Havasu Falls is one of the most beautiful places in the American Southwest: water the colour of turquoise, tinted by dissolved minerals, tumbling over red rock into pools surrounded by cottonwoods. It lies in Havasu Canyon on the Havasupai Reservation, a remote side canyon of the Grand Canyon, near the village of Supai — home of the Havasupai people, whose name means “people of the blue-green water”.
Visiting is strictly controlled by the Havasupai Tribe. You need an overnight reservation — for the campground or the lodge in Supai — made through the tribe’s official system, which opens once a year and is far oversubscribed. Day hikes are not allowed. Rules, dates and prices change, and closures for flood damage have happened, so check the tribe’s official website for the current situation and beware of unofficial resellers.
What to see and do: Havasu Falls (Havasupai)
The waterfalls
Below Supai, Havasu Creek drops over a series of falls: Little Navajo (also called Fifty Foot Falls), Havasu Falls beside the campground, Mooney Falls (reached by a steep descent with chains and ladders cut into the rock) and, further on, Beaver Falls.
The hike in
From Hualapai Hilltop the trail descends switchbacks and then follows a dry wash for about 8 miles to Supai, and about 10 miles to the campground. Many people start in the dark to avoid the heat. Pack animals or a helicopter (when operating, for a fee and with priority for tribal members) can carry gear or people.
How to get to Havasu Falls (Havasupai)
- Hualapai Hilltop, the trailhead, is at the end of Indian Road 18, about 60 miles from Route 66 near Peach Springs. It is roughly 4 hours’ drive from the South Rim or Las Vegas. Stay the night before in Peach Springs, Seligman or Kingman.
Insider tips
- Book only through the Havasupai Tribe’s official reservation channel and read all the rules — permits are tied to names and dates.
- Flash floods are a real danger in Havasu Canyon, especially during the summer monsoon. Watch the weather and follow instructions from tribal staff.
- Carry out all your rubbish and respect the village of Supai: photographs of residents require permission.
Best tours & tickets for Havasu Falls (Havasupai)
These top-rated experiences pair well with a visit to Havasu Falls (Havasupai):
Helicopter and boat from US$324 Grand Canyon West: Helicopter & Boat with Park Entry Options
Two short helicopter flights bracket a boat ride on the Colorado River at the bottom of Grand Canyon West. A newer listing with only a handful of reviews so far, but excellent ones.
- Helicopter down to the canyon floor and back
- Boat ride on the Colorado River
- Optional West Rim entry
Helicopter flight with landing from US$279 Grand Canyon West: Canyon Floor Landing Helicopter
If you are already at Grand Canyon West, this short flight drops you onto Hualapai land near the river, thousands of feet below the rim. Landings like this happen at Grand Canyon West, outside the national park — tours over the park itself do not land in the canyon.
- Land 3,500 feet below the rim near the Colorado River
- About 20 minutes on the canyon floor
- Live pilot narration
Coach day tour from US$99 Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam View, Lunch/Skywalk Options, WiFi
The most-reviewed Grand Canyon tour on GetYourGuide, with more than six thousand reviews. It visits Grand Canyon West on the Hualapai Reservation — the closest part of the canyon to Las Vegas — with a photo stop for Hoover Dam. The Skywalk is an add-on: choose it when booking if you want to walk the glass bridge.
- Early arrival at Grand Canyon West, often ahead of the crowds
- Hoover Dam photo stop
- Optional lunch and Skywalk
Helicopter flight with landing from US$529 Grand Canyon Helicopter Landing Tour with Las Vegas Transfer
The signature Las Vegas splurge: fly from Vegas to Grand Canyon West, descend some 3,200 feet below the rim and toast with champagne beside the Colorado River before flying back. Nearly two thousand reviews.
- Flight over Hoover Dam, Lake Mead and the Colorado River
- Landing on a plateau near the river at Grand Canyon West
- About 30 minutes on the ground with champagne and a light picnic
