Havasupai Falls

Written By shannon wissler

A Natural Paradise

How to book your campground and what to take.

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Every year on February 1st online reservations open for one of the most coveted camping sites in the world. With extremely high demand and limited sites available, reservations sell out within minutes.

Havasupai Falls Campground is Nestled deep inside the lush Havasu Canyon Indian Reservation. Accessible by foot, by mule, or by helicopter, this remote paradise is home to some of the most spectacular waters and they give this territory its name. Havasu means blue-green water and Pai means people.

If you're lucky enough to be one of the few people to score a reservation you are in for one of the most unforgettable experiences of your life.

Making reservations

The only way to make a reservation and purchase a permit is online through the Havasupai Tribe. You will need to set up an account well in advance. Reservations only open once per year on Feb 1st and sell out within minutes, you need to be prepared by having your account set up with payment information stored and you need to be vigilant. Be sure to read the website for regulations around this process. 

The cost per person with a minimum 3-day reservation is $455. You can also book two reservations right in a row and stay for 6 nights. Again, only if you’re lucky. 

Again, be sure to read all the rules and regulations on the official site before you book and SET AN ALARM! To increase your odds it helps to have multiple people trying from different computers through different accounts!

Getting In and Out of the Canyon

Pack Mules:

Trained to carry goods on their backs across difficult terrain, pack mules have been used for centuries. 


If you want to book a pack mule for the way down and out be sure to make a reservation in advance. Depending on the size of your bag, each pack mule can carry about 4 bags and the cost per trip for one mule is $400

The hike down the canyon is tough and depending on the day the sun can be your worst enemy. We carried our packs down for the experience but made a point to only pack the essentials. Some people packed in and then used the pack mule on the way out which is another option. The walkout, which is almost all uphill, is much harder than on the way in. Be sure to keep this in mind when making your decision.

Helicopter:

The locals travel in and out of the canyon by Helicopter and this option is available for travelers as well. In 2019 when we went the cost was $85 each way and you can only book on-site at the time of departure by calling Airwest Helicopters. Local tribe members have the right of way so you could be waiting for a few hours. The wait is much longer heading out of the canyon as opposed to coming in. Keep in mind the helicopters only fly on certain days of the week.

If you decide to take the helicopter out of the canyon you will have to wait at least 2-4 hours depending on the time you arrive and how long the line is.

The helicopter ride was one of the highlights of our trip!

What to Pack

Pack only the essential. It’s a long hike but the views are worth it. You learn over time what the essentials are. Below you can find a list of what we took, what we used, and what we could have left behind.

Supplies

If you decide to Backpack in there are definitely certain essentials you’ll need and also a few luxuries you may want to consider.

Essentials:

  • Backpack - Get fitted at an REI and find the best deal on Amazon. Try it on, walk around with it (full of stuff) make sure the straps feel good. There is nothing worse than a backpack with straps digging into your shoulders. Here’s a list of some good packs at various prices. This is the one my husband took and he loved it! TETON Sports Explorer 4000 Internal Frame Backpack $74

  • Sleeping Bag - There are millions of opinions for sleeping bags. I would recommend checking out this REI article as a good place to start. We got both of ours from REI on sale and they were great for the climate we experienced. This was the sleeping bag I got: REI Big Agnes $104

  • Tent - Again, this is another personal choice considering your budget and the climate. Another great REI article for you to check out. We borrowed from my uncle to save some money.

  • Food - Oh boy the food! Again, if you have an REI near you, they have everything you could need when it comes to food at the same price as most other places. Here are a few of our favorites. 

  • Snacks - there is junk food available in the town at a reasonable rate so bring cash and don’t worry about packing too many snacks. 

    • Pro bars / Cliff bars

    • Trail mix 

  • Water Filter / Collapsable water jug

    • Life straw - We love filtering natural spring water!

    • 3-liter water bladder - This was crucial for hiking

    • 5 - 10 gallon collapsable water jug for the campsite

  • Cooking and Eating Supplies 

    • Stove 

    • Gas - Buy this in Arizona, do not attempt to take it on the plane!

    • Pot/pan

    • Pan grabber

    • collapsable bowl 

    • Spork

    • Drinking/Coffee cup

    • Coffee filter 

    • Cleaning soap

    • Cleaning cloth

    • Spices

  • Personal care 

    • toothbrush and paste 

    • Multi-purpose cleaning wet wipes

    • Deodorant 

    • Sunscreen 

    • Natural soap - Dr. Brommers can be used for cleaning dishes and washing your body. 

  • Clothing - For 3 Days

    • 4 shirts 

    • 1 short

    • 1 pant

    • 4 clean undies and socks one for each day (you can wash these with Dr. Bronners if needed)

    • Windbreaker / waterproof jacket - depending on weather 

    • Sweater - depending on the weather 

    • Hiking boots 

    • Water shoes/water sandals 

  • Misc 

    • Microfiber towel 

    • Day pack / small backpack 

    • Hat 

    • Sunglasses

    • Rope/clothing line - Optional

  1. Non Essentials / Luxuries 

    • Extra Battery charger 

    • Tarp 

    • Pillow

    • Sleeping pad

    • Sleeping bag liner

    • Hammock 

shannon wissler
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