Visiting Supai Village and Havasu, Mooney and Beaver Falls
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| Our own amazing Photo of Havasu Falls |
So last year while looking through Instagram I came across this beautiful photo of an amazing landscape with the most gorgeous waterfall. I turned the phone towards Todd and said "look, this looks amazing! I want to go here" I wrote the place down for future adventures. Being that Todd flies I didn't see a problem since this place is in Arizona and we're in California. I figured a skip and a jump.
This year in April we went to Peru. Like our Italy trip last year, it was absolutely amazing and unforgettable. We did so much that I don't know where to start for the blog or photos. What I do know is that after Peru, our desire to keep moving and be adventurous has grown to another level. We got home and a week later I was onto the next trip.
So...........this adventure started with the photo with the amazing landscape and water fall! Didn't research it like I do everything else. All I knew is, "I WANT TO GO THERE," and so I looked up where it was, and found out it's on the Indian Reservation of Havasupai, Arizona. I found the phone number of the only Lodge in the village of Supai. I called and they only had two nights available May 21st and 22nd, (Tuesday and Wednesday) which I did not want. I wanted a weekend. The lady on the phone proceeds to inform me that they are sold out for the year. With that being said, I took the 21st and 22nd. Within five minutes, the lady calls me back and says "we just got a cancellation for the 10th and 11th of May" with no hesitation I said "i'll take it" mind you, I still haven't research a thing.
I got off the phone extremely excited, text Todd and told him the "Great not so great" news. I started doing all the research. Within seconds I had a "OH WHAT DID I GET OURSELVES INTO!!!" moment.
It turns out......there is only so many permits per year to be on the Havasupai Indian Reservation for Havasu falls and the other falls. All permits have been sold out since February 2019. The Lodge in Supai Village has 28 rooms which were also sold out. Talk about meant to be and good luck!!!!!! I called at the right time, yeeepeeee!!!! Sort of......................................
I went into panic mode. I didn't have a permit to be on the Reservation, all I had was a room at the Lodge. I read several articles and blogs saying that if you didn't have a permit they would ask you to hike back and off the Reservation. Mind you, this is after you just hiked down from the hilltop of the Canyon eight miles down into the Canyon and into Supai Village. Which I also didn't know.......to get to Supai you have to hike for eight, yes! eight miles. No other way but a seven minute helicopter ride for $85 cash or $95 with a credit card. All locals (Natives) get priority on the helicopter. Meaning, they go first. You could be waiting one hour or four to five for your turn. You never know.
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| In the Canyon on our way to Supai Village |
I tried everyday to call the Lodge back to cancel, there was no answer. Finally after a week, I got through again. A different lady informed me, that "yes, we also need permits". So bummed! I canceled our rooms. (You have to cancel two weeks prior to your date to get your refund)
Todd calls me a day or two later from work and says "they charged the credit card, you need to call and make sure it's cancelled". Supai Village is down in a Canyon mind you, very remote. Once again, it took me days to get a hold of someone. Hallelujah!! Finally!!! The original lady answered the phone. My reservation has not been cancelled and no I do not need a permit, the permit is included with the reservation to the Lodge.
Here is the number for the Lodge. They don't answer the phones everyday it seems. We noticed you have a better chance getting through on Fridays and Saturdays between nine and noon when most people are arriving and checking in for the weekend. (928) 448-2111 or (928) 448-2201
Long story short. We did not wait till 2020 to make it to Havasu Falls, Mooney Falls and Beaver Falls in Arizona.
Here is a quick brake down for you on where it is and how it works.
Located on the Havasupai Indian reservation a side canyon of the Grand Canyon in Arizona. Day hikes are prohibited. Yes, they do check, there are checkpoints throughout your hike.
Permits for the year go on sale in February and are usually sold out within hours. We met people there that had waited months, some years, to get a hold of permits. CRAZY!!!!! we had no idea.
Here is the website if you're interested in going https://www.havasupaireservations.com
If you are interested, go on the website and create an account, be checking because people can put up their permits for sale for the same price they paid. You have to be ready for those specific dates though and you have to do all the purchasing and name changes through the Havasupai Reservations website. There is a 3 night 4 day minimum, $125 per person on weekends (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) or $100 per person weekdays 3 night 4 day minimum. It's $125 per person if you're staying in the Lodge in Supai Village. Each room holds up to four people. The Lodge has been recently renovated, it was very clean and comfortable (Glamping for Todd and I, sorry not sorry). If you stay in the Lodge, you have to hike down two more miles to the campground and the start of all the Falls. Keep in mind, you have to hike back up two miles everyday to get back to the Lodge. We did it and didn't mind it at all. After walking all day and being in the falls, nothing felt better and nicer than a hot shower and nice mattress to sleep in.
If you stay in the Campground and you don't mind sleeping in a tent, your scenery is absolutely gorgeous!!!! The down side, you have to carry your tent, sleeping bag, food, cooking utensils, clothes and any camera gear that you might want. YES! you want something to take photos with. For all this, you have three options. From the Hilltop parking lot, where the hike starts, to the Campground is twelve, yes, ten miles. The hike is not hard, but it feels forever. It was thundering and raining when we were there. Wet, muddy, slippery, rocky, sandy all of it, but the scenery is breath taking with every turning curve of the Canyon. One you can carry your backpack with all your stuff, two, you can reserve a mule and pay to take all your stuff while you hike down. Or three, you can pay to have the helicopter take your stuff for $20 and hike down or $85cash/$95(with credit card) to ride the helicopter with your bags down.
Todd and I chose to hike down with all our stuff. We had, clothes, towels, bathing suits and camera gear along 3 liters each of water for dehydration. No food since we were planning on eating in the Village of Supai. The trail down to the village is stunning, loved being in the Canyon. The feeling of accomplishment that we both had when we made it to the Village was great!
The Village has one Cafe which is close for renovations right now. One grocery store and one small convenient store at the entrance that sells food sometimes. Because the Cafe is close at the moment, some locals have pop up tents with tacos on indian fried bread, which we had never tried. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. We had food. Saturday and Sunday the pop up tents had breakfast and coffee for sale. We did alright. We didn't starve.
Flew over to Arizona Friday, rented a car, drove two hours on route 66, then onto 18 for 60 miles and then hiked eight miles down to Supai Village. Got there about six in the evening. Hiked all day Saturday, in and out of waterfalls and Canyons. Sunday we got up early to stand in line for the helicopter back up. Natives on the reservation have priority on the copter. It was perfect to have done the hike down and then the helicopter back. We got two different perspectives, both equally amazing and enjoyable. We made it out of there by 12:30 noon, drove two hours to the airport and flew two and a half hours home. Our crazy weekend to give you and idea of cost if you're going from California to Havasupai Falls Arizona, was a little over $1,000 and that's excluding fuel for the plane or the rental car. You can drive your car all the way to the hilltop and park there. For us, it would have been a nine hour drive there and nine hour back. Time is money.
Would we do it again? In a heart beat!
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| Havasu Falls |
If you would like to view our trip photos go to:
https://www.facebook.com/pg/toddandmartha/photos/?tab=album&album_id=2293982980695389&__tn__=-UC-R
Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-6tE6-OmNg
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