How To Get A Permit For Havasupai Falls (2027 Guide With Screenshots)

Snagging a permit for Havasupai Falls has been on my bucket list for many years. They aren’t easy to secure though. I had to battle through website outages, server failures and glitches that booted me out of the permit queue for four hours.

But finally, in 2026, I was able to get a permit for Havasupai Falls. I just returned from my trip and it was worth every bit of frustration during the reservation process.

The Havasupai Tribe made some big changes to how the system works for Havasupai permits in 2026.

I’ve been keeping a notes document for 10 months, adding every little tip or thought that I came across that would give you the best shot at getting permits for Havasupai Falls.

I think the most valuable part of this guide are the screenshots that show you exactly how to navigate the unusual booking system. These will save you a lot of time on release day when seconds matter.

In this post:

• Key dates and details for Havasupai reservations
• My best (and slightly unorthodox) tips for getting a permit for Havasupai falls
• Campground, lodge, mule and helicopter prices and details

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What Changed In The Havasupai Permit System?

• There is no longer a lottery for permits
• Permits for Havasupai Falls open on Jan 21 (early release) and Feb 1 (general release)
• You cannot sell or transfer your permits
• Partial refunds (50%) are only available for trips more than 90 days out
• New (very glitchy) booking system

How Havasupai Reservations Work

All permits for Havasupai Falls are for 4 days and 3 nights. The tribe does not permit day hikes, so you must pick either a campground permit or a lodge reservation in order to see Havasu Falls.

Campground Vs Lodge Permits

The Havasu Campground is right along the river and is closest to the waterfalls (Havasu Falls, Mooney Falls and Beaver Falls).

Camping permits cost $455 per person, and you’ll have to pack in all the items you need for camp.

Havasu Lodge is located in Supai Village, which is 2 miles from the campground and Havasu Falls.

Each room costs $2,277 for the 3 nights, and can accommodate up to 4 people. Unfortunately, there’s no discounted rate if you have fewer than 4 people.

Permits for Havasupai Falls are not fully refundable. You may get a 50% refund if you cancel more than 90 days before your trip starts.

Additionally, you cannot transfer your permits to another person. This used to be possible, but was discontinued starting in 2026.

Key Dates For Havasupai Falls Permits

The first possible date to book a permit for Havasupai Falls is January 21 at 8am Arizona time.

These are early release dates which come with an additional $40/person fee ($160/lodge room).

General release starts on Feb 1 at 8am Arizona time. All bookings completed on or after this date do not have an additional fee.

TIP: Arizona does not observe daylight saving time. That means summer trips (during daylight saving) will follow pacific time.

I chose to book during early release and pay the additional $40 for my camping permit because I had a very limited number of dates I could book.

However, if you have flexible dates for your trip the general release is a better option. I checked openings during the general release and saw that a majority of dates were still available.

NOTE: This article references 2026 dates, which may change in 2027. The tribe typically announces updates in late December or early January. Set a reminder and check their website.

Mules At Havasupai Falls

It is possible to make a reservation for a mule to carry your backpack in and out of Havasupai Falls.

After witnessing the use of mules first-hand, I would not recommend this. Too many of the ones that passed us had open sores from their saddles and straps. However, none of them looked malnourished or underfed.

If you have mobility challenges, the mules are an option available to you. If you’re able-bodied, I’d highly encourage you to consider the “full backpacking experience” (ie hauling your own pack – you’ll feel so accomplished! 😉)

Here’s what you need to know about booking a mule:

• One mule costs $400 (round-trip) and can carry up to 4 backpacks
• Each backpack is limited to 32 lbs, this is strictly enforced and your pack will be weighed on-site
• Officially, you are not allowed to sell extra spaces if you have fewer than 4 backpacks
• Mule reservations are non-refundable
• Your credit card is not charged for mules until a few weeks prior to your trip
• Book mules with your camping or lodging reservation (it’s a drop-down option located on the checkout screen after you select your dates)

TIP: Keep an eye on your credit card charges for the mule transaction. Some people report accidentally being double charged, while others say they were never charged and their reservation mysteriously disappeared.

Additionally, hiring a mule for your backpacks comes with a few additional logistics to navigate.

• Inbound: bag drop at Hualapai Hilltop runs from 4-9am and are delivered between 2 and 5pm.
• Outbound: bag drop before 6am and delivered to Hualapai Hilltop between 9 and 11am.

NOTE: For trips in October, November and February outbound bag drop is before 7am.

If you opt to have a mule carry your backpack, you’ll still need a daypack to carry water, first-aid, food and any other items you’ll need on your hike.

Helicopters At Havasupai Falls

Helicopter flights in Havasupai cost $300 per person, each way. The cost includes a carry on bag up to 15 lbs. Bags over 15 lbs cost an additional $50 each.

NOTE: You can pay for your flight with a credit card, but there is an additional $20 fee.

Helicopters at Havasupai Falls are independently operated, and you cannot book them in advance. Instead, you can sign up on location, up to 24 hours ahead.

To sign up, you must put your name on the physical list, in person. It’s literally a sheet of paper with names scribbled on it.

Most people sign up the morning of their flight. It’s first-come, first-served for campers, so the earlier you get on the list the sooner you’ll be flown out. *The list closes at noon*

For flights into Havasupai Falls, the sign-up is located at the helipad next to the parking lot at Hualapai Hilltop.

For flights out of Havasupai Falls, the sign-up is located near the helipad in the center of Supai Village.

There is a limited schedule for helicopter flights. Weather permitting, flights only operate on Sunday, Monday, Thursday and Friday each week.

During those days, flights start at 8:30am and run until noon.

While there are still flights in and out after noon, they are strictly for village supplies and cargo and passengers are only allowed onboard with special permission from the flight crew.

NOTE: Helicopter flights are never guaranteed. Priority is given to tribal members before seats are offered to visitors.

Officially, the helicopter policy is that bags cannot be flown without a passenger. This seems to be enforced more often for flights down to the canyon, but not so much for flights out of the canyon.

However, most policies, hours of operation and rules in Havasupai seem to be general guidelines and can change without notice so I recommend always having an alternative in mind.

How To Get A Permit For Havasupai Falls Step-By-Step

With the new reservation system released in 2026 came quite a few nuances to booking a permit for Havasupai Falls.

Several of these are not obvious and if you’re not aware of them ahead of the release date, they could delay your booking process and cause you to miss out on permits entirely.

1. Pre-Release Checklist

Make sure you’ve got all of these things in order before permit release day!

• Create an account at havasupaireservations.com
  • the tribe recommends adding a form of payment, but I did not find this necessary
• Pick 3 or 4 optional dates and list them by priority
  • You will have less competition for dates that start mid-week
• Decide if you’re booking during early release or general release and set a calendar reminder
  • TIP: I recommend you block several hours on your calendar – it took me 4 hours to get permits
• Have the first and last name of everyone in your group (you must add these at checkout)
• Identify your trip leader, and up to 2 potential alternative trip leader (PATL). These are the only people who can pick up your permits.
  • TIP: Utilize both PATL options just incase a leader cancels the rest of your group can still go
  • Use the name on your legal ID – these must match in order to pick up permits on-site
• Bookmark the direct booking URL (here). The “book now” homepage button will take you here, but they occasionally remove it during traffic spikes.

2. Hold Multiple Spots In The Queue

When there are too many people trying to book a permit for Havasupai Falls at the same time, a queue is activated.

If you’re booking right when permits are released, you’ll likely experience this.

In my experience, the queue can be very glitchy. I waited in line for over an hour only to have the browser refresh and kick me back to the end of the line.

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Instead, have multiple tabs open at once with each one holding a place in the queue.

That way, if one tab glitches you still have a spot held.

3. Only Add One Guest To Your Cart At A Time

This is another very confusing (rightfully so) thing that trips up many people.

Typically, when you book a reservation you select the total number of guests in your group then search for availability. THAT’S NOT HOW THIS SYSTEM WORKS!

Leave the guest drop-down set to 1. If you change this setting the system won’t allow you to add a permit to your cart and checkout.

Instead, add one guest to your cart at a time.

Once it’s in your cart, the permit is held for 10 minutes.

NOTE: The countdown timer does not restart with every new permit added to your cart. You have 10 minutes total to get all the permits you want added to your cart and purchased.

Then, go back (use the “add booking” button) and add another guest to the cart.

Do this for as many guests as you need permits for. Each time you will see an additional person in your cart.

Once your cart has the total number of guests you want to buy permits for, then you checkout once.

Clicking “checkout” takes you to a page where you’ll fill in your two PATLs (optional but highly encouraged), whether you want to book mules, and your primary contact details (the trip leader who is responsible for picking up permits) and your credit card information.

Visa, Mastercard, Discover and AmEx are all accepted forms of payment.

NOTE: The 10 minute countdown timer continues on the checkout page. Have you credit card information ready so you don’t run out of time.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not checkout for each individual permit. If you do this, you may end up with non-refundable permits for only a portion of your group, then find the date is sold out for the rest of the permits needed.

4. Take A Screenshot Of Your Confirmation Page

There can be a substantial delay between booking your permit for Havasupai Falls on the website and receiving the email confirmation to your inbox. Sometimes hours.

It’s very important to screenshot your checkout confirmation page.

With all the glitches in their booking system, I saw several people complain that they had successfully completed a booking… but then never received an email confirmation, nor had their card been charged.

You may need this screenshot to prove you have permits later, if the system glitches.

If you do not receive an email confirmation within 24 hours you should immediately contact the Havasupai Tribe at support@havasupaireservations.com.

5. Get Trip Insurance

Having trip insurance is optional, but something I recommend for most visitors (especially if you’re trip is during monsoon season!)

Most insurance providers will not issue an insurance policy to you after a disaster, so it’s important to purchase your plan well ahead of your trip.

TIP: Check whether your current health insurance policy covers outdoor activities, like hiking and backpacking. It’s not uncommon to need supplemental insurance for these types of activities.

The Havasupai Tribe does not provide reimbursement or rescheduling if they have to close Havasu for any reason – including weather.

The campground can close for flash floods, and often, remains closed for up to a few weeks while they restore the trails.

That means your trip may be canceled even if you aren’t there during a flood.

Not all trip insurance is created equal. Different plans work better for different types of travel.

For Havasupai, I recommend using World Nomad insurance – they’re specifically designed for outdoor activities and each plan includes the coverage you need for hiking, backpacking, camping etc.

It’s also very affordable. Exact rates vary based on dates, your age, location, etc.

For reference, my quote was $65 and some of the items included were:

• Up to $2,500 for trip cancellation
• Up to $2,500 for trip interruption
• Up to $125,000 for medical expenses (with some exclusions, like pre-existing conditions)
• Up to $400,000 for medical evacuation
• Up to $1,000 for lost, stolen or damaged personal items

NOTE: This is not a comprehensive list, and I recommend reviewing the detailed policy exclusions prior to purchasing.

If you want “cancel for any reason” coverage then you need to upgrade from the standard policy (shown above) to the Explorer policy (my quote for this tier was $119.)

Best Time To Visit Havasupai

My top picks: Mid-to-late October or May
Months to avoid: July, August, September

I think the absolute best month to visit Havasupai is October.

Specifically, the second half of October when the weather is still warm, the sun doesn’t set too early, and you’re past monsoon season (which brings dangerous flash floods to the area!)

My trip dates were October 8-11 and the temperatures were perfect.

We had daytime highs in the 70s, which was meant the water was refreshing during the day and while hiking.

At nighttime the lows were in the 50s and felt perfect for cozy tent sleeping.

Mid-April through mid-May is a close second for the best time to visit Havasupai. You’ll have great weather for hiking, and are likely to see the cacti in bloom.

Because the water in Havasu is fed by an underground spring it remains a constant temperature year-round, usually around ~70°F.

The tribe does not issue permits for January or December, so it’s not possible to visit Havasu Falls during those months.

February is the best month to visit Havasupai if you want to avoid crowds. However, it’s still very cold so you’ll need more cold weather gear (which adds weight to your pack.)

Unless you are used to hiking in desert heat, I would not recommend visiting in July, August or early September.

The desert sun is so much hotter than you’d expect, even if temperatures are similar to your typical hiking experience. These months are also the highest risk of flash flooding.

Havasupai Trip Logistics

There are a few additional things to know before you can finalize your trip details. Keep these in mind when planning your flights and travel dates!

Arrival Logistics

The easiest way to get to Havasupai is to fly into Las Vegas and rent a car (I like discovercars for price comparing).

From Las Vegas to Peach Springs (nearest town to trailhead): 2 hours 30 minutes
From Las Vegas to Grand Canyon Caverns Inn (permit pick-up location): 2 hours 45 minutes

These are the nearest locations to spend the night before your trip. Then, it’s another 1 hour 15 minute drive to the trailhead.

TIP: Fill your gas tank in Peach Springs. It’s nearly 3 hours round-trip to the trailhead and there are no other refill stations along the route.

Gear Rentals & Resupply

If you do not own backpacking gear, or you do not want to fly with it there are several rental locations for outdoor gear in Las Vegas.

Basecamp offers gear rental packages for Havasupai.

Additionally, Target and REI are both located near the Las Vegas airport. You cannot fly with propane canisters for your cook stove (not in your checked nor carry on bag!), so you’ll likely need to stop and pick up some supplies when you arrive.

Not sure what to pack? Check out my printable packing list for Havasupai and gear recommendations here.

Permit Pick-Up

Your trip leader, or PATL, must pick up your group permits before you can hike into Havasupai.

Permit pick-up is located at Grand Canyon Caverns Inn, which is an hour and fifteen minutes from the trailhead. You must stop here first, before you drive to the trailhead.

Permit pick-up is open 6am to 6pm (except from Nov-Feb when hours are limited to 8am-5pm.)

I highly recommend getting your permits the night before your hike.

The earliest you can get permits the day of your hike is 6am, which puts you at the trailhead after 7:30am and that’s too late to start a 10 mile hike if you want to avoid the heat.

TIP: Hualapai Lodge is located in Peach Springs and is the best hotel in the area. Grand Canyon Caverns Inn has a great campground with clean, recently renovated bathrooms and showers. Options are limited and sell out quickly, so book early!

Bring your photo ID for permit pick-up. The tribe will check your ID matches the name on your reservation. They’ll only issue permits to the leader (or PATL) you designated when you booked.

Each guest on your reservation will receive a wristband, which must be worn for the duration of your trip. You’ll also receive a parking pass to display on your dashboard when you park at the trailhead.

Havasu Trail Details

The trail starts at the Hualapai Hilltop parking area. It’s a 10 mile hike from the trailhead to the campground entrance.

If you’re hiking to the lodge, you’ll stop in Supai Village which is only 8 miles from the trailhead.

The first part of the trail is the hardest. You’ll immediately hike down switchbacks and a fairly steep section of the trail down to the canyon floor.

From the bottom of the switchbacks the trail snakes through the canyon. Because of the steep walls most of this trail is shaded into late morning.

There’s a mix of sand and gravel along the hike, so it’s a bit more challenging than walking on hardpacked dirt. Shoes with good ankle support are very helpful for this hike.

The Havasupai campground stretches for a mile, so your total mileage for the day will depend on how far into the campground you go.

Navajo Falls, Fifty Foot Falls and Havasu Falls are all located just before you reach the campground.

Mooney Falls and Beaver Falls are located past the campground. Mooney Falls is immediately after the campground ends, but Beaver Falls is 5-miles one-way.

Rules At Havasupai Falls

There are a few rules to know ahead of your trip to Havasupai Falls:

• No drones
• No pets
• No alcohol (including at the parking lot)
• No campfires (but camp stoves are ok!)
• No cliff-jumping
• No inflatable toys

FAQs About Permits For Havasupai Falls

More Nearby Stops Worth Adding To Your Trip

This area of the country is packed full of great destinations. If you have a few extra days to fill on your trip these are my top recommendations:

Visit Grand Canyon National Park – it’s a 2 hour drive to the south rim!

Visit Zion National Park – it’s a 5 hour drive through stunning desert scenery

Still Have Questions?

Leave a comment with your question below! I check comments regularly and am always happy to help.