The hike to Havasu Falls is one for the books. The memories you make from here will last a lifetime! Make sure to do a lot of research (like reading this blog!) before traveling here, it is an intense hike that requires a lot of prepping! All the work put into arriving at this location is worth it. I will cover my entire experience of hiking to Havasu Falls, Navajo Falls, Mooney Falls, and Beaver Falls.
*You must have a permit to camp here!
Havasu Falls Hike 2024 Overview:
Hiking from Hilltop trailhead to Havasupai Campground logged on alltrails: 10.8 miles one way, 220 ft elevation gain, time: 3 hours 10 minutes. Start early to beat the heat and get a good campsite.
Hiking from Havasupai Camp to Mooney Falls & Beaver Falls: 7.3 miles round trip, 1,076 ft elevation gain , time: 3 hours 43 minutes. Know that you will be climbing down slippery rocks/ladders!
Hiking from the top of Havasu Falls to Hilltop Trailhead: 9.7 miles out, 2441 ft elevation gain, 3 hours 45 minutes out. We started our hike out at 4AM and finished just before 8AM and did not have to hike in the sun.
This is the hydration bladder I used and put Liquid IV in it to stay replenished: https://amzn.to/3WMM6Fm
How many days can you spend at Havasu Falls?
*As ofJune 2024* You can only choose the 3 night, 4 day option. Three nights is the perfect amount of to spend here so you have more time exploring the area beyond the main falls. There are many unique waterfalls and gorgeous canyon views to visit other than the famous Havasu Falls. You can hike the additional 6 miles (round trip) to Beaver Falls and even to the confluence if you’re ambitious. The 2024 rates are $455 per person for a campground permit for 3 nights, 4 days.
You can also stay in a lodge at Supai now! I haven’t seen it but you can get information on their website.
Getting your Permit to camp at Havasu Falls 2024
(Updated 2024) You can apply for permits in either their early permit system (February.) More permits will go on sale Feb 1st 2024. Here is the website to get those permits: https://www.havasupaireservations.com
Don’t have permits yet? You can check the website daily to try and get other dates! There are a ton open in the fall of 2024 as of now.
Hiking to Havasu Falls & training for the hike
The trailhead is at the top of the canyon called Hilltop Trailhead, and there are not a ton of parking spots, and you may have to park along the road.
For the first mile, you will descend down a steep switchback section of the Grand Canyon. Then you will hike on a predominant trail that varies through sand or through the dry wash. Download the map on All Trails to make sure you are on the right track, it can get confusing in Supai.
Supai is about 8 miles away down the Grand Canyon’s grade and through the desert canyon walls. Supai is a town you will hike through and as of June 2024 masks are required to enter the cafe etc. The hike is gorgeous on the way, but can get pretty hot in the sun. I recommend driving to the trail head before the sun came up, and began hiking very early in the morning. This makes the hike much more tolerable.
The hike is 10-11 miles to Havasupai Campground. The Grand Canyon walls tower above you, and offer surreal views. The locals offer horses and mules to carry bags for tourists down the canyon, personally I would not do this because I can carry my own pack. If you want to do this hike, train for it and carry your gear on your back. It is VERY doable!
Training for the hike & What I wore to Hike to havasu falls:
Take some time to condition before the adventure. Hike steep inclines and long distances to be properly prepared with weight on your back. Make sure you can do a 7+ mile hike while carrying a conversation to make sure you can do this one. You may want trekking poles, I opted to not use them.
The hike down to the falls does not feel bad as it is downhill mostly the entire way. Coming back up is more difficult. (To say the least.) For the hike in I wore hiking boots the first time I did this hike, and trail runners the second time, tall socks, and shorts.
I did get some blisters due to the up and down of the terrain, so bring bandaids or mole skin to be prepared. Here are the shoes I wore: https://amzn.to/4axBzkB
The reason I wore trail runners instead of the boots was because the time of year was much hotter! (June vs March) I started with a sun shirt on, and ended up in just my t-shirt top by the end of the hike. I recommend wearing a shirt to cover your shoulders from the sun and to help with the bag’s weight.
I packed two swimsuits, get 15% off on Londre Bodywear using code EARTHTOSARAH15
I packed all my clothes in a packing cube & then used that as my pillow! Bring lots of snacks. I brought a dinner and a breakfast dehydrated meal. My sleeping bag for this trip was a 40 degree, and my tent is a lightweight 2 person tent. My pack was a 45 liter osprey. This is a similar version: https://amzn.to/4dM570Q
Get yourself some comfy hiking gear similar to what I wear here: http://shrsl.com/2jcpv-2p4f-17unv
- 1 pair short, 1 pant
- 1 shirt, 1 long sleeve shirt, 1 tank top
- 2 swim suits
- 1 ball cap
- hiked in trail runners, also packed chacos
Getting to Havasupai Campground
Another two miles down the trail from Supai will get you to the top view point of Havasu Falls. Continue descending to the campground and pick an open spot. The campground is quite large with lots of options, but it can be very full! The best spots are along the creek or in the shade and have picnic tables. Some of them do not have tables or shade. We moved camp after the first night because a ton of new spots were open the next morning!
There are bathrooms and water refills near the front of the camp so be conscious of where your spot is compared to these key points. There are bathrooms in the middle and at the end of the camp as well. It spans all the way to Mooney Falls so you will get a spot no matter what, it just might be almost 2 miles from Havasu Falls.
Drink Liquid IV to stay hydrated because you will need more than just water & get $5 off by using this link: https://glnk.io/qv1w/earthtosarahphotos
How to Camp at Havasupai Campground
Here is the lightweight 2 person tent I used: https://amzn.to/3KBrTuV
You can tent camp or you can hammock camp. I definitely recommend taking a sleeping pad and sleeping bag. Depending on when you hike it could be very cold in the canyon. In June, we had warm temps and I did not need a coat and was able to sleep on top of my sleeping bag most of the night. Previously when I hiked here in March I needed thermal pants, a puffy, and a sleeping bag.
Here is my favorite breakfast to eat while backpacking: https://amzn.to/3yyOpSo
At the top of Havasu Falls there is an Indian Taco stand. We were sure to purchase from the local booth, and it was delicious!
Mooney Falls & the famous ladder
It is about an 8 mile round trip hike to see Mooney Falls and Beaver Falls. Mooney Falls is about 2 miles from Havasu, and was possibly my favorite waterfall of them all! It is the tallest in the area, and requires coordination to maneuver down to. Walk through a couple cool caves, and climb down slippery rocks & ladders to get to the base of the 98 foot waterfall. I wore my Chacos to do this, but would recommend wearing hiking boots if you’re more comfortable in that. You will get wet if the water is high!! I’m not sure there is a more instagramable location than Mooney Falls!
Beaver Falls
Continuing on after Mooney Falls will have you walk through the beautiful blue waters, through desert terrain, and through lush greenery! We ended our hike at Beaver Falls – four miles from Havasu Falls. This is another great area to go cliff jumping and swim in the blue pools. There is only a few hours of sunlight here a day, so be sure to plan times accordingly! When we went in March (2016) we aimed to be there around 12 to be in the sun. When we went in early June we did around the same time but it was pretty crowded so be aware it might be better to go earlier.
Little Navajo Falls
(This was in 2016 before the canyon collapsed! It is still possible to get here but I did not do this hike in 2024.) The next day we ventured to Navajo Falls to swim and cliff jump. There are a couple waterfall areas, and depending on the water levels most for the pools are safe to cliff jump off. I suggest wearing Tevas or Chacos to step over the slippery surface above the cliffs and waterfalls. It is like walking on squish moss. The water feels great on a warm day, and jumping off the cliff totally made our experience amazing! *You may not be able to cliff jump here anymore!!* This photo was taken in 2016.
Hiking out of Havasu Falls
Hiking out of the area is not for the faint of heart. The trek is all uphill, and will test your limits. We started at 4AM to assure we weren’t caught in the dead heat of the day. The last mile of the hike is straight up the Grand Canyon’s wall, chasing switch back after switch back to the top. Be sure to fill all water bottles full, and spare enough food to energize you for the trek. I drank 2 liters on the way out exactly. At the top of the trailhead there are food vendors!
Pin it here: https://pin.it/2MCmYSdNB
Last thoughts…
Hiking to Havasu Falls is a big backpacking trip and hike. It requires lots of preparation, tons of snacks, many dehydrated meals, a backpacking propane stove to boil water, lightweight gear, and determination. As I said, be sure to research plenty before partaking. Leave no trace! We as tourists have to work together to respect the Havasupai Tribe & their lands.
I will never forget this incredible experience, and treasure the memories from it. Remember to pack out what you pack in to keep this area clean and preserve the beauty hidden within. Find all the information you need to prep from the Havasupai Reservations site run by the Havasupai Tribe. https://www.havasupaireservations.com/
Earth to Sarah 