October 18, 2019

Arizona – The 5 Main Waterfalls of Havasupai

e vibrant blue waterfalls of Havasupai are shockingly blue. After driving for hours in the desert and then hiking another 10 miles, it doesn’t seem possible to have something NOT be a dusty brown color. Yet, at Havasupai, the crisp, clear water is bluer than the sky. And to make the area even more scenic, there are a series of waterfalls as the water flows down toward the Colorado River. There are 5 main waterfalls of Havasupai: Lower Navajo, Fifty Foot, Havasu, Mooney, and Beaver Falls. Each is a little different, so let me break them down with my tips for best experiencing the falls.

What is Havasupai?

Havasupai is a Native American 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 from. You can make reservations to camp at Havasupai each February – do some research on the permits because they have been changing the system in recent years due to the massive popularity of the falls. Here is the reservation website. From the parking lot from the nearest road, it is a 10-mile hike to the campground.

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Hike and Camp at Waterfalls of Havasupai

When I began writing about Havasupai, I realized that there is a massive amount of information to cover. To save you scrolling to the single area that interests you, I broke up the information into four blog posts. If you’d like to read more about the 10-mile hike and thoughts on training, check out my Hike to Havasupai blog post. If you’d like to read more about the campground and gear recommendations, check out my Camp at Havasupai blog post.

Lower Navajo Falls/Rock Falls

This is the first waterfall that you’ll see while hiking from Supai town to camp. Above the falls are some gorgeous pools to laze about in. The canyon is wide here with a large flat area, making it a lovely hang-out and sunbathing place to relax. Enjoy the pools, but also be sure to find the small trail to the right of the falls and go to the bottom of the falls for a gorgeous view of them. When I visited, there was absolutely no one below the falls and I had them to myself – crazy. If you follow this lesser-used trail, you can get some beautiful views of the river before reconnecting with the main trail back to camp.

Once there was a singular Navajo waterfall, but a massive flash flood in August 2008 diverted the water and created the “new” Lower Navajo Falls and Fifty Foot Falls (the next one I cover). This is why the falls are also referred to as Upper and Lower Navajo Falls.

Experience Lower Navajo Falls/Rock Falls:

Swim in the pools.
Carefully go to the edge while in one of the deeper pools look over – there is nothing like feeling all the water around you rushing by to go over the falls. This can be dangerous, so please be careful.
Take the narrow trail down to the bottom of the falls.
When you’re ready to go back to camp, continue along the trail that leads you to the bottom of the trail to get a different view than the main trail.

the waterfalls at the Waterfalls of Havasupai

woman taking a dip after hike at Waterfalls of Havasupai

woman taking a photo near the Waterfalls of Havasupai

woman dipping her feet at Waterfalls of Havasupai

Fifty Foot Falls

It’s very easy to miss these falls if you’re not looking for them. Tucked around a corner and upstream from Lower Navajo Falls, you’ll be able to see it at certain angles from the main trail. To reach the base of the falls, follow the trail upstream from the flat area next to the pools at Lower Navajo Falls. You will have to go through thick tule weed, climb a hill, do a waist-high river crossing. It can be confusing but try to head toward the falls on the trail and you will get there. Due to all this adventuring, fewer people visit these falls.

What I liked about these falls is how wide they are, so it like a curtain of falling water, rather than a single blast. I’ve seen photos where there is a wide shallow open space at the base of the falls. This was not my experience at all. The water does not create a pool, instead, it diverts into deeper streams (one of which you’ll have to cross). Tule weed has completely grown in and there is sediment built up right next to the falls that creates small hills. These hills make it intense to experience these falls – in order to have an unobstructed view, you have to be very close to the falls. Without a large pool below the falls, you don’t get that vibrant blue color. I am not sure if this is how it has developed over the years, or if by October, the plants grow in …?

Experience Fifty Foot Falls

Go adventuring to find these falls – especially if you’re already at Lower Navajo.
Keep expectations low in case tule weed has grown in.

two waterfalls at Waterfalls of Havasupai

woman taking a selfie at Waterfalls of Havasupai

Havasu Falls

Postcard-perfect, easy to access, and easy to photograph, Havasu Falls is a fan-favorite. The water falls 100ft into a bright turquoise pool. On your initial hike in, you can breathe a sigh of relief when you reach Havasu Falls because you’re nearly at the campground. You will follow a wide trail next to the falls with views the entire way down. There will be an obvious trail that leads you to the base of the falls or toward the campground.

Havasu Falls is a stunner. Such a stunner in fact, that Beyonce utilized this waterfall as a backdrop in her “SPIRIT” music video. The exact rock Beyonce stands on was there when we visited. Although it is not as high as Mooney, Havasu Falls is slightly more picturesque due to the canyon being a little wider allowing more light at different times of the day and the vegetation that surrounds it.

Experience Havasu Falls

Spend at least a few minutes viewing the falls every time you pass because the lighting and time of day will greatly change your experience of the waterfall.
Get photos from the base of the falls – there are a couple of rocks that you can stand on to make it look like you’re in the water (be careful, some rocks are very slippery).
Get photos on the walk up/down the main pathway.

Mooney Falls

Not for the faint of heart, getting to the bottom of Mooney Falls is a scenic, yet nerve-wracking adventure. The waterfall is 200ft tall with a wide, beautiful pool at the bottom. The canyon surrounding the falls is extremely steep, so to get down, you will need to do a series of scrambles, tunnels, chained railways, and wooden stairs. The “Descend at Your Own Risk” signs are not lying. I recommend taking it slow and allowing eager people to pass you before you get started on descending or ascending. What makes it extra challenging is that the lower you get in the canyon, the more of the rock and ladders get covered in mist, making them slippery. Bring a lunch while exploring downstream, so you limit the number of times you descend/ascend.

When I visited, there were picnic tables in the water and a beautiful large pool that you can walk through and around. It is such an impressive sight and also chilly due to the mist coming off of the falls with little sunlight due to the high canyon walls. You can almost feel the pounding of the water in your chest as it hits the ground at the bottom. We did not spend much time at the bottom of the falls, but I do feel like I got amazing views all the way down.

The name Mooney Falls comes from a miner who tried to climb the steep walls while carrying an injured miner in an attempt to bring the man to help. Unfortunately, he fell to his death, but his name was never forgotten. I cannot imagine trying to scale the cliffs around Mooney falls without the rebar, chains, ladders, and caves that we have today… let alone with someone else strapped to you.

Experience Mooney Falls

If you’re not afraid of heights, take a look at Mooney falls from the cliffs above, before heading down – it is a wild angle of 200ft waterfall.
Wear stable hiking boots for the climb up and down and bring water shoes for exploring.
Before you begin climbing, allow eager people to go ahead of you. There is no rush.
Reduce the number of trips up and down Mooney Falls to reduce traffic in this narrow, somewhat dangerous, and difficult-to-pass climb.
I don’t recommend taking photos during the climb. If you do, be very careful and do not hold people up.
Remember, even if you’re not afraid, other people might be.

woman at the Beaver falls at Waterfalls of Havasupai

ladder at the Beaver falls at Waterfalls of Havasupai hike

view of the Beaver falls at Waterfalls of Havasupai

Beaver Falls

Some argue that Beaver Falls is not actually a waterfall. Truthfully, it is more of a series of cascading pools over limestone terraces, but I definitely consider it to be one of the main waterfalls of Havasupai. When I saw photos of Havasupai on Instagram, it was Beaver Falls that grabbed my attention and imagination to the point of looking it up. I was not disappointed. You can walk in the turquoise pools, go behind the main waterfall, and sit in awe of the beauty while you eat lunch. I wish that I spent more time exploring the route to Beaver Falls and the area surrounding it.

Now, of course, paradise is not easy to get to. It is about 3 to 4 miles downstream from the campground with creek crossings (I think we did 3 of them), hilly climbs, more ladders, and light scrambling. A sense of adventure is helpful. Check out sites like this one for more detailed steps on how to get to Beaver Falls. Or do what we did and embrace leisurely discovering the route. I loved this hike due to the varied vegetation, wildlife (goats), and river views along the way. There are areas with trees coming out the river, green vines and vegetation, and an indirect glow of the sun that makes it seem like a movie set. Too beautiful to handle.

One more note, there is a ledge next to Beaver Falls that I saw people jumping from into the turquoise river. Cliff jumping can be dangerous and water currents could change day-to-day, year-to-year. Not to mention, the tribe forbids cliff jumping in any part of Havasupai. Just don’t do it.

Experience Beaver Falls

Get an early start and bring many snacks, plus lunch.
Don’t expect to be alone, even if you get an early start.
Enjoy the journey.
Explore the different pools of Beaver falls. I had also heard there was a ladder to the left of the falls (when looking at it), where you could climb to the upper pools and further upstream. When I go back, I’ll definitely be exploring that in the future!

top view of the 5 waterfalls at Waterfalls of Havasupai

woman at 5 waterfalls at Waterfalls of Havasupai

woman taking a photo at Waterfalls of Havasupai

view of the 5 waterfalls at Waterfalls of Havasupai

Where are the 5 waterfalls of Havasupai?

When researching Havasupai, I had difficulty understanding where these falls are in relation to one another and the campground. With that in mind, let’s do a quick recap.

Upstream from camp (between Supai town and camp), there are Lower Navajo Falls, Fifty Foot Falls, and Havasu Falls. These are quite easy to find as they are right off of the main trail with the exception of Fifty Foot Falls. To get to Fifty Foot Falls, start at the top of Lower Navajo Falls. Then, on land, head upstream. It will narrow and become a trail. Follow the trail through the tule weed, going in the direction of the falls. After a stream crossing, you’re practically there.

Downstream from camp, there is Mooney Falls and Beaver Falls. Mooney Falls is immediately below the campground, whereas Beaver Falls is 3 to 4 miles further downstream. There are going to be multiple trails at different points on your way to Beaver. To me, it seemed like they will all get you there with various levels of difficulty at different points. You will need to do at least a couple of stream crossings.

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 blog post: Havasupai Itinerary.

Overall Thoughts: 5 Waterfalls of Havasupai

I have yet to experience anything like the turquoise waterfalls of Havasupai. The remoteness paired with the seemingly unending red rock makes Havasupai a complete oasis. It took some effort to understand where each of the waterfalls were and how to structure my days, but I am glad I made the effort to see the main 5 waterfalls of Havasupai. Although I cannot guarantee it, there are likely smaller cascades and swimming holes in the sections that we missed while hiking on land. In the future, I would like to explore more of these less-visited sections, but it is important to recognize your own level of exhaustion/tiredness/soreness from the hike in. It caught up with me by Day 3.