Camping should be a peaceful respite from nature, right? Well, that is not necessarily the case at Havasupai. When you camp at Havasupai, you’ll discover how popular this destination truly is. You’ll also discover the Havasupai campground is unique and gorgeous. Situated in and around a flat spot of the Havasu Creek, the campground is an oasis of little islands, trees, and small tumbling cascades. It’s gorgeous. In this post, I’ll break down things to think about when choosing a campsite, a reminder to share with your neighbor, and the essential gear recommendations for you to feel prepared when you camp at Havasupai.
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What is Havasupai?
Havasupai is an Indian Reservation deep in a canyon in Arizona. As the bird flies, it is very close to Grand Canyon National Park, but it is completely inaccessible by car. What makes Havasupai so desirable is turquoise blue water and a series of waterfalls that you can hike to and explore. You will need to get a permit to overnight camp at Havasupai. Then, to get to Havasupai, you will need to carry in all your gear on a 10-mile hike. Though challenging, the reward is a turquoise lush oasis in what feels like the middle of nowhere.
Permitting
As mentioned in the previous section, it is mandatory to get a permit to overnight camp at Havasupai. Due to the explosive popularity of the place, the tribe or organizers have updated the system during the last couple of years. Permits for the year are available for reservation/purchase online on February 1st. Because it only happens once each year, getting permits can be competitive, so I recommend reading through the Havasupai reservations website for the latest news and creating an account before February 1st. For 2019 and 2020 the price for the permit is $100/per person/per night for weekdays and $125/per person/per night for weekend days. The new system is quite sophisticated, with the ability to add on mules at any time and all your information available when you check-in at the town of Supai.
You will need to stop on the way to the campground to pick up the permit to attach to your tent. Why yes, I thought it was pricey for a campground as well. Since there is no road accessibility, infrastructure at the campground is very impressive. The composting toilets and spring water alone must be a ton of work. While walking through town, you’ll also notice active construction. I am hopeful that the price of the permits is at least partially going to the town’s infrastructure and people living there.
For the most up-to-date information, including updates related to Covid-19, be sure to check out the permit booking website: https://www.havasupaireservations.com/
Camp at Havasupai
What I didn’t realize before going to Havasupai is that the campground itself is pretty incredible. There are sites all along the narrow strips of land, with the creek running right through the middle. To get to the islands in the creek and other side, there are precarious ladders and logs to help you get across. With roots and trees coming out of the blue water, it is an incredibly beautiful campground that I marveled at every day. Choosing a campsite will be tough, so here are some things to think about.
Choosing a campsite
You can camp at Havasupai just about anywhere in the designated camping zone. The zone has composting toilets on either end, with one in the center. The natural features of the landscape also roughly limit where you can camp as well. There is one natural spring to get your water that is between the first and second toilets. The toilets and spring are very high-traffic areas.
When we arrived, we did explore some of the islands without any free spaces. I noticed on the islands that the ground seemed a bit wet and it was more difficult to have a conversation over the sound of the creek. This white noise might be a good or bad thing, depending on what kind of experience you’re looking for.
We ended up at a site to the left of the trail (next to the canyon wall) when heading downstream between the second and third toilets. We also ended up taking over our neighbors picnic bench, when they left after our first night. There are picnic benches scattered throughout the campground and boy are they nice! Nice to cook on, nice to socialize at, and nice to sit on. Snag a spot with an open picnic bench, if you can.
Things to think about:
- How close or far you want to be from the bathroom
- How close or far you want to be from the spring water
- If the sound of the creek will bother you
- How close you are to the main trail (people will walk through your campsite frequently)
- If you need sturdy trees for a hammock
- If there is picnic bench nearby
Sharing with Neighbors
The campground is a bit of a free-for-all. I found it fascinating how people set up hammocks over the river or their campsite on the islands. There are no designated spots when you camp at Havasupai, so be nice and share your site or picnic bench. We were beyond grateful when kind people offered to share a campsite with us when we exhaustedly tried to find a spot on the first day. Many of the flat areas are odd-shaped and allow for multiple tents to be set-up, albeit in close proximity. If you are having difficulty trying to find a spot, ask to share. Also, if you have extra room around you, offer to share with exhausted looking strangers. I know they are still tweaking the permit system, but I believe they have it set up so that there will be enough room for everyone.
The campground is a mile long, so it is able to hold a significant amount of people. But at the same time, don’t let it shock you if it seems like every campsite is full. I’ve mentioned it in my other blog posts about Havasupai, but it’s worth reiterating: do not expect to be alone at any time in Havasupai. It is simply too popular. Everyone I met at the campground was kind and helpful, but it was busy, even in mid-October. There was a constant stream of people coming into camp and leaving. Though people generally quieted down between 8 and 10 pm, there were also people up by 3 am to start packing out. Mentally prepare yourself, but also physically prepare yourself by bringing earplugs and an eye mask, if you are a light sleeper.
Your First Choice Isn’t Your Final Choice
If you get to camp later than expected and there only seems to be the “not so great” spots available, do not fret. First, ask to share. If you don’t want to share, then camp at the “not so great” spot for the first night and move the next morning. There is a fair amount of movement every day with people hiking in, people hiking out, and others moving campsites. The campground is a free-for-all, so don’t feel obligated to stay in one spot. It’s more work, but it will be worthwhile if you are going to enjoy yourself more in the new spot. This is another reason I recommend staying three nights – get yourself a good spot for at least 2 out of 3 nights!
If you plan to move spots, I recommend doing so in the early morning before the new batch of hikers make it in for the day. Most people hike out pre-dawn or very early, so you’ll likely be able to move your things as soon as you wake up for the day. Another thing you can do is ask the people at your desired spot how many nights they are staying and when they plan to hike out. It is not a secret that they will be leaving eventually, so don’t be afraid to ask. A girl did this on our last night and we were more than happy to let her know that we were leaving at 4 am the next morning.
What I didn’t love is people “claiming” an area with a couple items for an extended period of time. If you’re going to move, get up early and move. Don’t take up two spots and confuse the new batch of hikers who just hiked 10-miles. Common courtesy people.
Critters
I had read a TON about the squirrels, raccoons, and small critters that will go after your food. One morning, while we were getting ready, we saw a squirrel on the canyon wall drop an entire Cliff bar from its mouth while looking us in the eye. They absolutely will go after your food, but you can be smart about it. First off, don’t make it easy for them. Don’t leave out food unattended and don’t leave food in your tent. We hung our food and anything fragrant from the trees. Not just food, but also trash, sunscreens, lip balms, etc. We had a rope, but also utilized the rope left behind by other campers.
Then, once our neighbors left, they also left a 10-gallon bucket with the lid. They did not bring the bucket, but also used the bucket from the people before them. The buckets are the best way to store food. With a secure lid and heavy rock on top, there is almost no way a raccoon would be able to open it. They may or may night have them in the store (I wouldn’t count on it). You can also pack it in – I saw a guy with a bucket attached to the outside of his pack during our trek out.
Hanging food bags from the tree-ropes was successful and the critters did not eat through the bag packaging. I did notice that a few of the straps had chew marks on them. I honestly think that if they wanted to, they could have eaten through the straps or the bag itself, but there were probably easier targets. Those rat-sacks might be helpful, but making it difficult and using a bucket are the sure shots.
Mosquitos
We brought plenty of bug spray, but hardly used it! I remember putting it on my legs, ankles, and feet in the evenings while making/eating dinner, but was not applying it throughout the day. Please note that we went in mid-October and chose a campsite next to the canyon wall. Do some research if you’re going during a different time of the year or choose a campsite next to the water. There are even a few campsites that are near slow-moving sections of the creek or next to the natural spring. These areas seemed like they might have a higher concentration of mozzies. Even though I did not experience mosquitos, I recommend bringing some bug spray when you camp at Havasupai.
Hike to Havasupai
If you are somehow stumbling on this blog post before reading anything else about Havasupai, I should mention that it is a 10-mile backpacking hike to get to the campground. Then from the campground, there is additional hiking to get to the incredible waterfalls that you see on social media. Much hiking! I detail out all of the information about hiking to and around Havasupai, as well as tips for training up for the hike, in a separate blog post: Hike to Havasupai – check it out :).
Gear for Havasupai
There are a million resources out there for what to bring to Havasupai. Here are the most critical things for camping and hiking with a couple of recommended products, but I recommend that you do your own research into gear reviews, especially with the high price point items.
Camping & Hiking items:
- Tent – Nemo Hornet 2p or the insanely light Zpacks Tents
- Sleeping bag – Marmot Eco 20 or maybe you just need a quilt
- Backpack – Deuter or Osprey both have good options
- Sleeping pad – Therm-A-Rest Lite for a blow-up version or a Therm-A-Rest pad to save your breath
- Hiking boots – I love my Keens (this sounds like an ad for Calvin Klien underwear)
- Hiking poles – I don’t have an opinion on hiking poles yet, but if your looking for reasonably priced, check the REI Co-op
- Headlamp – Black Diamond is a solid choice
For your Days of Exploration:
- Day pack – pick something ultra light, like this brand called “Nature Hike” on Amazon
- Packable towel – Like this set
- Water Shoes – Tevas times one million, so comfy
- Sunscreen – Anything over SPF 30 🙂
- One Swimsuit – Cupshe is my go-to for swimmies
- Backup phone battery – I need a new backup battery, I am looking at these – seems like a good value
Food related items: (no fires allowed)
- Stove – Jetboils are convenient, but bulky… consider a pocket stove
- Pot – Around 1 liter is ideal to make a box of mac & cheese
- Coffee – You can these handy pop-up pour-over packs or bring coffee grounds and a filter
- Mug – I don’t trust plastic with boiling water so here is something cheap and here is something cute
- Water Filter – Sawyer is a lot less expensive than those SteriPens
- So many snacks
With the help of my friend who had just finished the PCT earlier that year, we opted for fewer fun items and lightweight options. This was the right choice. You are welcome to bring a hammock, a book, etc. We did not have these and didn’t feel like I was missing out. I went hard during the days, did a little headlamp yoga each evening after dinner, and passed out!
Waterfalls of Havasupai
There are five main waterfalls in Havasupai, which I encourage you to explore them all. Lower Navajo Falls, Fifty Foot Falls, Havasu Falls, and Supai town are all upstream from the campground. Mooney Falls, Beaver Falls, and the confluence are all downstream from the campground. If you are unfamiliar with the waterfalls of Havasupai, I wrote an entire post about it – check it out!
Structure your Days to see the 5 Waterfalls of Havasupai
To see all 5 waterfalls of Havasupai, I recommend that you spend three nights. Here’s what we did, and I found it to be a perfect balance:
- 1st Day: Hike in as early as possible, get your permit in the town of Havasupai, find a campsite, get settled, and recover. Also, marvel at the river passing through the campsites.
- 2nd Day: Head downstream to experience Mooney Falls and meander all the way down to Beaver Falls. Or go all the way to the confluence.
- 3rd Day: Head upstream to experience Havasu Falls, Supai town (if you want to go that far), chill out on the top of Fifty Foot Falls and take a little walk to New Navajo Falls, finally enjoy Havasu Falls again before settling down at camp.
- 4th Day: Pre-dawn departure.
This is a very high-level overview. If you’d like more details on structuring your days, check out my other Havasupai blog post: Havasupai Itinerary.
Overall Thoughts: Camp at Havasupai
The Havasupai campground was funny. It was busy like a Yosemite Valley campground, but takes a 10-mile hike to get to. It is also a beautiful section of the turquoise blue Havasu creek that tumbles around islands and tree roots. Due to lack of individual sites, it feels like a free-for-all, but people should still abide by normal camping etiquette, if not be even MORE courteous because of how many people have to share the area.
Before going, I had no idea what it was going to be like to camp at Havasupai. And when I arrived, it still took me a day to fully understand the campground nuances. I hope this post helps you choose a Havasupai campsite, encourages you to share with your neighbors, and helps you feel prepared with some gear options for the trek.
Related Havasupai Blog Posts:
Have you gone to Havasupai? If so, what part of the campground did you camp at? I’m curious to hear what your experience was like depending on the campsite! Let me, and other travelers, know by leaving a comment.
Happy Travels,
Hanna
