The Havasupai Helicopter: What to Know about Flying to Havasu Falls

The Havasupai Helicopter: Fly to Havasu Falls

There’s a reason the official Havasupai Tribe’s reservation website doesn’t mention the helicopter: It’s never guaranteed, and you cannot book a reservation in advance for a flight to Havasupai Falls.

With that said, let’s go over your options since many hikers would prefer to skip the beautiful hike and fly in (or out).

KEY TAKEAWAYS ABOUT FLYING TO HAVASU FALLS:

• You’ll fly to Supai, the Havasupai village two miles from Havasu Falls.
• The cost is $100 per person, each way.
• The helicopter only flies on certain days of the week.
• Locals move to the front of the line and take priority over tourists.
• Always be prepared to make the hike, in case the chopper doesn’t fly.
• The Havasupai helicopter has an excellent safety record, according to the NTSB.
• The helicopter’s schedule can change over the year.

A company called Airwest Helicopters has handled flights for the Havasupai Tribe for several years.  They use the same aircraft to transport people and supplies, and it’s been used during rescues, too.

The Havasupai helicopter fits six people plus a pilot.

Since you’re looking for information on the Havasupai Falls helicopter, you likely already have the information you need about getting the permit needed to visit, so let’s get to the flight details!

The Cost of the Havasupai Falls Helicopter

The flight is quick and scenic, with the chopper flying pretty low over the canyon.

Prices are always subject to change for anything at Havasupai Falls. The cost of a helicopter flight went up when the tribe reopened the falls to tourists post-pandemic in 2023.  

Here is the updated list of things to keep in mind for anyone wanting to fly to Havasupai Falls:

• Cost: $100 per person (each way).
• Luggage usually costs an extra $50.
• The helicopter only flies: Sundays / Mondays / Thursdays / Fridays.
• Flights begin at 10:00am (though sometimes earlier, by 9:00am).
• There are no pre-planned reservations for the helicopter.
• Sign up at the helipad at the Hualapai Hilltop or in the village of Supai on the Air West sign-up sheet.
• Credit cards are accepted, for an additional $10 fee.

You *might* also have the option of sending your backpack and gear on the helicopter for $30 on the way out. The hike at the end of your trip would be much more enjoyable with a lighter load on your back! That’s the option I’ll choose next time I go, *if* it’s available.   Hikers who send their bags on the chopper will pick them up at the Hualapai Hilltop parking lot.

How to Get a Flight on the Helicopter to Havasu Falls

The short answer here is: You have to show up, put your name on the list, and wait.

Arriving: Where to go for the Helicopter to Havasupai Falls

You’ll head to the Hualapai Hilltop parking lot, which is the base for the trailhead to Havasupai Falls.  The lot is in a remote area, about an hour north of Peach Springs, Arizona.  

There are no services here, aside from a few composting bathrooms.  

Bring all the water, food, and gear you’ll need for camping to the Hualapai Hilltop.  You might be able to send a text with a bar or two of cell signal on the road just before the parking lot.

As you can see on the map, the helipad is adjacent to the parking lot.

You need to sign in between 10:00am and 1:00pm (or earlier).  If your name is called and you don’t show up, you’re crossed off the list.

Your luggage has a weight limit of 40 pounds.  The policy says bags don’t fly without passenger, so you may be out of luck on the flight *in* to Supai, even if you’re able to put the bags on a chopper while you hike *out.

Again, the rules and everything else are… fluid.

Leaving: Where to go for the Helicopter to Hualapai Hilltop

After you’re done camping at Havasupai, you’ll gather your belongings and hike the two miles from the Havasupai Falls Campground to the village of Supai. That’s where you’ll catch the helicopter back to the Hualapai Hilltop. The pilot says he’ll keep flying until everyone who’s paid is taken out (unless the weather prevents it).

While it almost seems like a shame to have to leave so early and squander your precious time along Havasu Creek, the earlier you arrive for your helicopter ride out, the better.  

People who arrive for a return flight at the helipad in Supai after 9:00am or 10:00am will likely have to wait well into the afternoon for a flight out.

Wait times vary day-by-day, depending on a multitude of factors. The day we left, people who got to the Supai helipad by 7:00am flew out by 9:00am (even though the chopper wasn’t scheduled to begin flights until 10:00am).   People who arrived by 8:00am got on a flight at 1:00pm.

With all of that said, each day is different. Some people will arrive with their bags in Supai at 1:00pm and get on a flight at 2:00pm.

Again, with the helicopter at Havasupai nothing is guaranteed.  You should always be prepared to hike out with all of your gear, in case high winds or an emergency or a holiday prevents the helicopter from flying.

Havasupai Falls Helicopter Rescues

The helicopter many visitors use to fly to Havasupai Falls is also used for emergency rescues along Havasu Creek.

The summer of 2023 was extremely hot, even for Arizona, with temperatures at Supai topping 100 degrees for several weeks.

It brought all hikers to the cool waters of Havasu Creek, and unfortunately lead to several serious injuries and even one death in July.

Most of the injuries happened at Beaver Falls, and involved hikers climbing the rock walls to jump into the beautiful blue pools of water.

The Havasupai Tribe bans cliff-diving and cliff-jumping, because there are many hidden rocks underwater, which people land on. This caused head injuries, broken bones, ankle sprains, and cuts. Sadly, at least one man died at Beaver Falls in July.

Several times, the helicopter was called in for hoist rescue operations, hovering above Beaver Falls.

Havasupai Falls Helicopter Safety & Crashes

Too often, we hear stories about tourist helicopters crashing at the Grand Canyon, on Hawaiian islands, and at other scenic destinations around the world.

I spent quite a bit of time researching the safety record of helicopter flights around Havasupai Falls, and found: the helicopters have an excellent safety record here.  

I’ve found no evidence that any tourist has ever been killed, injured, or even involved in any kind of helicopter crash or hard landing.

Documents published by the Havasupai Tribe say there was a fatal incident in the 1980s, but I found no record of it. The tribal documents don’t mention any specific dates or details, and the NTSB doesn’t have a fatal crash listed.  

Here is a briefing of the only two incidents in the last 40 years involving helicopters flying to Havasupai Falls.

2016 Havasupai Falls Helicopter Crash

Here are the key takeaways:

• Aircraft: Bell 206L-4
• Company: Airwest Helicopters
• Onboard: 1 pilot, with minor injuries
• Damage: The helicopter rolled, damaging the rotor hub, mast, main rotor blades, airframe, and tailboom
• Cause: Pilot error

In this case, the pilot (who had 17,000 flight hours) was flying supply runs on April 7, 2016, using a long line.  Just after 4:00pm, toward the end of the day, the pilot was flying with two empty nets on the end of a 100-food long-line.  

As he went to land in Supai, he performed a “normal approach,” rather than a “long-line approach.”  

As the pilot went to touch down, the long-line snagged on the cliff above, and swung the helicopter down to the ground, where it rolled after landing.

The pilot was able to turn off the engine, fuel, and electrical systems and leave the aircraft.  He suffered injuries described as “minor.”

The pilot told the NTSB investigators that he simply forgot that the long-line was attached.  He’d been flying for 6 hours that day.

1983 Havasupa Falls Helicopter Crash

Here are the key takeaways:

• Aircraft: Bell 206B
• Company: Grand Canyon Helicopters
• Onboard: 1 pilot, with minor injuries
• Damage: Described as “substantial”
• Cause: Pilot error

This incident, 40 years ago, has fewer details available, but again: no tourists were injured.

It seems the helicopter pilot was flying loads of drywall panels, but connected a cable to the wrong part of the chopper.  

The NTSB report says the cable passed over the top of the right skid tube at the heel, causing the helicopter’s nose to abruptly pitch up on takeoff.  The helicopter rolled to the right and hit the ground.

1948 Helicopter Crash

Very little is known about this crash, but the Grand Canyon National Park Museum Collection contains this photo of the aircraft.

Let’s get to some frequently-asked-questions about the helicopter ride at Havasupai Falls:

What’s the schedule for the Havasupai Helicopter?

It’s subject to change, based on maintenance, weather, holidays, etc.

In general, the helicopter is flying Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays at Havasupai Falls, between the Hualapai Hilltop and Supai.

Where does the Havasupai Helicopter drop you off?

From the helipad in the village of Supai, you’ll get your bags and still have a hike ahead of you to the campground.  It’s a two-mile trek, which varies between the shade and sunshine.  It’s mostly a downward slope on the way to the campground.

Supai is a small village, with a market stocked for the 500 people who live there.

Still, it’s open to the public. They have some toiletries and a few things you might want for camping, including tuna fish, Snickers bars, drinks, etc.

Can you do a one-day visit to Havasu Falls using the helicopter?

No, this isn’t really an option (although Beyonce did it to shoot scenes for a video in 2019).  

Based on the helicopter’s flight schedule, it really wouldn’t be possible or worthwhile to fly in and out on the same day.  You’d be able to see the canyon, but since the helicopter drops you off two miles from Havasu Falls, you wouldn’t have time to get down there and back up to Supai for your flight out.  

Wrap: Is the Havasupai Falls Helicopter Worth It?

The answer depends on what you’re going to Havasupai Falls to experience.  I wouldn’t have traded the hike to the campground for anything.  The canyon is such a natural wonder!  

I’d be much more apt to load my 40-pound bag (heavier than normal due to camera equipment and batteries) on a helicopter and pay to have the heavy load flown out!   That way, it would make the 10+ mile hike much more enjoyable, and also cut down on my Aleve intake in the days that follow!