Many people have seen the incredible photos of the stunning waterfalls along Havasu Creek, and we often get asked if our river trips will see the falls. None of our trips hike all the way to the official Havasu Falls (or Mooney Falls, or Beaver Falls), but many of our trips do spend time enjoying the magical blue waters in Havasu Creek. If you are on our upper canyon trip or our 3 day trip, we will not pass by Havasu Creek at all. Our lower canyon and full canyon trips usually stop here unless recent rains make it impractical.
Why don’t we get to the falls?
1. It’s a long hike up from the river, and it requires an additional permit from the Havasupai Tribe to access them.
2. There are so many amazing places to visit, that we don’t want to spend all of our time on just one hike.
3. There is a great place about a mile or so up Havasu Creek from the river to a place with small pour-overs that are a blast to play in on a hot day. Why go any farther?!
Although you won’t get to the falls you often see in pictures, you’ll find no shortage of photo ops as we hike and play in this memorable side canyon. If you really want to see the falls, the best way is to hike down from the rim. Permits are becoming incredibly difficult to obtain, so plan well in advance. Our friends at Arizona Outback Adventures have some great information on how the permit system works – they can even help plan and outfit your trip!
Happy Trails!