We get questions about Havasupai on a daily basis, from “How long does it take to hike Havasupai?” to “Can I swim in Havasupai Falls?” So where are here to answer some of the most common questions.

How Much Does It Cost to Hike Havasupai?

UPDATE:
For 2019, the cost for a reservation to camp at Havasupai is anywhere from $300 to $350 per person for 3 nights and depends on if you are going during the week or over a weekend. Purchasing 3 nights is the only option.

This has changed year to year so your best resource for this information is to visit the Official Havasupai Tribe Website. But for 2018, here is the cost for camping reservations. Reservations for 2019 are supposed to come available on February 1st, 2019 but be sure to keep up to date on that.  Our experience is, you never know.
1 Night – $140.56/person
2 Nights – $171.12/person
3 Nights – $201.67/person
However, there are additional fees for weekends, Spring Break and holidays. There is also a maximum stay of 3 nights but if you want to extend your stay, you can by booking a second trip. For example, if you want a 4 night trip, you would pay for a 3 night trip at $201.67/person and then for a 1 night trip for $140.56/person. The total cost would be $342.23/person. And YES, a reservation is required so don’t show up without one! They are checking reservations and IDs at the trailhead, at the Village if Supai and the campground.

How Long Does It Take to Hike Into and Out Of Havasupai?
The amount of time is going to depend heavily on time of year, your hiking experience and fitness level, whether you are carrying a full day pack or just a day pack and if all things go as planned. On our guided trips with people carrying 30-35 lb packs, they take an average of 6 hours to hike in and 7 hours to hike out. This is based on people that have trained for the trip. Hiking in temperatures of 90+ Fahrenheit will take longer than hiking in temperatures in the 70s, hiking with a full backpack of about 25-35 lbs adds time as do any unforeseen events like injury, rain, flash flooding, etc.

How Do You Get to Havasupai Falls?
The only way is to drive as it is in the middle of nowhere AZ. Here are some key starting points to direct you to Hualapai Hilltop (the trailhead).
Phoenix – If you are flying from out of town, you can fly into PHX (Phoenix Sky Harbor) or AZA (Mesa Gateway) airports. The main drag is I-17 to 69 N to 89 N to I-40 W to 66 W to Indian Road 18. If you fly into AZA, you will start from 202 W to 101 N or I-10 W before getting to I-17 N.  But before heading out of town, be sure to stop by our outdoor gear store on the 101 and Shea in Scottsdale:) The drive is about 4.5 hours.  Make sure to avoid Flagstaff as that will add to your drive.

Las Vegas – Many people fly into Las Vegas instead of Phoenix as it is closer and is sometimes cheaper.  The drive is also about 30 minutes shorter. Take I-11 to 93 S to 66 E to Indian Road 18.

Flagstaff – While there is an airport in Flagstaff, it is regional. Usually you are flying into PHX to catch a smaller plane to fly to Flagstaff. It is also typically more expensive. The drive from Flagstaff to Hualapai Hilltop is about 3 hours but the drive from Phoenix to Flagstaff is 2.5 hours, as is the overall flight after layover and changing planes. But if you are in Flagstaff, especially since I-40 is a main artery from the east, continue on I-40 to 66 N to Indian Road 18.

Can You Swim In Havasupai Falls?
Yes! The temperature of Havasu Creek is about 67 degrees Fahrenheit year-round with a perennial flow. However, always swim at your own risk as Havasu Creek is prone to flash flooding, especially during the monsoon season (mid June through September of every year). And of course, colder months make it difficult to swim unless you are from Minnesota and your daily winter adventure is swimming in frozen lakes.

Can You Camp at Havasupai?
Yes! The reservation pricing mentioned above refers to the campground. The campground is about a mile long and is between Havasu Falls and Mooney Falls along Havasu Creek and is first-come-first-served with no real designated camping spots. There is only one campground that holds about 350 people per night so be sure you are camping within the boundaries of the campground.  There is no camping allowed outside the designated campground.

Is Havasu Falls in Lake Havasu? 
Nope! If you go to Lake Havasu looking for Havasu Falls (Havasupai Falls), you will be a good 250 driving miles alway, not to mention the 10 mile hike to get to the falls.

Can You Bring Dogs to Havasupai?
No, Supai does not allow dogs but if you feel the need to sneak Muffy in, here is why you should not. Aside from the trails being very rugged, there is no leash law at the Village of Supai for the reservation dogs and they are territorial. The last thing you need is for your dog to get in a scuffle with a rez dog.  There is no immediate vet or medical care for you or your dog so you are looking at 100s of miles and numerous hours before you can get any kind of treatment for your best friend if anything was to happen.

How Much is the Helicopter Ride to Havasupai Falls?
Helicopter rides are $85 each way with a bag up to 40lbs and payable by cash or credit card (Visa, Mastercard, or Discover). The helicopter is provided by Airwest.  But before you get all excited about the easier access into Havasupai…

  • The helicopter does not take you to the falls.  You will still have an additional 2 mile hike each way to get to the falls and back to Supai.
  • The helicopter does not fly every day – see below – and it is first-come-first-served. This means you need to get in line early the morning of the flight to make sure you get a ride out. BUT, tribal members, their groceries and any other tribal business take priority so even if you are in line at 5am, you may not get out until well after 3pm.  You might as well have hiked out and got some exercise.

March 15-October 15
Sunday 10am-1pm*
Monday 10am-1pm*
Thursday 10am-1pm*
Friday 10am-1pm*

October 16-March 14
Sunday 10am-1pm*
Friday 10am-1pm*

Airwest will continue flying people in and out of the canyon until all people are accommodated or it gets dark – whichever comes first. The helicopter is also dependent upon weather. If it is too dangerous to fly, expect to hike out.

Can I Drink Alcohol at Havasupai? 
No!  Havasupai and Hualapai Reservations are dry. This means possession, distribution, or consumption of alcohol on the Reservation is a Tribal and federal crime, punishable by up to one year of imprisonment.  18 U.S.C. §§ 1154 and 1156.). You can take it from us, no matter how frivolous the act may seem, any law broken (small, big or even hard to prove) on federal land is a criminal charge and you will have to get an attorney just for the pre-trail hearing. So unless you want to spend 10’s of thousands on a trial and risk jail time, you will likely end up with a plea deal. So unless that beer is worth all this, wait till you get home to crack open a cold one! Oh, and watch your fellow hikers. If your name is on the reservation and your best bud sneaks in a beer, you are the one liable and likely to get slapped with the charge since you signed off on the permit – regardless of how innocent you are.

Can I Take Nude Instagram Photos at Havasupai?
Please don’t.  While you may think everyone wants to see your boobs or other parts of your anatomy, your junk will not add to the beauty of Havasupai. Plus, you are visiting someone else’s land that has a No Nudity rule, so have some respect for the place you are visiting – even if your IG status and celebrity depends on showing everyone your nips.

If you have more questions you want answered, make sure to visit the Just Roughin’ It blog. For the most up to date information about Havasupai rules, regulations, reservations, etc., visit the Havasupai Tribe Official Website. This is the best resource. Many of the Havasupai informational sites seem to be out of date.