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Got those vibrantly turquoise Havasu Falls, Mooney Falls, or Beaver Falls in Arizona on your adventure bucket list? You’ll need to get a permit from the Supai Tribe first before you can start planning your trip.
Permits to hike to Havasupai Indian Reservation are released each year on February 1st. However, new to 2024 is a presale reservation system that allows adventurers a chance to secure permits to Havasu Falls before they are released on February 1 to the general public.
I’ll show you step-by-step how you can score a permit to visit Havasupai Indian Reservation and hike to these magical waterfalls!
If you want to hike to Havasu Falls or anywhere in Havasupai Indian Reservation, including the magical Mooney Falls or Beaver Falls, you are required to make a reservation to either camp in Havasu Campground or stay at Havasupai Lodge in advance. Here's what you need to know about the Havasu Falls reservations:
Just 2 miles past Supai Village (10 miles from the Havasupai trailhead) along Havasu Creek is beautiful campground where hikers to Havasu Falls can camp overnight.
If camping is not your thing but you still want to hike to Havasu Falls, you can make a reservation to stay in Havasupai Lodge, located in Supai Village (8 miles from the Havasupai trailhead).
If you want to hike to Havasu Falls but weren't able to secure a reservation / permit before they sell out on the permit release date, there's still hope! You can monitor the list of permit cancellations / transfers on the official Havasupai Reservation system for available reservations that become available for purchase.
Whenever an original permit / reservation holder cancel their Havasupai trip, their permits are listed on the "Permit Cancellations /Transfers" list and are available to the public for purchase.
The majestic Havasu Falls and Beaver Falls are not located on public lands. Located just outside of Grand Canyon National Park in the Havasupai Indian Reservation, Havasu Falls, Supai Village, and everything inside this Indian reservation is managed by its residents, the Supai Tribe. The official Havasupai Tribe Tourism Office has required all visitors to make an advanced reservation to hike to and stay overnight at Havasu Falls.
Thinking about day hiking to Havasu Falls, Mooney Falls, or Beaver Falls without staying overnight if you don't have a permit? Don’t! Day hiking is not allowed.
Permit costs and minimum stay lengths continue to change year after year.
When I hiked to Havasu Falls in 2018, I stayed the minimum length of 2 nights at Havasu Campground. However, in 2023, visitors are required to stay a minimum of 3 nights. For the 3-night minimum stay, Havasu Falls permits in 2023 will cost $395/per person.
2024 prices for Havasu Falls reservations were just released. Here's how much it costs to stay in Havasupai in 2024:
Although these are the most expensive permits I’ve ever paid for, the unworldly experience of hiking to Havasu Falls is worth visiting! So much so that I hiked to Havasu Falls for the second time as soon as it reopened in February 2023.
Getting a permit to Havasu Falls is even harder than the actual 10-mile hike into Havasupai itself! Which is why it's so important to know the dates when reservations are released each year so that you can prepare to snag a permit. Due to the popularity of this hike, these permits typically sell out within minutes of when they are released. But with a little bit of strategy, persistence, and a whole lot of luck, you may be able to get a permit.
For 2024, permits to hike and camp at Havasu Falls are released on the following dates:
New to the 2024 season, the Havasupai Tribe Tourism Office just announced a new presale reservation period that gives you the chance to purchase a reservation / permit to hike and stay overnight (camp or stay in the Havasupai Lodge) in Havasu Falls before reservations are released to the general public on February 1.
The presale reservation period opens on January 5, 2024 at 8am Arizona time and ends on January 18th at 5pm Arizona time.
*Submitting a reservation entry during the presale period DOES NOT GUARANTEE a reservation! Instead, it gives you an additional opportunity to secure a reservation for your preferred travel dates before permits are released to the general public. This is similar to the permit lottery system for other bucket list hikes and adventures, like staying overnight at Phantom Ranch or hiking The Wave.
So how does the Havasu Falls presale reservation system work?
The remaining permits for Havasu Falls will be released to the general public for booking/reserving on February 1, 2024 at 8am Arizona time.
The list of canceled permits is updated every morning at 8:00 am Arizona Time. From what I’m seeing, there are plenty of canceled permits coming up daily. So as long as you and/or your group are flexible with dates and can get to the trailhead easily, you shouldn’t have an issue getting a permit to hike to Havasu Falls in 2024.
You can only purchase new and transfer/canceled permits for the Havasu Falls hike from the official Havasupai Reservation system.
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If you want to hike to Havasu Falls in 2024, you'll need to create a profile and make reservations from the official Havasupai Reservation system.
I recommend creating an your account before the presale and general reservations are released so that you can be ready to snag permits as soon as they are released. Here's how to create your account:
Whether you're trying to make reservations to Havasu Falls during the presale period or the general sale, log into your account 10-15 minutes before the permit release time.
During the presale reservation period, you'll be able to submit 3 desired travel dates for when you want to visit Havasu Falls for a CHANCE to secure a permit for those dates. As mentioned above, submitting a presale reservation entry does not guarantee a reservation (similar to any other hiking lottery system you may have encountered).
If all of the permits for your desired travel dates sell out during the presale period or general public release date (or you're planning a last-minute trip to Havasu Falls), check the "Permit Cancellations / Transfers" list for any available permits. This is great for anybody with flexible travel dates.
Because of how lifechanging an adventure to Havasu Falls is, getting a permit to hike to and camp in Havasu Falls or stay in Havasupai Lodge is extremely difficult. But hopefully this in-depth guide will help will you prepare and increase your chances for getting a permit to hike to Havasu Falls!
October - early May is the best time of year to hike to Havasu Falls. Day temperatures during this time of year are comfortable. However, during the winter months, you’ll need to pack for cold nights. When I hiked to Havasu Falls on February 2-5, 2023, we experienced comfortable day temperatures of high 40’s - low 50’s and cold nighttime temperatures of high 20’s - low 30’s. And during my first hike to Havasu Falls in March of 2018, day temperatures were perfect, in the mid-50F to low-60F, while night-time temperatures were in the mid-30F - low-40F.
I do not recommend hiking to Havasu Falls during the summer months when temperatures are well over 100F and there are no water sources available to hikers along the Havasupai trail. However, if you end up hiking in the summer, start as early as possible and carry more water than you need.
I’d argue that getting a permit to hike to Havasu Falls is even harder than the hike itself! Within hours of being released, permits are typically completely sold out. However, if you are flexible with your travel dates, you can always keep an eye out for any permit cancellations that come up.
Yes. Since Havasu Falls, Mooney Falls, and Beaver Falls are located in the Havasupai Indian Reservation, any visitors planning to hike to Havasu Falls or camp in Havasu campground, are required to secure a permit first.
Day hiking is not allowed in the Havasupai Indian Reservation. The minimum stay for visitors is 3 nights. Anybody wishing to visit or access Havasu Falls, Beaver Falls, or the Havasu campground is required to secure a permit.
Since there are several check-ins and checkpoints along the route, you will not be able to sneak in.
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