The Hualapai Hilltop: The Havasupai Falls Trailhead [2024 Update]

THE HUALAPAI HILLTOP LOT & HAVASUPAI TRAILHEAD

The Hualapai Hilltop is the gateway to a trip to the Havasupai Trailhead and the waterfalls along Havasu Creek.  You’ll find the trailhead for the 10+ mile hike to the Havasupai Falls Campground, a helicopter landing pad, and the mules used to haul visitors’ luggage and gear.

You’ll find it in a remote part of the Desert Southwest, at the end of Indian Road 18, about an hour north of Peach Springs, Arizona.

If you’re heading to the Hualapai Hilltop, chances are you already have your Havasupai Falls permit (congratulations!!) and you’re looking for information on how to plan your adventure.

Check-in is currently from 6:00am to 7:00pm … BUT … the hours change throughout the year, so it’s worth calling the Caverns to double-check before your trip. During the spring, the check-in hours were reduced to 8:00am – 5:00pm.

There are a number of hotel options in Seligman, Arizona, which is 26 miles east of the Grand Canyon Caverns check-in location.  You can use this interactive map to plug in your dates and search for hotels in the area.

I’d suggest staying at the Hualapai Lodge, which is about 10 miles away from the Grand Canyon Caverns in Peach Springs, AZ.

A trip to Havasupai Falls requires a road trip from one of the nearest airports and cities, and an overnight stay in a hotel nearby.

Here are some mileages for you, since some will come from a flight to Phoenix, others a flight to Las Vegas, and others on a road trip around the Southwest:

Las Vegas to Hualapai Hilltop

• 220 miles
• 3.5 hours drive
• Stay in Peach Springs, AZ (65 miles from trailhead)

Phoenix to Hualapai Hilltop

• 260 miles
• 4+ hours drive
• Stay in Peach Springs, AZ (65 miles from trailhead)

Flagstaff to Hualapai Hilltop

• 165 miles
• 2.5 hours drive

Sedona to Hualapai Hilltop

• 190 miles
• 3+ hours drive

South Rim Grand Canyon to Hualapai Hilltop

• 190 miles
• 3+ hours drive

From Route 66, you’ll head north on Indian Road 18.  It’s pretty much a straight shot up a nicely-paved road, so you will *not need a four-wheel-drive vehicle.  Any kind of car can make the trip to the Hualapai Hilltop lot.

Careful of the Wildlife!

You’re bound to see elk in the pine forest section of the drive.  They’re right alongside the road, so be wary of them.  

Meanwhile, cattle will be right *in the road itself.  They free-roam and graze all over the area, so you’ll definitely have to be on the lookout for them as you drive up to the Hualapai Hilltop lot.

The Checkpoint on the way to the Havasupai Trailhead lot

There’s one checkpoint on the road, about five miles before you reach the Hualapai Hilltop.

It may, or may not be, staffed, when you drive through.

The checkpoint seems to be open from around 8:00am until 5:00pm, though the hours vary.

If you’re heading up before dawn (which many hikers do in the summer months to start and finish their hikes before the intense midday heat) you likely won’t see anyone at the checkpoint, and can drive right through.

Parking at the Hualapai Hilltop Lot

The parking lot at the Havasupai Trailhead will likely be full when you arrive.  Don’t worry: there’s plenty of parking along the road leading up to the Hualapai Hilltop parking lot.  

Some people have to park more than half-a-mile down the road.  If that’s the case when you arrive, you can drop your gear off in the lot with someone, park, and then walk back to the lot.  You likely don’t need an extra half-mile trek with 35 pounds on your back, even if it’s on the flat road!

No Sleeping at the Havasupai Trailhead

I’ve had friends in the past drive all the way to the parking lot at night and sleep in their cars to get an early start.  The Havasupai Tribe banned car sleepovers in 2023, when they reopened post-pandemic.

Other rules include:

• No Drones
• No Dogs
• No Alcohol

Advice for Hikers parking at the Hualapai Hilltop

Leave a fresh change of clothing and shoes in your car when you park at the Hualapai Hilltop!  You’ll be thankful for them after you leave and shower for the first time in days.

Also, leave bottles of water, plus food and snacks.  You’re likely to be totally out of water after you 10+ mile hike out from the campground to the hilltop, so you’ll be relieved to have drinks and a mini snack buffet waiting for you in the car (even if it’s warm after sitting there for several days).

You won’t be hiking through the Grand Canyon National Park, but if you follow the canyon in front of you far enough, you’ll cross from Havasupai tribal land into the national park.

In fact, many hikers choose to do just that!  While it’s 11 miles from the hilltop to the campground, the following day you can go another nine miles (or so) to the confluence.  That’s where Havasu Creek meets the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park.

I’m getting ahead of myself.

Also from the Hualapai Hilltop, you’ll see the immediate path in front of you: a two mile stretch of switchbacks and a downward slope that will lead you from the rocky cliff you’re on down to the canyon floor.

You won’t have cell signal for most of your visit to Havasupai Falls, so send all of your important things and download whatever you need (and your AllTrails Pro maps) before you leave your hotel.

Cell signal is minimal at best at the Hualapai Hilltop. Depending on your carrier, you’re likely to get a bar or two on the road right before the main lot.  For me, it wasn’t enough to make a clear phone call. It was just enough to send a text (without photos).

The next cell service you might have will be after passing through the village of Supai.  On the trail by Navajo Falls, you’ll likely pickup a few bars, before losing them by the time you get to Havasu Falls a few hundred yards away.

A lot of people enjoy “unplugging” at Havasupai Falls, but for those who’d like to send an “I’m alive” text to a loved one, it’s information to keep in mind.

You can hire a mule to carry your bags, but make sure to reserve your mule when you secure your permit.  You may be able to negotiate a deal with the leader of the mule train on the spot, but it’s unlikely.

Pack mules have been part of Havasupai life for centuries.  The Tribe has relied on them to work in the fields, and carry supplies to the remote area for as long as people have been living there.

Still, the mules are controversial here, as are horses in New York City and mules at the Grand Canyon.  The mules and horses don’t carry tourists down to Havasupai, but they do carry everything else.

In 2015, after tourists (and members of the Tribe) grew alarmed by the mistreatment and neglect of the mules, they launched a campaign to improve their conditions.

The Havasupai Tribe says they’ve taken steps to improve the treatment of the pack mules and horses.

Among the new maximum size and weight limits:

• 4 bags max per mule
• 32 pounds per bag max
• 36 inches long, by 19 inches wide per bag max

Pack Mule Prices at Havasupai

Again, you’ll have to reserve a pack mule when you initially book your reservations to Havasupai Falls.

The price to have a mule carry your bag from the Hualapai Hilltop to the Havasupai Falls Campground is $400 (round trip).  

Plus, keep in mind: it’s a dusty trail and these are dusty animals.  So most hikers choose to put an extra layer of protection around their gear, like a duffel or big plastic bag.

Key Information for Hikers Hiring Mules:

• Drop bags off by 10:00am at the Hualapai Hilltop Trailhead
• Drop bags off by 7:00am at the Havasupai Falls Campground (on the way out)

Keep in mind: nothing is guaranteed on a visit to Havasupai Falls.  

Helicopter rides from the Hualapai Hilltop are first-come, first-serve.  There is no way to make an advanced reservation.  The helicopter also only flies certain days, and the crew gives priority to locals and supplies over tourists.

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.

The pilot will keep flying until everyone who has paid is flown in (unless weather prevents it).

Here are the newly updated details:

• $100 per person (each way)
• Possible $50 luggage charge
• Sundays / Mondays / Thursdays / Fridays
• Flights out begin at 10:00am (though sometimes earlier, by 9:00am)
• Sign up at the helipad in Supai on the Air West sign-up sheet
• Credit cards accepted

But again, these details are all subject to change without notice.

The advice is to hike up from the campground to Supai (two miles) early on your departure day.  Otherwise, you risk waiting several hours for your ride. 

You really never know how long you’ll wait, since it depends on so many factors.

The day we hiked out, people who arrived to sign in for the chopper in Supai by 7:00am flew out by 9:00am (on the first flight).   People who arrived by 8:00am waited five hours for their flight.

Anecdotally, others have said arriving at 1:00pm, they flew out by 2:00pm.

There are frequent reports of hikers showing up well before dawn to “sign up” on a list for the chopper, only to have the list no matter once the helicopter crew arrives.

So again, the bottom line is: if you’re depending on the helicopter, be patient… and always be prepared to hike out on your own.

Here’s something I wish I’d known before leaving:

You can choose to just send your backpack and gear on the helicopter for $30 (if there’s room).  This will allow you to hike with a much lighter load on your back!  That’s the option I’ll choose next time I go… *if* it’s available … because again, with the helicopter there are no guarantees.

Don’t expect much in terms of utilities or services a the Hualapai Hilltop.  There’s no public water supply, and no electricity.

There are composting bathrooms, similar to the bathrooms you’ll find later in the Havasupai Campground.

Your hike start time should depend on several factors, but mainly the time of year.  

The heat can be scorching in the hot summer sun, during June, July, and August.  Here are my suggestions for when to leave the Havasupai Falls Trailhead at the Hualapai Hilltop:

Summer Hikes from the Havasupai Trailhead:  

• Temperatures hit 100 by midday.
• Many people use headlamps to begin hiking at 4:00am (or earlier) to get to the campground before it gets too hot.

Winter Hikes from the Havasupai Trailhead: 

• Daylight is limited from 7:30am to 5:00pm 
• Start before noon so you can arrive before sunset. 

Spring/Fall Hikes from the Havasupai Trailhead:

• Daily temperatures fluctuate, so check the forecast for Supai.
• Generally, you’ll be okay hiking anytime during the day (with proper water and breaks) as long as you’re done by sunset.

Bring Water to the Hualapai Hilltop lot

There’s no faucet at the hilltop, so make sure you lug all your water in before leaving town.

Once you start the hike, there’s a spring several miles in, but I’m not sure if it dries up in the summer. You won’t hit Havasu Creek until eight miles into the hike.

Make sure to bring a water bottle with a filter on it so you can drink the creek water during your visit to Havasupai!

On your hike to the Havasupai Falls Campground, you’ll pass the village of Supai.  It’s home to around 500 people who aren’t exactly at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, but they’re certainly cut-off from easy access to the rest of the world.  There are no roads to Supai, so the people living there have to take a helicopter or mule to travel 10+ miles from the village to the Hualapai Hilltop.

Havasupai means “people of the blue-green water,” which is a fitting name for the tribe that’s lived in this part of the canyon for 700 years.