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Last Updated on March 11, 2025 by Paul Clayton
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Best Time to Hike Havasupai Falls
Havasupai Falls, tucked within the Grand Canyon, is a paradise for avid hikers. The best time to hike Havasupai Falls is between March and November, when the weather conditions are most favorable.
Key Takeaways:
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- Best Hiking Season: The optimal time to hike Havasupai Falls is between March and November, with April-May and October ideal for moderate weather and fewer crowds.
- Winter Closures: The campground has previously closed from December to February, making winter an unfavorable time to visit.
- Permit Challenges: Havasupai Falls is one of the most difficult locations in Arizona to secure a hiking permit, requiring advanced booking.
- Summer Risks: June-August sees extreme heat (95-99°F) and frequent thunderstorms/flash floods, making early morning hikes essential.
- Lodging & Reservations:
- Havasupai Falls Campground requires early online reservations, typically selling out on the first day.
- Havasupai Lodge is more expensive but can only be booked via phone and may offer a more secure reservation option.
- Hualapai Lodge/Grand Canyon Caverns Inn are convenient pre-hike stays but do not provide direct trail access.
- Additional Considerations:
- No day hiking is allowed—only overnight hikes are permitted.
- Emergency assistance is limited, and drones are prohibited.
- Trail closures may occur due to repairs from past floods.
During these months, the temperatures are moderate, and the water levels of the falls are high, making it an ideal season to hike. However, it’s crucial to book in advance as permits are limited. The journey is challenging but rewarding, with breathtaking views and stunning waterfalls.
Did you know that Havasupai Falls is among the most difficult locations in Arizona to 
get a permit for? That’s because so many people want to visit this place!
Regardless of the season, hiking Havasupai Falls is a mesmerizing experience every adventurer should undertake. With that said, how do you time your visit to even get to Havasupai Falls? When’s the best time to hike Havasupai Falls?
Havasupai Falls
Generally, the months from April to September to October are the best for visiting, particularly because the waters are warm enough for comfortable swimming. However, the early and late seasons seem the best since they are less busy and crowded with people.
With that said, let’s look at what to expect at Havasupai Falls throughout the year.
You may also like: How Long Does It Take to Hike the Appalachian Trail?
December-February
In December- February of the 2018/2019 season, the Havasupai Falls Campground was closed to visitors, so you should avoid planning your trip to the Grand Canyon around this time.
March-May
Spring is perhaps the best time to visit the Havasupai Falls. The days are long, hiking is comfortable enough since the snow has melted, and you may also comfortably swim in the area (not always, though).
In March, the campground and falls appear slightly less busy than the rest of the season. The average temperature in March is 40-70 degrees Fahrenheit; on colder days, swimming in the waters of the Havasupai Falls is not always comfortable.
In April and May, temperatures average around 76 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively, so it’s generally more comfortable to swim. However, the Havasupai Falls Campground gets pretty crowded in late spring.
June-August
The summer is hot, with average temperatures ranging from 95 to 99 degrees Fahrenheit in June and July. The average high temperature in August is 95 degrees, just like in June.
Since it gets hot during the day, you must start hiking early. Most people planning a visit to Havasupai Falls realize this, and they will all try to lodge in the Hualapai Lodge the night before the hike.
Swimming is easiest throughout the summer. The summer months are the busiest here, with plenty of people on the trail and in the water. Thunderstorms and flash floods are also highly likely during these months.
September-November
September is similar to August – it’s still a very busy month, and flash 
floods and thunderstorms are likely. The temperatures are a little lower, though – 90 degrees Fahrenheit on average high, to be more precise.
In October, the summer heat fades away, and temperatures lie in the fairly pleasant range of 48-77 degrees Fahrenheit. The weather is still hot enough for pleasant swimming, but the scorching sun is no longer there.
In November, the temperatures drop to 37-63 degrees Fahrenheit. A less busy month, November is solid for a visit to the Havasupai Falls, but the water can sometimes get uncomfortably cold here. If you want to swim in the Falls, perhaps November isn’t the best month for your trip.
Things to Keep in Mind with Havasupai Falls Campground
Before making a reservation at the Havasupai Falls Campground or Havasupai Lodge, there are a few things that you should keep in mind. These are outlined on the US National Park Service’s website.
- Repair work is continuing to restore Havasu Canyon after the summer 2018 flood. Some areas in the canyon are off-limits to visitors due to repair work and unstable ground conditions. The canyon may be closed down at any moment during your visit.
- There are fewer campground and lodge spaces available than there are reservation requests. You must make a reservation before all free spots are sold to others. For example, the entire 2023 season was sold out on the first day.
- No day hiking is allowed on the Havasupai Falls trail. You will have to do at least an overnight hike.
- A permit is required to hike the Havasupai Falls trail. You may get the permit by making a reservation in the Havasupai Falls Campground or Havasupai Lodge. Before 2019, you could show up and pay double the price to receive a permit, but this is no longer allowed.
- Emergency assistance isn’t always available at the trail.
- Drones are prohibited in Havasupai.
Where to Stay During Your Trip to Havasupai Falls
To visit the Havasupai Falls, you must reserve a room at either the Havasupai Falls Campground or the Havasupai Lodge well in advance.
Below, we will overview the options available to you and provide information on reservations as of early October 2024.
Havasupai Falls Campground
Staying at the Havasupai Falls Campground was the cheaper option for the 2025 season. The pricing was as follows:
- $120 per person per night (weekdays).
- $135 per person per night (weekends).
In 2024, all campground reservations were only allowed for 3 nights/4 days. 
This means that a stay at the campground was between $300 and $375 per person.
While information on the upcoming 2025 season isn’t available, not much will likely change in how campground reservations work. The prices will probably increase quite a bit, though, if we are to judge by the skyrocketing prices at Havasupai Lodge for the 2025 season.
Campground reservations must be made online. In the 2025 season, phone reservations were not allowed. Thus, you must sign up on the Havasupai Falls Campground website to make a reservation.
The reservations for the 2025 season will start on February 1, 2025. You will also most likely be able to create an account on January 8, 2025. This was the day you were allowed to create an account for the 2024 season.
You must be quick since the entire season may be sold during the first day of reservations. Remember that you will probably have difficulties accessing the Havasupai Falls Campground website in early February due to the influx of people wishing to book a spot.
Thus, the reservation process is a lottery – you must get lucky to reserve a spot at the campground. You can still get lucky if someone cancels their reservation in the following months. If you are quick, you can take the free spot.
Havasupai Lodge
Another option for staying is the Havasupai Lodge. It’s more expensive than the campgrounds but may be more convenient. It’s situated pretty close to the campground, so the accessibility to the Havasupai Fall hiking trail doesn’t differ that much.
Reservations for the 2024 season opened at 8 AM Arizona time on June 1, 2023. Here’s what you need to know about:
- For the 2023 season, the lodge fees are $460 per room per night, with rooms accommodating up to 4 people. The price per room per night for the 2023 season was $175, so the prices have increased by more than double.
- You must pay a deposit of $100 per room per night.
- You will be charged a $110 entrance/environmental fee per person.
- All fees include taxes.
Judging by the drastically increased reservation prices at the Havasupai Lodge, the prices for the Havasupai Falls Campground will also increase for the 2025 season.
The refund policy is as follows:
- Full refund if canceled 2 weeks before the reservation.
- Non-refundable if canceled 2 weeks before the reservation.
Please note that reservations at the Havasupai Lodge can only be made by 
phone. Unlike at the Havasupai Falls Campground, they are not available online.
The Havasupai Lodge is perhaps a safer bet than the Havasupai Falls Campground. It may be a little pricier than the campground, but you can at least place a reservation now and not worry about the campground lottery.
Remember that the number of rooms is also limited here, so you will either have to make a reservation as soon as possible, or you will have to hope that you’ll get lucky with the campground reservations.
Hualapai Lodge/Grand Canyon Caverns Inn
You don’t need to stay at the Hualapai Lodge in Peach Springs along Route 66, but it’s a good option in the summer. The route from the Hualapai Lodge to the Hualapai Trailhead (around 66 miles) is the quickest, with the drive only around 1.5 hours. The Hualapai Trailhead is where the hiking trail begins, if you didn’t know.
People usually move to the Hualapai Lodge or Grand Canyon Caverns Inn the night before the hike. If you were to start your journey from the Hualapai Falls Campground or Hualapai Lodge, you would need to cover 8 miles on foot or horse before reaching the Hualapai Trailhead. These 8 miles could make things much more difficult in the summer.
An alternative to the Hualapai Lodge is the Grand Canyon Caverns Inn. It’s also situated on Highway 66, and the drive is again around 1.5 hours.
Book a place at Havasupai Falls Campground or Havasupai Lodge to get the hiking permits. You won’t be able to access the trail if you go straight for the Hualapai Lodge or Grand Canyon Caverns Inn.
