Title : How to Get a Havasupai Permit
link : How to Get a Havasupai Permit
How to Get a Havasupai Permit
Getting a permit to Havasupai Falls is the first step in your adventure to the beautiful, turquoise falls, but how do you get one? And how far in advance? What about group size? These are all questions I hear all the time when it comes to wanting to travel to Havasu & Mooney Falls. I'll fill you in on some secrets, tips, and the know-how so you can have the best waterfall adventure yet!
I'll be up front with you - getting a permit to Havasupai is one of the worst and most frustrating experiences I've ever had. Now that I know what to expect, I can pass this info along to you so you (hopefully) won't become as frustrated as I did. First you need to know that as of 2016 the Supai Navajo Tribe begins accepting camping & lodging reservations every year on February 1st at 7am Arizona time. Office hours are 7am-7pm. Reservations typically fill up for the entire year within 7-10 days. There are TWO phone numbers you can call to make a reservation:
CAMPGROUND
928.448.2121
928.448.2141
LODGE
928.448.2111
928.448.2101
You may be asking yourself - why are there two possible phone numbers for each location? Due to the recent popularity of visiting these amazing waterfalls in social media, various articles, and photography, as soon as the reservations open, literally thousands of people are calling at once to get a spot. Havasu Canyon is one of those rare places that offers must-see grandeur with a tough permit system. The office is very small, and only 2-3 people are answering phones.
EMAIL
httourism0@havasupai-nsn.gov
There is also an email which the tribe says you can make a reservation through. I have never heard of anyone being successful at getting a reservation through this email, and those who do end up hearing back get a decline on the permit (weeks after emailing them).
Now that you know the basics, let's talk about what happens WHEN you call them. Here's what happened for me:
I started calling them February 1st, around 8am. I kept calling, and calling...and calling. All day - nothing. I couldn't get through. I was trying to make a reservation for 8 people to go. I thought, "Ugh! This isn't good - I have 8 people depending on me to get a permit for the group. I guess I'll just keep trying!" Let me say that my job is an office job where it's not super busy throughout the day and I am able to make personal calls. This put me in a great position to call literally ALL DAY. I kept hitting redial alternating between the two phone numbers, thinking I'd have better luck with one. I tried one of those redial apps (which large groups will use), but it didn't work that great for me. Day 2 (February 2nd) comes around and I finally heard the ring tone. Music to my ears! Then it would ring, and ring...50 minutes later of ringing I hung up. This was getting sooo frustrating! Of course when calls came in to my office I would stop calling and take care of work stuff. This whole time I kept checking some of the popular Outdoor Facebook groups, seeing people posting and asking if anyone had gotten through yet. Slowly people responded that they got a permit, but not for the days they originally wanted. This made me not only jealous, but I also knew that at least people were getting through. I was determined to get that permit! Day 3 (February 3rd) I would hear the ring tone again, but nothing. An hour later it rang again, this time for about 2 minutes, when..."Hello, thank you for calling the reservation desk at Havasu. How may I help you?" I couldn't believe my ears when finally, AFTER 17 HOURS TOTAL OF CALLING, that I heard someone speak into the phone.
The man asked what dates I wanted. We wanted to go over Memorial Day Weekend - I knew it was a long shot at this point but at least I had some dates to start with. He said it was already booked. I said, "Ok, how about the following weekend?" Booked. Ok, I told the man, how about you just tell me what dates you DO have available? He responded July 8th was the next open weekend with enough spots for a group of 8. I immediately said, "I'll take it!" At this point I didn't care what dates I got as long as I could go. In the back of my mind I thought, "Oh sh!t - it's gonna be extremely hot during that time! What am I thinking?!" I was very surprised that by day 3 of calling that February-June was totally booked. He asked for my name and phone number and gave me a confirmation number. It is important that you write this number down or save it someplace safe - Havasu will NOT email nor mail you any type of confirmation. The confirmation number they provide you is your key to getting into the canyon.
Camping permit: $17 per night, per person
Environmental Fee: $5 per person
Entrance/Tribal fee: $35 per person
Tax: 10%
Here's an example of how to total all the fees. This is based on a 3 night camping stay for 4 people. I am rounding up.
($17 x 4 people) x 3 nights = $204
($5 x 4) + ($35 x 4) = $160
add a 10% tax per person
TOTAL: $401
Here's another example for 1 person for 3 nights. I am rounding up.
($17 x 3 nights) + $5 + $35 + 10% tax = $102
Payment is not accepted until you arrive at the Tourism Office. The tribe will ask for ONE payment for your group, to minimize paper work and fees on their end. They prefer credit or debit cards. After you check in and pay the fees, the office will provide each person with a wristband or tag that you have to wear the entire time in Havasu Canyon, as well as a tag for each of the tents. These are checked daily by a ranger who patrols the campground. If you see someone post that they are "selling" their spot say, on a Facebook group, Craigslist, or your local classifieds - don't pay them! It's a scam! You don't pay for anything until you arrive, so you won't be getting anything in return from the scammers, you'll only be out the money you pay them.
How much does it cost to stay at the lodge?
If you get a reservation at the lodge, you can skip the tourism office and go straight to the Havasupai Lodge. All fees are collected upon arrival, but you can only check in between 9am-5pm daily, so plan your 10 mile hike around these times to make sure you get there before it closes. There is no kitchen or food provided at the lodge. You'll need to come prepared with your own food and stove/jet boil. You can get food from the Supai Cafe or the grocery store in the village, but hours are unpredictable due to the remote location and prices are not cheap. Keep in mind that the lodge is still 2 miles from Havasu Falls, so you'll still need to hike to get to the water.
Lodging Prices
Up to 4 people per room: $145/night
Deposit: $40 per room, per night
Entrance fee: $35 per person
10% tax
Cancellations for Havasupai Lodge
If you need to cancel your reservations, you need to do so at least 2 weeks in advance. You won't get your deposit back.
No day hiking is allowed. There are signs posted everywhere, and if you are caught in the area without a permit (or a reservation while walking to the permit office), they will fine you. Rangers do patrol the campground and falls. We got checked once while in camp, and once while at Beaver Falls.
NO DOGS are allowed on this trail!
NO DOGS are allowed on this trail!
Rates for Mules & Horses
(subject to change)
Round trip Hilltop TH to camp & back: $187
One way to OR from camp: $95
One way out (arrangements must be made in person through the tourism office one day prior to your departure date): $95
Havasu Falls Day Tour (Lodge to Falls): $60
Round trip Hilltop TH to Lodge: $120
One way Hilltop TH to Lodge: $70
Bringing your own Horse
You must bring your own feed and pay a fee at the tourism office. Reservations are always required to camp or lodge with a horse, so mention this when you call to get a permit. Keep in mind that parking is extremely hard to find at the TH, and with a trailer it would be even more difficult.
Helicopter Info
Helicopters depart at 10am & 1pm, and accommodates people on a first come, first serve basis. Local Supai Tribe members ALWAYS get priority to fly first. The cost to fly one way is $85. My friend arrived at 6am to get in line to fly out at 10am. Because all the tribe members got to go first, plus with strong winds, he didn't end up leaving the village until 8pm. Be prepared to wait all day. He also said that the helicopters have frequent mechanical issues, so there may only be one helicopter to service a lot of people, and they can only fit 4-6 people in at one time due to weight load.
The last stop for gas is in Peach Springs, AZ or Kingman, AZ. Fill up on gas here - you can also fill your water bladders with ice, grab last minute snacks, and use the restrooms before getting on the road for the last hour.
On your Apple or Google Maps App, you can type in "Havasupai Campground Parking Lot - "Hill Top", Supai, AZ 86435".
Here's a link
GPS Location of the Hilltop Parking Lot: 36.9791353,-114.1715494
On your Apple or Google Maps App, you can type in "Havasupai Campground Parking Lot - "Hill Top", Supai, AZ 86435".
Here's a link
GPS Location of the Hilltop Parking Lot: 36.9791353,-114.1715494
Route from Las Vegas, NV
Route from Phoenix, AZ
1. Plan on hiking here during the week. Weekends always fill up first.
2. Plan to come after Mid/Late August. This is when the kids and teachers are back in school, and parents are back to work. You'll have a much higher chance of getting the dates you want during late August, September, and October.
3. Have several friends calling for a permit at once. The more help you have, the more likely you'll get through.
4. Consider using an Auto Re-Dial App
5. The smaller the group, the easier you'll get a permit.
6. It may be frustrating, but don't give up on calling! If you give up, then there's no way you'll get a permit.
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Check out my post on Hiking to Havasu Falls!
2. Plan to come after Mid/Late August. This is when the kids and teachers are back in school, and parents are back to work. You'll have a much higher chance of getting the dates you want during late August, September, and October.
3. Have several friends calling for a permit at once. The more help you have, the more likely you'll get through.
4. Consider using an Auto Re-Dial App
5. The smaller the group, the easier you'll get a permit.
6. It may be frustrating, but don't give up on calling! If you give up, then there's no way you'll get a permit.
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What other questions do you have? What was your experience like? Let me know below!
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