 1st and you MUST make an account here!
HAVASU FALLS DAY TRIP UPDATE!!! As of recently, I have been informed that you can NO LONGER DO DAY TRIPS to Havasu Falls without a reservation and permit! Reservations are extremely hard to get so call Havasupai Tourism Office at (928) 448-2121 really far in advance to make one! Sorry guys! You can still use this post for info on the waterfall portion of the hike 🙂
LATEST HAVASU FALLS DAY TRIP UPDATE: Previously I heard that someone got in contact with the Havasupai Tourism Office (I still, to this day, have NOT heard back from them) and they said no more day hike passes. BUT, in the comments below, and in emails, I’ve had a couple people say they did the hike or helicopter in, and still were able to get passes at the office. I’m not 100% sure that they WON’T turn you away, but I’m just going to leave it at they will “definitely maybe” let you buy one…bring cash!
Location: Supai, Arizona
Time: FULL DAY
Cost: $48 – $210+
Difficulty: Hard as F*ck
Any thoughts or images you have in your head about a nice easy hike to a pretty waterfall should be extracted and squashed immediately if you’re thinking of going to Havasu Falls. There is a very good reason why not that many people have been there.
For starters, day hikes to Havasu Falls are extremely discouraged (UPDATE NOW THEY’RE NOT EVEN ALLOWED), not to mention difficult, and potentially expensive, however it’s pretty much your only option if you really want to see the falls. It’s also potentially dangerous…for instance I almost got trapped there due to a flash flood.
CONTENT: Most Popular Travel Insurance Plans
The option to camp there or stay at the lodge on the Indian reservation is pretty much nonexistent, unless you book it a year or more in advance.
Why is it so difficult to get to, you ask? Well, because Havasu Falls is located in Havasupai, an Indian reservation that happens to be in the middle of a freaking canyon that you can only get to by horse, helicopter, or an 8 mile hike. Oh, and that’s 8 miles each way, which takes about 4 hours, plus another 2 miles each way to get to the actual falls.
So unless you want to attempt a 20 mile hike, consider these other options, and make sure you’re prepared before you go hike to Havasu Falls.
Jump To:
1. All of the Confusing Names You Need to Know
I still don’t know whether I’m supposed to call it Havasu or Havasupai, or Supai, or whatever other Indian name they have for that area, but I know it’s pretty much impossible to GPS this place so you’ll actually need to follow these directions. So here’s a quick reference for the rest of the article so you actually know what the hell I’m talking about:
Havasu Falls: The main, most popular waterfall IN
Havasupai: The Indian reservation….just think of it as the little village you need to get inside
Supai: The actual city/town and what you’ll see on the map/what you should aim for when you’re driving there
Hualapai Hilltop: Just the name of the top of the hill where the trailhead is…
Trailhead: Where the trail begins to hike/ride/fly to Havasupai in order to hike to Havasu Falls
2. What You Need to Know Before You Go
– If you want to camp, you HAVE to call in advance and reserve a spot (Havasupai Tourism Office at (928) 448-2121). They’re booked almost year-round though so you might be shit out of luck anyway.
– You have to pay an Indian reservation fee or something that’s $8 and a day-hike pass for $40 (UPDATE: NO MORE DAY PASSES, OVERNIGHT ONLY), PLUS additional fees if you take the helicopter or horses, so bring cash and credit card.
– When I say “FULL DAY” I’m serious…it’s a minimum 3 hour drive from the closest towns, then an additional 6 – 12 hours of hiking.
– Bring a lot of water and snacks, obviously.
– Stop in Seligman or Peach Springs for gas, bathrooms, food, water, etc. before you head up to the trailhead because there’s NOTHING until you get to the actual reservation.
– Check the weather, if it’s supposed to rain, DON’T GO! I almost got stuck there because of a flash flood!
– There are 5 waterfalls total, so don’t just spend all of your time at Havasu Falls!
– Havasu Falls has absolutely nothing to do with Lake Havasu nor is it located there.
3. How to Get to the Havasupai/Hualapai Trailhead
You’ll need to drive to get to the Havasupai trailhead, and don’t be surprised that there’s no short cut from the Grand Canyon…even though it’s fairly close to it in physical proximity.
FROM THE GRAND CANYON: 4 hours, lame, I know. Anyway, drive South on I180 towards the town called Williams. Take a right (west) on I40 and drive about 1.5 hours until you get to the Historic Route 66 turnoff in Seligman. Once you start getting closer to Peach Springs, start looking for Indian 18, it’ll be a little road right before it which you’ll turn right (north) on. Keep driving for an hour or so until you see the parking lot, then park depending on where/how you plan on getting to Havasupai.
FROM VEGAS/ANYWHERE WEST: Head Southeast on I95 then keep left for I93 South towards Kingman (you can probably GPS this part). Immediately after Kingman, turn left for Historic Route 66, and follow it towards Peach Springs. Right after Peach Springs, look for Indian 18 on the left (north) and follow it until you get to the parking lot.
4. Where to Park
Parking is free but there’s three lots depending on who you are and how you want to get there. The first lot you drive through is where you park if you want to take the helicopter or if there’s no more parking left in the main lot. There’s a lot below it to the left, closer to the edge of the cliff, but that is reserved for the Indians only.
The furthest lot is where you check in for the horse/mule rides, and also where you start the hike by foot, so park there if that’s how you’re getting there.
5. Hiking There By Foot
After you park, get your gear together and get ready for 4 hours of walking! The trailhead starts at the top of the parking lot and gradually descends down into the canyon, where you’ll continue walking for the majority of the time.
Make sure you time your day correctly; get there early AF to avoid heat and actually have enough time to see the falls, and if you’re planning on hiking back, allow enough time to leave before the sun starts to set. You do not want to be hiking for 8 miles in the dark.
6. Riding a Horse or Mule
This might sound funny, but for people who don’t want to walk for 8 miles or have a fear of heights, it’s a pretty good option. You can pay $70 for one way or $120 round trip to get from the trailhead to the reservation, and you HAVE to call and make reservations in advance (Lodge Office: 1-928-448-2111 or 1-928-448-2201).
If you want to save money but also save time, you can hike to the reservation one way and take the horse/mule the other. (I.e. hike in and then ride a horse out).
7. Flying in By Helicopter
This might sound fancy and expensive, but it’s only $15 more than the one way horse ticket. One way from the hilltop to the reservation is $85 and it only takes about 10 minutes to get there, plus you get a sick ass view of the canyon.
BUT they don’t take reservations, which means it’s a first come first serve deal EXCEPT priority goes to the Indians (many of them live or work there and this is their way of commuting) and any goods that need to be flown into the town. They start taking reservations at 10am, so try to get there at 9:30am.
ALSO, the helicopter goes back and forth non-stop, so there’s a flight every 20 minutes or so, BUT it stops around 1pm!!! That means you CAN’T plan on hiking IN and flying OUT because there’s no way you’ll have enough time unless you start at the crack of dawn!
ONE WAY RIDE: If you want to save some money and only pay for a one way flight, I’d highly suggest flying in as early as possible, that way you have some time to hike to all of the falls, eat, take selfies, etc., then hiking out. But make sure if you plan on hiking out that you leave by about 2-3pm or else it’ll get dark on you!
ROUNDTRIP RIDE: This is obviously the easiest way to get in and out of Havasupai without having to walk for four hours or ride an animal for 3. It’s about $170 and the only thing you have to worry about is getting a spot in line, and making it back in time for the last flight.
A few more things…check the weather, because they only fly when it’s good, if you use a card to pay for the flight, it’s an additional $16 and they DO NOT take cards AT the actual reservation.
OH and check the flight schedule because during Summer (March 15 – October 15) they fly Sunday, Monday, Thursday, and Friday, and during Winter (October 16 – March 14) they only fly on Saturday and Sunday.
8. UPDATED: Getting a Day Hike Pass
**UPDATE: NO MORE DAY PASSES (WOMP) YOU MUST CALL AND GET A RESERVATION FOR OVER NIGHT STAYS
Unfortunately, you can’t just sneakily start hiking to Havasu Falls once you make it to the reservation/lodge. They require campers and hikers to wear neon colored tags that says they’ve paid for the pass to be there, and if you don’t have one, you get fined.
Once you’re in the main area of the village, walk to your right past a massive tree where you’ll see a little building with a bulletin board out front. Buy your day hike pass there. It’s $40 plus the Indian reservation fee of $8, plus tax.
9. Hiking to the Waterfalls from the Reservation Area
Once you have your day pass, you can stop in the little town to use the restroom, grab a bite to eat, or get more water. They have a little convenience store plus a little cafe, but it closes early so don’t plan on going to it after the waterfall hike.
The person you get your day pass from will give you a map and point you in the right direction, but basically you’ll walk back through town, pass the little shops, and keep to your left, until you see a cute little, slightly creepy church, then a sign for Havasu Falls pointing to the right.
Take the trail, and keep right the entire way. Sometimes there will be forks, and some of those forks lead down to the creek and some little falls, but if you don’t want to get lost, just stay right.
10. All of the Waterfalls You Can See
Like I said before, there are 5 waterfalls in Havasupai, not just Havasu Falls. Your map will show you where they are, but you’ll pass them as you go regardless, and they’ll be in this order:
New Navajo Falls
(0.5 mi)
Lower Navajo Falls
(0.6 mi)
Havasu Falls
(1.0 mi)
Mooney Falls
(1.5 mi)
Beaver Falls
(4.5 mi *you can only hike here if you stay more than one day)
ON A POSITIVE UPDATE NOTE…
Two of my readers actually followed my exact Havasu Falls Day Trip post and made it to Havasu Falls in a day AND when there was way better weather! They sent me the photos on Instagram, so thanks @brittanydagostino!!!
If anyone else goes and used my post to help ya, please let me know, I’d be happy to add your photo!
OMG I am so happy I found this!!! I follow your Insta and am on here constantly before I book trips for your recommendations. My friends and I are planning a weekend trip next spring here, and I love how you have all of the places you can go to written out! Will definitely be saving this for when we go!! Thanks gorgeous!!
Hope you have an epic time!! If you don’t mind, let me know how it goes and if the permit info is still accurate so I can help others planning a trip! 🙂
Your blog was very helpful. Thank you so much!
Not sure yet whether you will be a positive influence on my life or not, but you just convinced me to quit my job. I’ve been on the fence about it a while now, and just left a hike(which I had to sneak out of work early to complete before sun down) where I was contemplating a way to get paid doing ANYTHING outdoors since I work in an office. Ironically, my job is how I found out about Havasu Falls. I staff the IHS outpatient center in the Havasupai Region and have to explain to my docs, the gist of what this article does. Either way, I appreciate the deets and wanna say you’re f***in awesome for doing what you love. You are definitely an interesting individual. I’ll send you the pics of the hike when I go next month!
Wow, thank you Drew! And I truly hope if anything that I inspire you to pursue doing something that you love rather than being trapped ddoing something that you dread…all the best to you and your awesome travels!
Hi Alyssa, did you wish you had went with someone? I am contemplating going solo but feel like maybe this is one I should share with others. Will be traveling from NYC and my friends are too busy with work to go. Can you give a suggestion on how to find other like minded hikers that may be interested in joining? I saw people rec meetup but i was hoping you had a free source. Let me know, thanks!
Alyssa,
Quick question for you. Are you able to pitch a tent at the trailhead the night before the hike in? Or do you know if anyone has?
No, you need a permit at an approved campground to pitch tents anywhere in that region unfortunately, but there’s a small town at the start of the main road that may have some!
You can totally camp at the trail head the night before, we have a few times.
Thanks for the tip!
So happy to have found your blog. This was helpful AF 🙂 All the other sites are so confusing. The only thing I’m still not certain of is if I take the helicopter in, how far from where I’m dropped off are the waterfalls? Is it just the distance in your pictures? .5 for Navajo falls, etc?
Hi! So basically my boyfriend and I plan on hiking out (starting at the trailhead at 5am, reaching the falls by 10:30am). We would stay at the falls till 12:00, when we would head back for the helicopter ride to the trail head. Does this seem doable? We are driving in from Canada and only have time for a day trip. We are both super fit and have hiked across the Rockies, so worst case scenario of hiking back the 10km to the trailhead is actually possible for us. Thanks!
Alyssa!
Thanks for the wonderful post. I’m dying to do this hike. It’s now May 2017. Are they still now allowing day hikes? I suppose if I tried to do one anyways, I might get caught right?
From my understanding, it is technically “not allowed” but people have commented saying that they showed up and were still able to get one…so I can’t fully say yes or no, but until I”m given a solid answer, I’d say it’s worth trying if you’re able to!
Hi Alyssa,
Thanks for such a nice article. I have a small question if you can suggest what would be best way for this.
Essentially we are group of 9 people and we have only 8 permits. And we are going on May long weekend which is right next week. So it worth risk taking if the 9th person also goes there with us and hopefully we can get a one permit there though may be at expense of higher cost (~ 2X is what i read somewhere )
Thanks in Advance 🙂
Hi! So I think maybe you don’t have any other choice 🙂 It’s worth trying it…I think it would be hard for them to deny one extra person, and worth paying extra as opposed to them not going at all!
Hi Alyssa and others. I have learned a lot on this website but have a bunch of questions it would be a whole lot easier to ask on phone. Planning trip for June. If someone who has been to the falls recently would not mind emailing me a # I could call, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks. Steve alrightny@yahoo.com
Hi Alyssa,
my friend and I also want to go to the Havasu Falls in June. People were talking about going in and out with the Helicopter. Since this might be the only way to do this trip in one day (we don´t have any more time), I still would wanna know, if we might get turned away, because we would go in and out in one day. Did anyone try that recently? Hope to hear back soon. Good and save travels to everybody 🙂
That seems to be the ongoing question unfortunately…if it’s worth risking getting turned away if you make the trek in. In my personal opinion I think that if they let you pay the money to get in, they should also let you in to the park area…I haven’t heard of anyone getting turned away recently but…you know lol
This has really inspired me to proceed with this hike! I don’t care about cost….I’m Native American myself, and at 42, still going hiking every opportunity I get. I’ve always wanted to do this, and by reading other blogs and following their advice as well (they recommended Dec/Jan/Feb due to to less tourism) I’m going for it! (The ultimate goal, is Mt Whitney) These were great photos, and later in the year when I go, I’ll post some as well!
Woop woop! You’re so awesome!!!! Hope you have an amazing time!
I’m trying to plan a trip to Havasu Falls this June (2017). I couldn’t get ahold of anyone on the phone today… Are there really no day-passes anymore??? That sucks, I like having the flexibility to show up and ask for a permit once I get there. You did write that you’ve heard of a couple people doing the hike or helicoptering in… did they show up the day of and do that??
If not, what do you think the best, cheapest way, to do this trip?? And how long do you really recommend staying there?
But it looks like the best option is to get there early for the helicopter. Fly in and then hike out in a day. I’ve looked it up and it looks like camping there overnight is as expensive?
Your thoughts on this would be much appreciated thank you!!!!!!
I travel a lot, and sometimes wish I started blogging 🙂
Wondering do you know if you pay for the helicopter in do you still have to pay for the day pass. Looking to going may. Thanks
Yes, you pay each way for the helicopter, plus the day pass, plus the Indian reservation tax fee.
Hi, so some friends and I are trying to plan a trip for early June and I called to ask about passes and camping, finally I was able to get thru but had a hard time understanding her. I was hoping you would be able to help?! We don’t want to do a day hike (we’d like to hike and then stay and look around) so when we hike up to the falls, are we able to camp at the top somewhere, and for how long? When I called and tried to ask about camping she just kept saying the campground at the bottom (which she said is $93/person/night. I’m trying to plan a trip for us and I’m kind of confused on all the permits and camping.
Hi Katie! If you actually got through and they said you can camp for $93…RESERVE THAT SHIT ASAP!!!!! It’s beyond hard to even get a reservation there!!! So what I think you are confused about is that in order to get to the waterfalls, you have to hike DOWN into a canyon, which takes like 8 hours or a helicopter in and out. The only place to camp near the falls is “at the bottom”, otherwise you have to do the day hike, get back out to the top, and go camp somewhere else back in town. Camping isn’t permitted near the trailhead, you’d have to drive an hour back to the closest town. Hope that helps!!
Did you use hiking shoes for this trip, or regular tennis shoes?
Hi Amber! I just used my regular tennis shoes, but they have pretty good grips on the bottom! You don’t do much climbing, but there is loose dirt and rocks, so make sure your tennis shoes don’t slip! 🙂
This has been my bible for planning my Havasu Falls trip so thank your for the incredibly descriptive post! In your opinion, would it be best staying for 2 nights? The night before the hike in order to get up early and shoot for a helicopter spot to get in, and another night after a long day of hiking? Also, where do you need to go in the morning to get the helicopter reservation?
Thanks in advance for all your help, you’re one heck of a trailblazer!
YES! Definitely stay nearby two nights if you can! For the helicopter, you’ll need to park in the first parking area that you see when you drive in, then walk down the narrow street that inclines downward (there’s another parking area at the bottom, but that’s only for the locals). Look for a shed and an empty area…or a giant helicopter 😀
Very helpful thank you!!
The giant helicopter should be a dead giveaway 😉
When is the best time(season) of the year to travel there? Will early march be okay? -Jan 2017
It might still be a little cold, but at least it won’t be high season yet! Summer gets insanely crowded!
Thanks for all the helpful tips, this is THE most informative post I’ve found regarding these gorgeous waterfalls. I’m a travel nurse & my fiance & I are in AZ until mid March. We can’t wait to explore ?
Thank you Brittany! Glad it could help, as I could not find any useful information when I was going myself, LOL! Have an amazing time, and do let me know if you find anything has changed once you get there! 😀
Ah! Thank you for this super helpful post! I am flying to Arizona next weekend and was planning on doing this hike. I had no idea that it was this involved though so thanks for the heads up! I definitely want to come back later and hike it since i’ll only be staying a couple days this time. I thought I read somewhere that you went in September as well? Was it extremely hot? I am also from the east coast and i have not had a ton of experience with dry heat.
Does anyone have a reservation for 2 people that they would be willing to sell? I am trying to go this year. I have gone for my birthday every year for the past 3 years and now I can’t get a reservation! Please let me know if you have a reservation to sell or know a website that sells them! Thank you!
Great idea/question! It’s super frustrating that this place isn’t more organized with the reservation system or even with the giving of information for that matter! …but then again it is an Indian reservation where people so I can’t get too angry lol
Hi Allysa
We are from Indonesia andnplan to go there on November
We tried email , no reply.. we called and they said whole year fully booked
And i read your article for day trip.. its interesting..
But from other comment its not sure still can or not ..anywone has suggest?
Anyway.. is that possible people cancel on reservation booking on lodge or camp grpund ? Maybe anyone has experience about this
We plan this trip.. hut we just now its should be resrevation a year before ..
Hi Junny! This has been a back and forth debate for a while now since it’s nearly impossible to get in contact with the reservation to ask about day passes…When I went, and from what a few other people have recently done as well, was hike in (or take the helicopter) then pay for a pass to continue hiking to the waterfalls. Some people are saying they aren’t allowing that anymore, but others are still saying they were able to.
If you are with a large group though, they may not allow a day pass for everyone (I went by myself). Since it’s such a popular place, it’s probably unlikely reservations will get cancelled, but I would suggest trying to keep calling the office as soon as you arrive in the U.S. to see if any spots have opened! Hope that helps!
When you call to make a reservation do you pay over the phone at that time or do you pay when you get there? I ask because what if the weather is bad and you cancel. Your trip looks fantastic I cross my fingers the weather holds up…I want to go out early September…hopefully its not already booked up at the campground.
When I went all of the reservations were booked, so I had to do the “walk-up” method, but that was for a day hike only. If you show up wanted to stay over night, I think they either turn you away if they’re at capacity, or make you pay double. Definitely call either way to try and make a reservation but I don’t think they accept payment over the phone, because they only took cash at the office for the day pass!
Hi Alyssa
You sure do have a lot of helpful info. I read the last post and still am a little unsure if I should take a chance and try to day hike or not. Any new info that you think would be helpful. Like everyone else, the phone keeps ringing and no e-mail reply. I am planning on going second week in Aug. which I know is really really hot, but no other choice. I can’t imagine they would make me turn right around and leave????
Anything would help. Thanks, Laura
Hey Laura! From what I’ve heard, people have still been able to do a day hike upon arrival at the lodge…In my opinion, I can’t really see them turning someone away who just hiked 8 miles, but I don’t want to say go for it and then they do lol. But, I did get a couple confirms recently that it was possible so…….. 😉
Hi everyone, it’s Peter from Hungary, Budapest!
We would like to do a day trip at Havasu falls, but as I read things are changing and getting more unattainable.
Is there any new update, about the current situation? Is the permit still needed? Because we cannot reach them neither per email or phone, to ask them how could we manage it? Which costs should we plan with?
It is the dream of my partner, but currently I can’t make a step further.
If someone has a good advice for me, please do not hesitate to contact me, peter.kovacs@mail.com.
Many thanks in advance!
Hi Peter!
There’s a lot of mixed opinions and information about this topic…the latest I heard was that someone went a few weeks ago and was able to do the day hike and get a permit with no problem, but other people have told me that they’ve called the office to ask about the day pass, and they told them they were no longer offering them.
I’ve tried emailing and calling them myself to get the correct information, but haven’t been able to get through. It seems like they are trying to discourage the day hikes because they do take a long time, and can be dangerous if you can’t hike out in time because of the darkness, but it also seems like if you make it all the way onto the reserve, they’ll involuntarily issue one rather than just telling you to go back.
I’d hate for you to travel all the way there and get turned away though, so I’m not sure what to advise! I will say that there are several other amazing sites to see nearby just in case you can’t get to the falls, I have a post on here as well with the roadtrip I did from Havasu to the Grand Canyon then up to Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, and Lake Powell!
Hope that helps a little and safe travels!
Alyssa
UGH Your post is so damn helpful. I have been digging through the internet for hours trying to find a cut and dry explanation of how to get to the falls and the length the hike take and you definitely NAILED IT.
From one last-minute packer/budget traveller/rain or shine adventurer to another- THANK YOU!
Has anyone attempted to show up at supai without a reservation? If so were you charged extra or turned away?
Hi Kellie! Not sure if anyone has attempted it since they stopped allowing Day Hike passes, but I do know it’s a loooonngggg hike and fairly expensive helicopter ride to do just to get turned away. 🙁
NO DAY HIKES !
“All visitors must have reservations. We are not allowing day hiking or night hiking” says on an office building at the Hilltop Parking Lot.
Just been here: March 2016
Please update your article – I have a picture of the sign, can email it to you.
Ahhh!!! Oh noooooo!!! That sucks! Thanks for the update! Will update my post now!
Hi Alyssa, I’m doing this Sunday and doing the hike in one day boldly. I’m well aware it’s very difficult but my question to you is, is the office or if I want to start my hike around 5/6? I have nothing reserved because I haven’t gotten through to them and am risking getting double charged but think it’s worth it! Do you have any advice or know when they open?
Hi Joanna! So sorry I missed this! Did you end up going?? If so, did they allow you to do the day hike still?
beautiful article
I went to these falls a few years ago with two of my brothers, it was an absolute blast. We managed to arrive at the trail head a first light to start our run into the falls. We made it to Mooney falls before turning around to go back to town to have lunch, then ran out. It wasn’t easy but it also wasn’t too terribly hard for college age recreational runners. You have beautiful pictures of the area and I’m sure will remember this trip forever.
Would it be possible to be turned away without a reservation? I would like to do a day trip and use the helicopter service to get back. It would suck if you did all that planning just to be turned away at the site for not having reservations.
If it’s a day trip you do not need a reservation to be there, you just need to pay for a day pass permit once you arrive in village. If you’re talking about the helicopter reservations, they don’t take them in advance, you have to sign up when you get there and it’s first come first serve, but from my experience, they can’t turn people away because they wouldn’t be allowed to stay over night anyway!
Thanks Alyssa! great article btw 😉
Hi Alyssa, I heard its impossible now to get down there and up in a day since the reservations are strictly enforced. And what is your understanding of potentially swooping up a cancelation last minute?
Reservations for what? You don’t need a reservation for a day pass, only an overnight pass. If you mean a reservation for the helicopter then that is first come first serve so could be a chance of not getting a spot if you’re not there early enough. That being said…if you’re going to attempt it, go early AF.
Hi Alyssa,
I just wanted to update this comment. I just spoke with a woman at the Havasupai Tourism Office at (928) 448-2121 and she advised that starting this year, (January 2016) they no longer allow day-hike passes. You must have a reservation in order to do anything on the reservation, as she confirmed for me several times out of my state of stock. So, to update this comment, you DO need a reservation to even be there. As I’m sure you can pull onto the grounds, they no longer offer day-hike passes without a reservation. As of 3/14/16 – all reservations sold out for the year.
Please let me know if I am mistaken, however, I did just speak with a woman who works at the Havasupai Tourism Office.
Thanks and best!
Stephanie
Oh no!!!!!! That sucks lol, thanks though, will now update!
Hi Alyssa,
Thank you for your article. It was by far the most informative of what I’ve read. Question for you (and sorry if I missed it): What month did you hike to the falls? I’m wondering if there’s one time of year that is more prone to flash flooding than others? My husband and I (east coasters!) will be traveling to AZ in August. All the best – Nicole
Hi Nicole! I went in September, which is right around rainy season there… I think you should still be in the dry “summer” in August but I would just make sure to keep an eye on the weather, and don’t choose a day that it says it’s going to rain like I did (I was determined lol). I’m also from the East coast (FL) so figured I could handle a little rain, but I completely forgot to factor in being in a canyon that floods!!
Hi Nicole,
Monsoon season (flash flood season) is typically June-September here in AZ, so you’re very likely to hit some rain. Check the forecast daily, watch for weather alerts, and read up on monsoon /flash flood safety beforehand. The thunderstorms are absolutely beautiful that time of year, but be safe!
-Amy (AZ resident)
(PS- just found your blog, Alyssa, and absolutely love it! As a fellow solo female traveller, your tips and insight are so useful! Hoping to visit Havasu Falls soon!)
HI Alyssa
like Ana I’m kind of stuck in the same boat , I’m going in April ,everything is booked already but i have not been able to get a hold of them to reserve Horses or the camp ground to stay overnight. I was wondering can you do the hike in one day? , If you start really early , like 5-am. Start hiking back like at 3PM. If that’s not an option do you recommend flying in with the helicopter and hike out.
Thank you
I couldn’t get a reservation either and after researching every possible way to do it in a day, I came up with flying in as early as possible, that way you have the full morning and afternoon, then hiking out around 2pm because it takes I think 4 hours, and you don’t want to be hiking when it’s dark. BUT, I ended up having to fly out too because of the flash flood, but now that I think of it, it might be better to hike in early, see the falls, then fly out because you might be tired after hiking to the falls as well!
I am also trying to make this a Day Trip. So, you would recommend hiking to the Falls as earliest as possible then take the helicopter back? Is the hiking trail easy to follow? Or you need a guided tour? What is the earliest you can start the hike?
Hi Aimee! Sorry for the late reply, but I believe you aren’t allowed doing Day Trips at all anymore. A few people commented below that they stopped allowing passes and that you have to have a reservation to stay over night now :/
Question, we will be there in March this year… As you mentioned, getting camping reservations has been more difficult than hitting the lotto. My question is, if the helicopter ride in starts at 10 , how difficult is it to get a ride. I’ve read it’s first come first serve, but people in the tribe get priority.
The other option for us was to make it there really early (5-6 am) and hike in… Then put our name on the wait list to take the helicopter out. But if they only fly until 1 pm then it’s impossible to enjoy the falls.
I also read the list itself stops at 1, but they’ll keep flying people out after that. So I’m a bit confused. Did they say they stop FLYING at 1?
Any pointers will be appreciated. I’ve been dying to see the falls for the longest now! Flight is booked, but camping is not lol I’ll take the 1-day I guess.
Thanks! Love your pics n blog.
Ana
Hi Ana! I had this exact problem trying to figure out how to make it a day trip. They are extremely strict on camping permits so unless you get it in advance, I wouldn’t rely on that. My initial idea was fly in and hike out but like you mentioned, it cuts it close with time. I was one of the first people there in the morning around 7am and still had to wait an hour or so to let all the tribe members and supply loads go first which is understandable. It was only the ride out that was almost disastrous because they wouldn’t let us hike out, only fly, in which case they did keep flying people out until they were all out (there was also flash floods happening so we had to get out!). Essentially in my opinion…if they don’t let you camp there, they can’ not let you fly out… just saying, right? lol
Lol true. Ok,I think we’lk give it a try. Hopefully it’ll all work out. Thank you!
Safe travels! =)
Hi Alyssa! Your blog is extremely helpful and illuminating. Thank you!
I’m trying to het to Havasupai from Argentina and my only option is helicopter in and out.
I have a doubt regarding the time you need to arrive to the Hilltop in order to get in line for a fly.
You’ve said that arriving at 9:30am is ok but in the answer above this you told that you get there at 7am.
Since I’m planning to stay in Seligman the night before (two hours ride to Hualapai hilltop) …you still recommend to get there at 9:30ish or should be earlier?
Thank you very much for such a help!
Stay well 🙂
Hi Ana,
I was curious how the 1 day hike worked for you. I would love to see the falls but do to time constraints and not being about to get a camping reservation, I wanted to try and do a day in and out trip. I was thinking it would be easier to fly in and then hike out to make the most of the day. Thoughts?
Thanks!
Lauren
ANA,
We are going in March 2016, we also want to fly in and out, and see as many falls as possible. We are a family of four my kids are 18 and 14 (thinking helicopter in and out is best option, for the amount of time we have for our vacation and things to see/do). I’d love to hear how it worked for you, if you don’t mind?? Did you make any reservations ahead of time? We will be driving up from Phoenix, and I think our only option will be Sunday March 12, since they only do Saturday/Sunday that time of year and we fly home to COLD Detroit, MI Saturday March 18)
my personal email may be easier vickeyabel726@gmail.com
If you only have a day, definitely fly in and out! Helicopter flights are sign up only and first come first served with hierarchy given to the Indian natives no matter what/when they arrive. So I’d suggest staying the night in the little town closest to it and getting up early to get there when they start sign-ups!
Once I have booked my 2 night stay with an access pass do I need to still book camping or can you camp anywhere?
If you got a reservation for 2 nights that should be your confirmation for camping I believe. I don’t think they assign spots so you’ll probably just walk around until you see one you like…there were a lot of amazing ones near the river just past Havasu waterfall!
This looks great. I think I would fly up and walk down. That’s a TON of hiking in one day beautiful pictures. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you Alyssa for posting your photos and writing about your travels. I like your writing style, it inspires me. Saving the article for future use. Waiting to hear about your next adventure pretty lady. Please be safe out there.
Just arriving there is the adventure…sure it worth it, congratulations for arriving¡¡