If camping in Havasupai Falls, Arizona is in you bucket list keep reading! Here you’ll find some tips and what to expect when hiking and camping in this beautiful place around the month of May.
Backpacking and camping in Havasupai falls has been one of my favorites experiences. The hike to get there is long, about 10 miles, but it’s beautiful so make sure to have a backpack that weighs no more than 20% of your weight so your hiking experience isn’t a painful one. Check out this Havasupai Falls packing list.
I love camping but I’m more into camping in a secluded place where is not too busy and doesn’t feel like tent-city. I was initially concerned about the camping situation because there are up to 300 campers per night and even though you need a permit to get to this incredible place campsites are first come, first served. There are also no designated numbers for each campsite so in an open space you could be camping with multiple campers that were not even in your group but surprisingly it didn’t feel like tent-city at all.
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The Trail
The Hike In
The start of the trail from Hualapai Hilltop begins with a quick 1,109 ft descent down steep switchbacks and a straightaway trail in the first 1.5 miles through rocky terrain leading you to the Havasu Canyon. In the next 6.5 miles of the hike you’re gradually decreasing in elevation. You soon start to notice that the open canyon floor starts to change in scenery when the canyon walls begin to surround your sides.
The hike consists of flat and sandy wash terrain and rocky terrain but it is easy to follow and it’s not hard to walk on but I highly suggest to hike with hiking sticks/trekking poles to take some stress off your joints, allow blood flow to your hands and fingers so you get no swelling, and you also get a little support by balancing a little bit better while carrying a heavy backpack.
Eventually you start to see some more green vegetation and a sign pointing you to Supai and to the Hilltop greet you and give you a nice energy boost. Soon after the sign, you get your first sight of the beautiful Havasu creek with the most beautiful blue-green water. You walk about 0.5 miles and you cross your first wooden bridge to continue on the Hualapa Hilltop trail to Supai village.
You walk another 0.4 miles and the trails opens up even more! you start to see the beginning of the Supai village where you’re greeted with another sign posted on a tree that reminds you to not take video or pictures of the village out of respect for the locals. At this point, you’re starting to really feel the weight of your backpack but knowing that you’re at the Supai village gives you a nice energy boost because you know you’re getting closer to the campground.
The Supai Village
As you walk through the village you’re gradually descending more and the trail becomes more sandy which makes it a little harder to hike down to the campground. I was glad I used this amazing combination of wool socks with this foot cream and wide toe trail runners that prevented me from getting blisters because at this point you start to feel those hot spots turn into blisters and if you don’t treat it, the rest of the way will feel painful with every step you take.
15 minutes later you pass the village which has the helipad in case you need to take the helicopter out on your last day, the post office, the cafe and little market where you can get food if you really need to.
At this point is very tempting to stop at the cafe which is right next to the helipad to get a cold drink or something to eat but try to avoid the urge and keep on hiking toward the campground so you can get a nice spot.
Keep hiking pass the cafe and head towards the left where you will walk pass the school, the church, and the last houses from the Supai village.
TIP:
- Buy a post card when you check-in the day before your hike and once you’re at the Supai village go to the post office and send yourself the post card. This is the last official mail-by-mule in the country which makes it the perfect souvenir!
- You can get cell phone reception (T-mobile & AT&T in my experience) and charge your phone or portable power bank at the cafe inside and outside in case you need to do it.
Passing the upper Waterfalls
You walk 0.7 miles and off to your left you see Little Navajo Falls in the distance and it looks incredible. This is the first waterfall you see from the top of the trail and you realize you just passed Fifty Foot Falls and still need to hike past Hidden Falls and Havasu Falls to get to the beginning of the campground so you continue your way in making a mental note of where these falls are so you can come back and visit them up close and personal.
0.5 miles later you have to cross the Havasu creek by crossing a sketchy little bridge that comes with a little warning sign that says only one person at a time can cross the bridge and your adrenaline starts to kick in a little giving you another energy boost.
At the time of my stay, the main bridge was not finished and the sketchy bridge was the “plan B bridge” you had to cross. Expect something similar if you go a few months after the August flood that occurred on 2024 which might’ve damaged the main bridge that was completed shortly after I made my trip in May 2024.
As you walk a little further down the trail you hear the roar of another waterfall to your right and you’re suddenly overcome with such joy and excitement when you see the infamous HAVASU FALLS in front of you in all her glory! Your body is sore but your soul is 100 times happier than when you started this trip.
TIP:
- Take a picture of yourself with all your gear the Havasu Falls in the background from this semi-bird’s eye view perspective and even gawk at it for a little bit BUT remember that you’re on a mission to get to the campground as soon as possible to snag a good camping spot.
The Campground
The campground has multiple sites along either side of the Havasu creek. Some sites are tucked away by the canyon wall and in the trees, some are on a little island, some are right in front of the creek “waterfront,” and others are located in wide open areas but none of them are designated and they are first come, first served.
We went past the 3rd toilets and crossed a bridge that lead us to the other side of the creek and luckily saw a spot right across the bridge that was small enough for one tent and had a picnic table. It was surrounded by little trees and bushes which made it feel like we had our own camping spot even through we were right across the bridge where there was foot traffic. I loved that it had sturdy trees right in front our spot by the creek to hang our hammock too and had a nice view of a series of little cascades on the creek with a deep enough area to swim in the creek after a long hike.
Everyone has a different idea of what the perfect camping spot is since we all have different priorities and needs. Here are some of the different campsites you will encounter and you can decide what fits you best.
TIP: Once you’re at the entrance of the campground you should walk the extra mile and head to the end of the campground past the first toilet, the fern spring, and even the second toilet to get a prime camping spot.
Camp spots tucked away in the trees
Some of the first spots you will see when you walk at the beginning of the campground are these campsites that at first don’t look like campsites because they are to the right of the main path in between the high dense tree areas. These are similar to the spots that are tucked away by the canyon wall but instead of having the canyon wall on one side, you will be surrounded by trees.
Pros:
- Even though these spots are off to the side on the main path, you still get some privacy.
- Plenty of trees to hang your stuff.
- Shaded area
- Close to the Fern spring water.
- Closer to the upper waterfalls and the Suapi village.
Cons:
- No view of the creek.
- You’re still close to the main path so will hear the foot traffic.
- Farthest from Mooney falls which means you have to add an extra mile for Beaver falls, and the confluence hike.
- Some might see it as a con: Frogs are constantly croaking around these spots.
Camp spots in "Open areas"
The first spots you will encounter will be located in the “open areas.” These areas are at the beginning of the campground just past the first toilet and second toilet. They are just big spots of dirt where 10 or more tents can be set up which is great for big groups.
These spots are also very close to the fern spring water which is the only potable source of water at the campground.
Some of these spots are right by the Havasu creek but you get no privacy since some of these areas are right on the path to get in and out of the campground, and the people camping closer to the canyon wall will have to cross your campsite to get to the Havasu creek if they want to go for a little swim. In my opinion, these are the worst spots because there’s zero privacy, a large amount of people camp here, the foot traffic is way too much compared to other spots, and the bathrooms usually get pretty smelly or can run out of toilet paper.
Pros:
- Close to the spring fern.
- Great for keeping large groups together.
- Perfect if you’re not planing on hiking to the confluence since it’s closer to the upper waterfalls and the village.
- You get visits from the village dogs more often and get to make friends with these cuties.
Cons:
- High traffic areas which means more people and more critters.
- Toilets get smellier faster due to traffic and might run out of toilet paper.
- Farthest spots from the confluence.
- No privacy.
- You’re lucky if you get a spot by the creek since they are pretty popular.
- Some spots might not have enough shade.
Camp spots on top of Mooney Falls "Open area"
There’s another spot that is better than the “open area” camping spots at the beginning but I would still classify it as “open area” camping spots because these are on the open but the terrain is a bit different. These spots are located on top of Mooney Falls! There is a large area where there are minimal bushes and you’re surrounded by small red rocks.
Pros:
- You have a clear view of the stars at night which is an amazing sight.
- Might have one or 2 neighbors max.
- You get to wake up with the amazing view of Monney Falls.
- Located at the end of the campsite so it’s closer to the bottom waterfalls and the confluence.
- There was a picnic table when I went but know that this might change.
Cons:
- No privacy during the day. Fellow campers will constantly stop by to take photos of Mooney Falls from that angle and your site is fully exposed to the campers that walking by to descend down Mooney Falls.
- The roaring sound of Mooney Falls might be a little too loud.
- No shade which means no protection from the sun.
Camp spots tucked away by the canyon wall
If you’re looking for privacy, these are the perfect spots for you! These spots are tucked away by the canyon wall and you will start seeing them right after the fern spring water source. There are plenty of trees that surround these spots and on some spots you can only access them by taking a small path off the main path.
Pros:
- Most private spots in this campground.
- Great for small groups since only one or two tents can fit.
- They have plenty of trees that provide shade and can easily hang your stuff.
- Can hang a hammock
- Most had picnic tables
- Fits 1-3 tents
Cons:
- Not the best for big groups.
- Close to the canyon walls walls so make sure to look out for rock debris.
- One of the worst spots if you go during monsoon season because water will flow down to your campsite from the top.
- Not close by the creek.
- The spots closest to the 2nd and 3rd toilets usually get a little whiff at the end of the day and early morning when the toilets get a little full.
Camp spots on the "Island"
Island spots are premium spots because you’re surrounded by water and will get a waterfront spot no matter what. It is located between the 2nd toilet and the island ends almost at the top of Mooney Falls.
Pros:
- You get a spot right in front of the creek no matter where you decide to camp in the island.
- Plenty of shade.
- No critters!
- Limited space so only the people that camp on the island will pass by your site.
Cons:
- Limited space but very sought after spots so you might get the feeling of tent-city.
- Hard to get spots.
- No privacy.
- You might find a picnic table but you will have to share with fellow campers.
- Some might see this as a con: you have to cross multiple
Waterfront camp sites
This sites are located pretty much everywhere along the creek but the best spots are located the closer you get to Mooney Falls passed the 2nd toilet across the creek, you usually have to cross a makeshift wooden bridge or planks. These spots are the second most sought after spots because you’re by the creek and have plenty of shade.
Some spots closer to the 4th bathroom are right in front of the creek and are surrounded by bushes and brush which makes them very private. These spots are insanely hard to get and you should consider yourself extremely lucky if you get to camp by one of these spots. The only downside for these spots is that the 4th set of toilets are not cleaned as regularly as the other 3 (probably because it is out of the way) so if you are a little too close to the toilets, you might get some foul smells here and there.
I personally prefer these type of spots and I was willing to give up privacy and a picnic table if it meant waking up with the view of the creek, hanging in my hammock, and taking a nice little swim in the creek whenever I wanted after my hikes. I packed a super light chair that would allow me to stay off the ground while eating and I was also going with the state of mind that I was going to cook on the ground.
I feel like I got pretty lucky after looking for a spot for a while. I was able to find this spot that came with a picnic table and with room for one tent only. At first the picnic table was taking over the entire spot and my nephew and I overlooked it a couple of times but after making two rounds we decided to turn the picnic table sideways and there was plenty of room for our tent. Plus, it was divided by bushes and a couple of small trees from our neighbors so I felt like I had my own little spot. We used the semi-small trees to hang our food in this ratsack and hang our clothes. We didn’t have much shade in our spot but we were out exploring majority of the day so we didn’t have to deal with the sun and whatever we needed to keep cool, we would keep it under the picnic table or in the tent. The tent was never hot inside after we came from exploring even though it was sitting in the sun
At first I was worried that having the crossing bridge in front of our spot was going to be annoying but our spot was on a little hill and campers were able to use the trail down by the hammock instead.
TIP:
- If you end up storing your food in a ratsack, I highly recommend using this odor proof bags to store your food and even trash. Even though there are not a lot of critters once you cross the creek (I never saw one or heard one around our site), but our neighbors down two campsites had a ratsack with no bags (no ziplock or the odor proof bags) and they said they woke up to their granola bar wrappers slightly chewed up. There was no damage to the ratsack but these critters managed to chew around the wire until they got some food.
- We opted to eat our lunch on the go so we stored our lunch in an odor proof and was fine in our day bag while we were enjoying swimming in the waterfalls. We did hear a couple upset at Havasu Falls because critters made a hole in their bag and stole their food! Those critters are relentless!
- If you get a spot with no shade, make sure to leave the rain cover on the tent and deflate your sleeping mat slightly so they don’t tear from the heat expansion that occurs when it’s too hot.
Pros:
- You wake up with the view of the creek.
- Can swim at the creek to cool down after the hikes.
- Plenty of shade.
- Plenty of trees so you can hang a hammock.
- Some sites have a picnic table.
- Some sites have more privacy than others.
- Less critters when you cross the creek.
Cons:
- Hard to find a spot in these areas.
- Little privacy depending on the site you pick.
- You will have a neighbor close by.
- If you get a campsite by the 4th toilets you will have to cross to get to another toilet since this toilet is not as readily serviced as the other 3 toilets are.
- If you’re by the 3rd toilet, you might get a little bit of a nasty whiff here and there.
- The closer you get to the 4th set of toilets, the narrower the path gets and the more outgrown vegetation you will see but I guess this depends on the season.
TIP:
- If you can’t find a prime camping spot, don’t worry! Look for the spots you really want and ask the campers you see there when they’re leaving, they will either tell you they leave the next day or they just arrived. If they leave the next morning, chances are they will be leaving incredibly early (3 or 4 AM), ask them what time they’re planing on waking up to pack and wake up to do the same so you can snag that spot before another camper with the same idea does it before you do.
- During my stay, I had 3 people ask me when we were leaving and the day we were packing out there was a couple ready for us to leave so they can start setting up their tent. Our neighbors who arrived 10 mins after we did and took the smaller spot next to us ended up moving the day after we got there to a spot across the creek too so don’t feel like a vulture or embarrassed when it comes to asking random campers
Campground amenities
Toilets
There are a total of 4 outhouse toilet buildings located all throughout the campground. The first set of toilets are at the beginning of the campground, you can’t miss the building. this building might be one of the most used toilets. The 2nd set of toilets is after the fern spring, the 3rd set of toilets is a short distance from Mooney falls, and the 4th set of toilets is located across the creek between the 1st and 2nd set of toilets.
All of the outhouse toilets have a set of three rooms with composting toilets in individual rooms except for the first building which has 4 sets of toilets.
Each room consists of a composting toilet, toilet paper hung on the side, a small trash can, and a bucket full of wood shaving with a scooper to scoop out the wood shavings that you have to add in the toilet after you do your business.
TIP:
- Bring a small roll of toilet paper with you. The toilets get cleaned regularly but there are certain times of the day where some toilets ran out of toilet paper.
- Some outhouse toilet rooms don’t have a scooper in the wooden shavings so be prepared to bring a bag to scoop up a handful and add it to the toilet after duty calls so you don’t add to the ammonia smell that comes off those toilets.
- There are no sinks so please don’t forget to squirt a little hand sanitizer on your hands after you come out of the outhouse and wash your hands the minute you get to your campsite. You don’t want to find out what the rotovirus does to your camping experience. These hand soap sheets are amazing and weight almost nothing! they are lifesavers when you go camping and backpacking.
Potable water
The only source or potable water the campsite has comes from the Fern spring water which is located at the beginning of the campground. There is no need to filter or chemically treat this water to be able to drink it. The water from the spring does get tested regularly and will notify you if this water needs any sort of treatment. Any other water found in the reservation will have to be filtered or treated.
I’m a very picky water drinker, some water leaves me with an aftertaste and I’m unable to drink it because mentally I psych myself out not to drink it just based on flavor and the water from the fern spring was tasteless and very refreshing!
If you’re like me or just has the need to treat the water in some way you can get a mini water filter or purification tablets just to put your mind at ease so you have one less thing to worry about and enjoy your stay even more.
Food
There are two fry bread stands close to the campground but they are not always open, and only one tent is open at a time. There is one located at the top of Havasu Falls and the other one is located pass the wooden bridge. On May 2024 the stands alternated every other day and accepted cash only, bring about $30 to $50 if you plan on eating lunch for at least two days.
The fry bread stands offer their famous Indian taco, frybread burger, sweet frybread, and cold drinks. I highly recommend the Indian taco and the sweet frybread. The Indian taco has beans, ground beef, lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese which tastes amazing after a long day of hiking. They have condiments on the side too so if you’d like to add a little bit of spice you have the option to add some green salsa or some hot sauce.
If you don’t mind hiking an extra 2 miles uphill, another option is to eat at the Supai cafe, they have a bigger menu and they accept credit card or cash. There’s also a small market where you can get some food too but some items might be limited. Hours vary with season so make sure to check the hours when you pass the village on the first day of your hike.
TIP: Even though there is food available at the village and at the fry bread stands, I would recommend in packing food for 3 nights and 4 days (Day 1 breakfast should not be included in this) because you can’t always count with these amenities. The fry bread stands don’t have a set time of when they open or if they open the day you end up going. On top of that, you will get very hungry because you will be hiking every day so you will need more food than usual.
This is what I packed when I went camping at Havasupai falls in May but if I could do something different, it would be to pack more fresh food and just more food in general than what I packed. I originally had planned to eat at the fry bread stand and the cafe for lunch for one day so I didn’t pack as much food as I should and I totally forgot one of my dinner bags. Luckily my nephew brought these MRE bars that tasted like chocolate protein.
Breakfast
- Day 1 (Hike in)– PB & J sandwiches. These portable PB&J packets are amazing! An apple and a banana.
- Day 2-4- PB&J sanwitches.
Snack
- Day 1-4- Jerky, dried mango, fruit bars, or trail mix.
Lunch
- Day 1-3- Tuna salad with crackers.
- Day 2 or 3- Fry bread stand
Snack
- Day 1-4- Jerky, dried mango, fruit bars, or trail mix.
Dinner
- Day 1-3- Freeze dried Meals.
TIP:
- I tried both the Mountain House Adventure meals and Peak Refuel and they both tasted great for a freeze dried meal but in my opinion, the Peak Refuel meals were much more flavorful than the Mountain House meals, especially the fetuccine alfredo chicken flavor. I also loved these biscuits & gravy and peach cobbler meals.
- Keep in mind that one bag of these freeze dried meals have 2 servings, so one bag should technically feed 2 people, however, I ate about 3/4ths of the bag after a day of hiking.
- If you’re planning on hiking to the Confluence I suggest you bring more carbohydrate-rich food or snacks.
Picnic tables
There are plenty of picnic tables in the campground but not all of the camping sites have a table. You will see a mixture of green metal picnic tables and wooden picnic tables. The tables are not nailed or screwed to the ground so people with big groups tend to move picnic tables around certain areas, this is why you will see some spots have two picnic tables while other big areas have none.
Floods will change this and you might not see many picnic tables months after a flash flood has occurred.
No Showers
There are no showers in the campground so you have to take some “wet wipe showers” in your tent. These wet wipes are great at getting you clean without tearing or leaving your skin feeling dry.
TIPS to getting the best camping spot
The best camping spot will depend on your needs and preferences but if you’re looking to snag one of the premium spots by the creek you need to do the following to increase your chances at getting one:
- Start your hike in around 4 or 5AM so you can get to the campground as early as you can!
- People leave extremely early to hike out and you might be able to get a better spot if you arrive earlier than the hikers that hike in the same day you.
- Don’t settle for the first campsite you see unless it checks all the boxes.
- If possible, have one member of your group stay at the campsite you feel it’s ok and walk around the campground to see if there are any better spots.
- Scope out better campsites.
- Ask people when they’re leaving if you love their spot. If they leave the next day you can snag that spot as soon as they leave.
- If there’s no one in the spot you like, check out the tag that should be hanging on their tent to see when they leave so you can move in as soon as they leave.
- You can find great waterfront spots between the second and third outhouse toilets and across the creek.
- The closer you get to Mooney Falls, the better the spots in my opinion.
Things to do at Havasupai Falls
In my opinion 4 days is not enough to explore the whole Havasupai reservation area. There’s so much to see there! The first thing you should do is explore all of the 6 waterfalls.
- Navajo Falls
- 50 Foot Falls
- Hidden Falls
- Havasu Falls
- Mooney Falls
- Beaver Falls
When you check in the day before your hike, you will be given a map of where all the waterfalls (except for one) are roughly located. It will feel like you’re going on a waterfall scavenger hunt! Hidden Falls is not marked in your map but it’s easy to get to once you find the trail for it.
If you’re up for it, you could also head down the Havasu creek past Beaver falls to see the confluence. Check out this Havasupai Falls Itinerary post for some ideas on how to plan your stay.
