Have I Scared You Away Yet? If you want to make this trip…
You’ll need reservations. There are limited slots available on any given day and they can book up months in advance (especially for 3-day weekends). Visit havasupai-nsn.gov for all of the official information on reservations and policies. There are tour guides and other third party groups that plan and run excursions, but there’s no reason you can’t go directly through the tribe.
Don’t just show up at the last minute, but if you want to go on short notice you can call and see if there have been any cancellations. With your reservation ready, drive to the Hilltop, hike down to the village and check in at the camping office. You’ll pay there (cash is best) and each member of your group will get a visitor bracelet they’ll need to wear for the duration of your stay. You can fill up your water here as well. Then it’s a simple matter of walking down to the campground and finding a place to set up camp. A ranger actively checks in on campgrounds to make sure they’re set up safely and are complying with rules and regulations. The ranger is your best resource for finding out if trails are safe to traverse, especially if you’ve had inclement weather. Spring water is available at the campground but there are only two water sources, so you may have to stand in line to fill up. It isn’t strictly necessary to treat the water to make it safe to drink. Cautious campers, however, may wish to employ a filter, water treatment tablets or a UV treatment tool just to be safe.
That’s about all you need to know. The scenery is beautiful and well worth the effort of getting there. If you’re up for an adventure, this is one to put on your bucket list.
View from the top of the trail, we made it up to the top before the rain started:
On the trail to the village:
More Waterfalls:
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