Havasupai, Grand Canyon, Arizona

Havasupai… This was definitely one of the most intense camping trips I’ve ever been on. It was an experience like no other. If you are a fan of all things active & are okay with camping, this is the trip for you.

How to get there:

It took me a solid 8 hours to drive there from Los Angeles and I left midday. Make sure you type in Havasupai Trailhead on your navigation to ensure it takes you to the right place. Once we arrived to the trail head, we parked in the lot and slept in the car, then began our hike into the Grand Canyon at 4am. You don’t want to start any later as it does it get hot once the sun starts to rise and you will be hiking for 15 miles or so. They won’t let you hike any earlier than 4am.

Before you go:

1) You need a permit. Unfortunately though, obtaining these can be difficult. You will have to call/go online the day it opens up to the public. Typically this is beginning of February but check on their website just to be sure. They sell out within minutes, though which sucks so be aware. I’ll attach the link that gives you further details on how to go about this. Tip: pay attention to the time of year you are going. Weather conditions vary. To get a reservation, please click here.

2) Once you get a permit, make sure you pack properly. Please, remember to bring water, hiking shoes & a proper hiking bag. Sound’s like common sense but I know some people who underestimated this hike/trip and didn’t have the best time in terms of lugging things around. Please refer to my post “Camping Essentials”.

3) You can either hike the 10 miles to get into the village where you check in, and then hike 2 miles to the actual campground, or you can get a helicopter ride to the village and then hike 2 more miles to the actual campground. For the helicopters: Keep in mind it is first come first serve. I suggest getting there right when it opens to put your name down on the list. The cost of fly is $85 each person one way. If you choose not to fly, pack lightly as you will have to carry it all down yourself. They do offer a service where you drop off your bags for the donkeys to pick up later in the day and deliver to your campground site but I don’t recommend this. Same for leaving the campground: you can hike out or chopper out. First come first serve. Tip: you will be waiting a while for a chopper ride as it is very popular. My friends and I waited a solid 6 hours for ours when leaving and we got there right when it opened.

4) A lot of the waterfalls are spread out so you will be hiking in addition to get to those. It get’s tiring. Make sure you bring water shoes. Very important. One’s that are great for actual hiking too.

5) Try to stay for 3 nights at least so you’re not overexerting yourself. There is a lot to see but you don’t want to cram it all in because then you won’t fully appreciate it all.