Arizona – Create a Perfect Havasupai Itinerary

Hanna Ashcraft

5 years ago

So you want to camp at Havasupai and you’re researching what to do during your days at Havasupai, but you only keep finding information about the hike. You’re not alone. Before I did the trek, I found it confusing to plan out a Havasupai itinerary. I didn’t know about what I could possibly see, where the waterfalls are in relation to camp and to each other, and how I should best plan my days. Don’t worry, I am here to help you plan out your days.

In this post, I focus on a 4-day, 3-night Havasupai itinerary, with additional ideas and information to accommodate 4+ night itineraries. For a two night itinerary, you’re going to have to do some exploring the day you get there, shove a lot into one day of exploration, and do something on your hiking day out – good luck! Keep reading to build your own Havasupai itinerary.

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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, however, 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 camp overnight at Havasupai. Then, in order to get to Havasupai, you will need to carry-in your gear on a 10-mile hike. Though challenging, the reward is a turquoise lush oasis in what feels like the middle of nowhere.

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/

How long to stay at Havasupai

It looks like for 2020, the Havasupai Tribe and reservations are requiring a minimum 3-night stay per permit. In 2019, I recall it being a 2-night minimum. Either way, I recommend that you stay at least 3 nights to have two full days to explore – one day to explore downstream from camp, another day to explore upstream from camp. More nights are great if you love camping and want to see the sights at a more leisurely pace. But with the $100 or $125/per person/per night price point as well as limited PTO, it’s hard for a lot of people to accommodate 4 nights. With 3-nights you will be able to see the 5 main waterfalls and get a good taste of Havasupai.

Structure Your Days

If you’re going in a group, or even just with a travel partner, it’s important to have a conversation about what you are expecting to do while at Havasupai and what are your top priorities. Do you want to spend the day at a swimming hole? Is it important to see all five of the main waterfalls? Which waterfalls are your priority in seeing? Do you want to send a postcard? This is a great conversation to have ahead of time because, with the limited time and energy that you’ll have in this magical place, you may have to narrow down what you are able to see.

What I love about Havasupai is that you’re camping in one spot and exploring with light day-packs from a singular location. Trying to understand the different waterfalls and where they are can be a little daunting at first, but now that I have gone, I think of the area in two parts: upstream and downstream. With three nights and a packed lunch, you can spend one day going downstream and the next day going upstream. This is the high level creation of the Havasupai itinerary and a good place to start. Keep reading for specific details.

Waterfalls of Havasupai

There are five main waterfalls in Havasupai, which I encourage you to learn about and 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!

3-Night Havasupai Itinerary to see the 5 main waterfalls

My priority when going to Havasupai was to experience each of the 5 main waterfalls since it was my first time going. Although I still swam at multiple spots, I did not do as much laze-ing about or off-trail exploring. As you read through the following days of my Havasupai itinerary, keep this in mind and see where you can switch out your priorities. I’ve listed a few ideas for you to consider each day.

Day 0 – Get closer to the trailhead

The day before your first permit day, you’ll need to get your booty near the trailhead, so you can start your hike near sunrise. Depending on where you’re coming from, this might be more or less challenging. Based in Santa Barbara and Ventura, California, my group decided to get this very cute cactus kitsch Airbnb the night before in Kingman, Arizona. Coming from the west, Kingman is one of the last bigger cities. Coming from the east, try looking at Seligman or Flagstaff if you want to sleep in a bed before hitting the trail. Kingman is still another 2 hours from the trailhead, so we planned to start driving around 4 or 4:30 am. It was wonderful to see the sunrise over the desert while heading to the trailhead, but phew, it was early.

I mentioned in the Hike to Havasupai blog post that we saw a couple emerge from sleeping in their car at the trailhead. I suppose this is an option, but I don’t imagine it being comfortable or quiet. It is important to get as early of a start on your first day as possible due to the heat, mule trains, and helicopter.

Day 1 – Get to Camp

Your job for the first day of the Havasupai itinerary is to make it to the campground. You don’t need to rush, but you’ll naturally want to get your backpack off and your camp setup. Don’t forget to get your permit in the town of Havasupai – everyone in your group will need to wear a wristband for the duration of your time in the canyon. In addition to the permit, it might be a good idea to pick up a postcard, if you want to send it on Day 3.

When you finally get to camp, the hardest part will be choosing a campsite. Read through my camp at Havasupai blog post for things to think about during your decision-making!

This day is straightforward, but also important to get yourself situated so that you can prepare yourself for the next couple of days. Take time to figure out how to tie up your fragrant objects, get plenty of water for the next day as well as cooking, and prepare your day pack for the next day. Also, marvel at the river passing through the campsites. Cook yourself a nice meal and don’t be afraid to head to bed early. There is no shame in getting plenty of sleep – you made it to camp!

Day 1 Recap and Other Ideas:

Hike to the campground and set up camp properly
Prep you day pack for the next day
You can explore the campground, cool off in the river, and get a good understanding of the campground layout
If you have additional energy, you could head back to Havasu Falls to “watch the sunset” – there is not a proper sunset with the high canyon walls

Day 2 – Downstream Waterfalls: Mooney and Beaver Falls

These full days of exploration are interchange within your Havasupai itinerary based on your priorities and how you’re feeling. Knowing myself, I have the most energy and excitement on the first full day after I arrive anywhere (it doesn’t matter how jetlag or physically exhausted I am – I am EXCITED). With this in mind, I wanted to tackle/explore downstream to Mooney Falls and Beaver Falls. This is a 6+ mile hike with various amounts of scrambling, water crossings, and heights involved. Going to Beaver Falls was a grand adventure and I loved every minute of it. However, this might not be everyone’s ideal first day. Consider switching Day 2 and 3 if you still want to see the 5 main waterfalls but are too exhausted from the hike in the day before.

Another 2-ish mile beyond Beaver Falls is the confluence, where the turquoise water of Havasu Creek meets the Colorado River. If you see photos where the canyon walls are narrow with Havasu Creek meandering through the middle, this is near or at the confluence. We did not go to the confluence, but I would consider it in the future, specifically to see this section… or explore it from a Colorado Rafting trip.

Day 2 Recap and Other Ideas:

Recap: explore downstream waterfalls (Mooney and Beaver Falls) and possibly even the confluence
Switch this day with the next to explore upstream waterfalls (Havasu, Lower Navajo, & Fifty Foot Falls)
Explore downstream but instead try to find secluded swimming holes, not worrying about going to the waterfalls
Keep it close to camp by exploring Mooney and Havasu Falls, but come back for lunch and nap in the afternoon – a true recovery day

Day 3 – Upstream Waterfalls: Havasu, Lower Navajo, and Fifty Foot Falls

Day 3 is when the tiredness finally caught up with me and I was ready for a more leisurely recovery day. We slept in a little later and decided to explore upstream from camp. On our way out, we stopped to fully experience the majestic Havasu Falls from multiple angles. Then we headed all the way up to Supai town. It was nice to see the town without the veil of exhaustion that we had on the first day. The store has many options for food if you’re craving something. Also, if you bought a postcard, you can send it from town on this day (the post office likely will not be open when you pass by it in the morning, but there is a mailbox if you were smart enough to purchase a stamp on the first day).

After seeing Supai town and talking to a local about Beyonce shutting down the canyon to film the Spirit musical, we headed to the top of Lower Navajo Falls. Lower Navajo Falls is right off the main trail and also known as Rock Falls. This area of the canyon is particularly wide and the ground is flat, making it ideal for sunbathing and pool soaking. From the top of Lower Navajo/Rock Falls, take an adventurous walk to Fifty Foot Falls.

When you’re ready to head back to camp, take the trail at the top of Lower Navajo Falls that leads to the bottom of Lower Navajo Falls to enjoy a new view. Then continue following this trail until it reconnects with the main trail. Enjoy Havasu Falls again before settling down at camp. You’ll need this evening to prep for the early morning departure.

Day 2 Recap and Other Ideas:

Recap: explore upstream waterfalls (Havasu, Lower Navajo, & Fifty Foot Falls)
Switch this day with the next to explore downstream waterfalls (Mooney and Beaver Falls)
Explore upstream, but CHILL at the top of Fifty Foot Falls, switching from soaking in the sun and pools periodically
Try to find Hidden Falls – much smaller falls that is not considered one of the main falls. In 2008, a massive flood that redirected the water to Fifty Foot Falls and Lower Navajo, leaving no water running over the previous waterfall. You can try to find the dry waterfall called Dry Navajo Fall. You’ll have to do extraneous research as I do not know these waterfall locations.

Additional Full Days

If you are staying for more than 3-nights, you are a lucky dog because you can make everything a little slower. Here are some things to consider if you have more days, that I’ve already hinted to, but imagine making a full day of it:

Hike to the confluence and say hello to people rafting the Colorado River
Find secluded swimming holes to spend some time in (I imagine you might have more options downstream, but you’ll have to explore and report back to me)
Try to find Hidden Falls (if it even exists) and Dry Navajo Falls, but do some research before you go
Spend a day at camp or at the nearby falls – Mooney and Havasu
Find a secluded set of trees to hang a hammock and take a nap in (this might be harder than you think with how popular it is at Havasupai)

Whatever you decide, it’s all good. You don’t have to see all the waterfalls if you don’t want to. You don’t have to leave camp for your entire trip. Or you can visit every waterfall twice. It’s completely up to you, what you’re feeling, and what you want from YOUR vacation. Don’t let others tell you otherwise. The climb down Mooney can be overwhelming to people with a fear of heights, so don’t urge someone to go with you if they are visibly afraid. There is plenty to see upstream, so this is me giving you permission for you to do you, boo.

Day 4 – Departure

Pre-dawn departure. We aimed to leave at 4 am to avoid the sun/heat, mules, and helicopter rides again. If you’re using the mules, be sure to leave your pack at the appropriate signs. Even at this early, there was a line in Supai town for the helicopter… As I mentioned in the Hike to Havasupai post, it feels dramatic to leave in the dark, but it was quite peaceful and I encourage you to experience it. Your job today is to get back to the trailhead and your car safely.

Prepare for Crowds

I’ve written about Havasupai’s popularity before, but it is worth talking about in-depth. This canyon used to be relatively unknown with people able to camp anywhere, ride mules, and have the place to themselves. I feel bad for families that have gone there for decades for a peaceful outing, but it’s simply not the case anymore. It will not be the case unless you are living there during the month when the land is not open for tourists. The popularity is large part due to social media. This is exactly how I discovered it, so I can’t complain about it, but I can mentally prepare for the crowds.

Knowing that it is a popular destination with a competitive permit system, you must understand there will not be many times you will be alone. Everyone will be taking roughly the same trails, so you will be passing other people constantly. In some ways, this was a good thing as I was hiking alone at times. It was nice to know someone was nearby if anything happened. I met some awesome folks who also love the outdoors and what to protect it. On the other end of the spectrum, I also passed by people with a loud portable speaker then later saw them set up a hammock and start drinking from a bottle. Gross!

For the foreseeable future, you must expect a significant amount of people experiencing Havasupai at the same time. The permit system and designated camping zone have likely helped control the number of people and waste produced. The price has also increased dramatically, but I am sure that it takes a lot of resources to preserve the land as best as they can. I am curious about how this will continue to develop in the future.

Overall Thoughts: Havasupai Itinerary

Thinking through your itinerary is super important when going to this incredible destination for a limited time. Once you do some research on the 5 main waterfalls and read through my Havasupai blog posts, I recommend that you prioritize what you are hoping to do while you are there. This is especially important if you are going in a group or even with a partner or a couple of friends. Have the conversation before you go, so you can either work together to accommodate everyone or mutually decide to split up for different parts of the trip. Since I wanted to see all 5 of the main waterfalls, I would often break away from my group to go experience them on my own. When my group did split up, it made for even better discussions while back at camp.