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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, the Early Access Permits Period 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:
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.
Permits are limited in order to:
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.
Visitors can stay in either the Havasu Campground near Havasu Falls or the Havasupai Lodge in Supai Village (2 miles from Havasu Falls). Both require reservations to be made in advance and the minimum stay is 3-nights.
Havasu Creek Campground is the closest lodging to the waterfalls, making this the most popular option for visitors. You must hike in with all the gear you need to camp.
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. Room are furnished with beds, a bathroom, and electricity.
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.
2026 prices for Havasu Falls reservations were just released. Here's how much it costs to stay in Havasupai in 2026:
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 2026 permits to hike and camp at Havasu Falls are released on the following dates:
The Havasu Falls Early Access period allows you to purchase a reservation / permit to hike and stay overnight in Havasupai Falls before reservations are released to the general public on February 1. If you get a permit during the Early Access Period, you will pay a premium fee in addition to the cost of the campground / lodge reservation.
The remaining permits for Havasu Falls will be released to the general public for booking/reserving on February 1, 2026 at 8am Arizona time.
As Havasu Falls trips get cancelled, those permits are released to the general public to be reserved. If permits for Havasu Falls are sold out, check for trip cancellations for a chance to get available permits!
You can only purchase new and transfer/canceled permits for the Havasu Falls hike from the official Havasupai Reservation system.
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! Whenever an original permit / reservation holder cancels their Havasupai trip, their permits are available to the public for purchase. Monitor the official Havasupai Reservation system daily for available reservations that become available for purchase.
All cancellations must be initiated and completed through your account at the Havasupai Reservation System and may be eligible for a partial refund. Any refund will be returned to the credit card on file that was used to make the original purchase.
Cancelled permits will be available to the public to be reserved.
In the new Havasu Falls Reservation system, you will only be able to add 1 permit per booking at a time. If you plan to book more than 1 permit under your name (for the rest of your group), you will need to repeat Steps #2-4 for each permit you're trying to reserve.
If you plan to reserve a pack mule to carry your gear down to Havasu Falls, you will be able to do so during the booking process.
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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