Everything You Need To Know About Visiting Havasu Falls in 2023

The Havasupai Tribal Council has announced Havasu Falls will reopen starting February 1, 2023 for current permit holders. This is for permit holders originally from the 2020 season that have held on to their permits or purchased permits from the official transfer list.

Due to the cancellation of the 2022 tourist season, reservations will be rescheduled for the same date in 2023, no new permits will be sold. This applies to Campground, Lodge, and Pack Mule reservations. If you are looking for a ticket to Havasu Falls, regularly check the transfer list at HavasupaiReservations.com.

Havasupai campground reservations for the entire 2023 season are estimated to open on February 1, 2023 at 8AM (Arizona Time) at HavasupaiReservations.com. This year, an account is required, so make sure to set it up in advance as the reservations will most likely sell out in a matter of minutes.

The small Native American village of Supai is nestled deep in the Grand Canyon. This remote village is a popular hiking destination for visitors from around the world. What attracts people to hike 10 miles each way, deep into the Grand Canyon is the crystal blue waters of the Havasu Creek and the breathtaking Havasu Falls.

If you are not already, you should will be planning your trip to Supai to enjoy Havasu Falls, Mooney Falls, Beaver Falls and the countless other beautiful spots. The Havasupai Tribe has drastically updated the rules and requirements for visitors, so we have compiled all the information you need to visit Havasu Falls.

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New Havasu Falls Reservation Information For 2023

All campground reservations as of 2020 are for 3 nights / 4 days visits to Havasu Falls. No info yet on 2023 requirements.
Campground reservations are now officially transferable.
All Pack Mule reservations are now required in advance and made online.
Trip and travel insurance options available for purchase.

2023 Havasu Falls Campground Reservation Pricing

Updated 2023 pricing is not yet available, but the 2019 Campground reservation pricing was $375 per person for a four day / three night weekend visit.

$100 per person per weekday night
$125 per person per weekend night (Friday/Saturday/Sunday nights)

These prices include all necessary permits, fees, and taxes charged by the Havasupai Reservation.

This means that a three night stay can range from $300 and $375 per person depending on the overlap with the weekend nights.

How To Make a Reservation to Visit Havasu Falls

Due to the cancellation of the 2022 tourist season, reservations will be rescheduled for the same date in 2023. This applies to Campground, Lodge, and Pack Mule reservations. If you are looking for a ticket to Havasu Falls, regularly check the transfer list at HavasupaiReservations.com.

All visitors to Havasupai and Havasu Falls require an advanced online reservation. The reservations for campground spots for the whole 2022 season are estimated to start February 1, 2022 at 8 AM (Arizona Time).

~~On February 1st, sign in to your account any time before 8 AM and at 8 AM the page will automatically refresh and the “Make a 2022 Campground Reservation” button will activate.~~

~~First you choose the number of people for your reservation, with up to 12 people per reservation. Remember it can be easier to find available reservation spots for smaller groups.~~

On the next screen it will shows a calendar view with all available start dates. With so many people trying to make reservations at the same time, by the time you click on an available date, it might no longer be available. It is best to have all members of your reservation attempting to book to increase your chances of getting tickets.

Once you select a start date, your selection is held for a couple minutes allowing you to review the reservation arrival and departure dates, number of people, cost per person, and total cost. When you click to continue, all information fields on the next screen automatically fill in using your account information and you will then be able to review or edit that information prior to purchasing.

There is only one name on the reservation and the person named on the reservation must be present at the Tourist Check-in Office in the Village of Supai with photo ID.

All reservations are paid in full at the time the reservation is made and are non-refundable, non-changeable, and non-transferable, except via the Official Transfer System. If you are caught trying to resell or purchase a reservation outside of this official transfer system, the reservation can be canceled with no refund and you can face a permanent ban from Havasupai.

Official Transfer System for Havasu Falls Reservations

Plans change and friends back out last minute. That is the reality of planning travel, especially as a group, months in advance. At the same time, what if you did not get a Havasu Falls reservation this year?

If you do not wish to use one or more of the spots on your campground reservation it is now easy and hassle-free way to transfer one or more or all of your campground reservation spots and have the funds returned back to the original payment card.

To transfer a reservation spot, simply view the details of an existing campground reservation from your account, choose how many spots to transfer and generate a Transfer Link.

The spots remain on your reservation and the transfer is pending until someone purchases the spots, either directly via the Transfer Link, or from the Campground Reservation Cancellation Page. The transfer is only complete when another person uses the Transfer Link to pay for the spot(s) directly on HavasupaiReservations.com.

Once the transfer has been completed, your reservation is updated to reflect the transfer and your funds, minus a 10% transfer fee, will be returned to your original payment card for each transferred.

Online Pack Mule Waitlist Request System

Many visitors find utilize the Pack Mule Service to carry their gear roundtrip from the Hilltop Trailhead to the Campground Entrance and then back again to the Hilltop Trailhead, for a more enjoyable adventure.

If you are interested in joining the Pack Mule Waitlist, after you have successfully made a campground reservation, you can put in a waitlist request for a pack mule. There will not be an option to get a mule in person when you arrive.

Due to new higher welfare standards for the Havasupai pack mule, there will be significantly fewer mules available this year. If you do not join the waitlist immediately after making a campground reservation, there is a good chance you will lose this opportunity.

Being on the Pack Mule Waitlist is not a confirmed reservation, until around a week prior to the arrival date. You can cancel your waitlist request at any time, but if/when your request is approved, your Confirmed Pack Mule Reservation is non-refundable, non-transferable, and non-changeable.

Each mule can carry up to four soft sided bags with a maximum weight of 32 pounds per bag. The maximum baggage size is 36 inches long, 19 inches wide, 19 inches tall. Ice chests or coolers are not permitted.

Trip and Travel Insurance Options

After making a reservation to visit Havasu Falls the tribe is now providing the option to purchase third party trip and travel insurance. During the summer Monsoon season, extreme heat or flooding can close the area to visitors. While your tickets will be made transferable in this situation, any flights, car or gear rental are not covered without this additional insurance.

When is the best time of the year to visit Havasu Falls?

With demand so high, the best time to visit Havasu Falls is whenever you are able to get a reservation.

Tickets sell out in just a few minutes, so it is good to be as flexible as possible and have plenty of backup dates for when reservations open up. Narrowing down what season or month you want to visit might be possible, but keep your options open.

The air temperature is similar to Phoenix, but once you reach the campground there is plenty of shade and water keep cool.

The cooler months are great for hiking and exploring during any time of day, but can get chilly in the canyon overnight. Visiting during the warmer months it best for enjoying the clear blue waters, but it also requires early morning hiking. The water temperature is roughly 70 degrees all year long.

With the scenic beauty of the canyon, the breathtaking waterfalls, and exotic camping along Havasu Creek there is no bad time to visit Havasu Falls!

Getting to the Hilltop Trailhead

The Hualapai Hilltop trailhead is located at the end of Indian Road 18, 60 miles from the turnoff from Route 66. Indian Road 18 is an open range with occasional cows crossing the road, requiring extra care when driving, especially at night. Plan for this drive to take at least 90 minutes no matter what your GPS says.

The closest gas station nearly 70 miles away from the trailhead in Peach Springs or Grand Canyon Caverns. Make sure to have enough gas in your car to go at least 200 miles before leaving one of those towns. Also, make sure you have a spare tire as we came back to a flat after our hike into Havasu Falls.

There is plenty of parking at the trailhead, but can get tight, especially with an RV or campervan. Simply do not park in the “No Parking” areas and do not park in the road.

What is the ideal trip length to Havasu Falls?

Well, no matter what we recommend, the Havasupai tribe has decided that all reservations to Havasu Falls in 2023 require a 3 nights and 4 days stay. Technically speaking, there is nothing stopping you from a shorter trip if your vacation time does not allow for a full stay, but you will be paying for the additional nights.

Four Day / Three Night Itinerary to Havasu Falls

Day 1: Hike in and set up camp
Day 2: Rest, relax, enjoy and explore
Day 3: Hike to Confluence
Day 4: Hike out

Day 1: Getting to the Havasu Falls Campground

It is a 10 mile hike from the Hilltop Trailhead to the Campground entrance. It is a rocky and sandy desert trail into the canyon so plan on 3-5 hours for the hike in and 4-6 hours for the hike out. Start the hike early in the morning to beat the heat, but remember night hiking is not permitted.

From Hilltop Trailhead to the Village of Supai it is an 8 mile hike. The hike starts of with steep switchbacks down the exposed canyon wall, so is best to complete before the sun gets too high. There are then several miles winding along the canyon floor. Along this trail you will most likely encounter the pack mules, which should always be given the right of way.

Right before you reach the village, the dry sandstone canyon bursts with greenery as you approach the Havasu Creek at the beginning of the village of Supai.

Once in the village, you have to check in at the Tourist Office which is open from 6am to 6pm from May through October and 9am to 3pm the rest of the year. Bring a printed copy or screenshot of the email confirmation of your campground reservation. Also write down your license plate number that is parked at the trailhead to register it at check in.

Only the person named on the reservation can check in at Tourist Office with photo ID and get the wristbands for everyone on the reservation. No one is permitted to proceed past the Village without a wristband, so make sure that everyone in your group has one before hiking onwards. That means the reservation holder must wait for everyone in the group to arrive and everyone in the group must wait for the reservation holder.

From the Tourist Check-In Office it is another two miles to reach the Campground entrance. Along this track of the path you will encounter the first two natural water features; the New Little Navajo Falls and the Rock Falls.

To reach the base of the 50ft New Little Navajo Falls, you need to make your around several large boulders and swim through the cool creek to get close. Get in the water and enjoy the morning in the beautiful pools above Rock Falls or below Navajo Falls.

Then head the rest of the way to the campground and set up your camp before exploring the area. Spend the afternoon enjoying Havasu Falls, which is right at the start of the mile long campground.

Day 2: Relax in Mooney and Beaver Falls

Wake up on day two with some breakfast and head towards Mooney Falls, situated at the far end of the campground. To get to the bottom of Mooney Falls you have to walk through a small cave and then climb your way down a set of chains and ladders. It might look steep, but just make sure to always keep three points of contact with the wall. Some people even find it fun! Enjoy your morning there and pack a light lunch down to enjoy at the bottom of the falls.

After lunch keep hiking on towards Beaver Falls, it is an easier section of the hike the same climbing skills as Mooney Falls, but does have a few additional wooden ladders and river crossings. Enjoy the waterfall and head back for dinner at the campground. You do not want to leave Beaver Falls too late, as climbing the ladders and chains at Mooney Falls can get trickier as it begins to get dark.

Day 3: Hike to Confluence

Wake up early and get ready for a long hike on day three to Confluence, where the Havasu Creek meets the Colorado River. This is a longer hike and you pass Mooney Falls and Beaver Falls along the way, which you enjoyed the previous day to better manage the time.

The hike to Confluence is not any more difficult than the section to Beaver Falls, there is just much more of the trail to do! It is especially important to plenty of protein rich snacks and water on this hike as you will find yourself hiking in quicker bursts as you find the endless photo opportunities.

Confluence Havasu Falls — NPS photo by Erin Whittaker.

As you plan your timing for the day, remember you will want to arrive back to the campground before dark for safety reasons and allow yourself enough time to rest.

Day 4: Hike out to the hilltop

Wake up early in the morning on your last day. We recommend no later than 5AM, with enough time to pack your tent and start hiking before 5:30 towards the hilltop. You do not want to leave much later than time, as it will get sunny and hot during the hardest uphill stretch at the switchbacks. When you finally make it back to the car enjoy a celebratory dance before heading home.

About The Havasu Falls Campground

The Havasu Falls campground is an open campground running for over a mile on both sides of Havasu Creek between Havasu Falls and Mooney Falls in the Grand Canyon. This means there are no designated camping sites and you are can set up camp anywhere within the campground area that is safe, respectful of the land and the other campers.

At the campground small wild animals including mice and squirrels will try to get to your food, even if it means chewing through your pack or tent. All such items must be stored in rodent proof containers. We had a squirrel chew through the window of our empty tent, so if they can get to your food, they will.

Gas canister cooking stoves are permitted at the campground, but all other types of flame or open fires are not permitted. Quiet hours are from 8pm to 5am and amplified music is not allowed at any time.

Important Rules When Visiting Havasupai

Havasupai is a sovereign Native American nation with its own rules, customs, laws, and way of life. Be respectful of the land, the people, and your fellow visitors. Remember to carry out what you brought in and leave nothing behind.

The following items are not permitted at Havasu Falls, including at the Hilltop trailhead parking area: alcohol, drugs, smoking, drones, amplified music, littering, nudity, jumping, diving, climbing, fishing, hunting, horses, dogs, animals, carts, bikes, vehicles, fires, fireworks, firearms, weapons, boats, rafts, kayaks, inner tubes, pool floats, pool toys, styrofoam, water guns, taking photos of Havasupai people or property, and anything else that may be hazardous or discourteous.

Make sure to carry plenty of water, especially during summer when temperatures can easily reach above 100°F in the canyon. The summer Monsoon season lasts from June 15 through September 30, when there is an increased chance of rain and flash flooding. If you hear or see flood waters approaching, or if you get caught in a rainstorm, climb to high ground immediately and wait until it clears!