How to Get a Permit for Havasupai in 2026 (Step by Step Guide)

Are you dying to visit Havasupai but have no idea where to start with obtaining a permit? This blog post is for you!

Havasupai is one of the most sought after camping permits in the USA and for good reason. Winning a permit means that you get to stay in either the Havasupai Campground or the cabins for 3 nights and explore some of the most gorgeous waterfalls in the world!

Girl standing at the bottom of Mooney Falls in a red swimsuit

girl sitting at the top of Mooney Falls in Havasupai wearing a red 1 piece swimsuit

In this guide, I will break down the steps in a way that is easy to read and that will make you feel less stressed about getting permits for Havasupai. This blog post is your first step in planning your Havasupai adventure!

Once you have received your permits, you can start planning your actual Havasupai trip using my Havasupai guides below:

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✈ Planning your Havasupai trip

Table of Contents

📍 Where is Havasupai: Arizona
✈ Where to fly into: Las Vegas (Harry Reid International Airport) – FIND FLIGHTS
📆 When to visit: March – April or September – November
🛌 Where to stay the night before: Grand Canyon Caverns Inn (also the check-in place for Havasupai)
🚗 Rental Car: DiscoverCars is our go-to for the best rental car prices!
🚐 Rental Campervan: Rent a campervan
How many days to stay: Camping and cabin reservations are 3 nights long by default

When do Havasupai Permits get Released for the Year

You can book permits to hike to Havasupai throughout the year except for when the area closes in December and January.

Havasupai permits are released on the following dates:

Presale Reservations: Early access to purchase permits for the campground and lodge will begin January 21, 2026 at 8:00 a.m. (Arizona time) and end January 31, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. (Arizona time).
Normal Reservations: February 1
Cancellations: Cancellation permits are released to be repurchase each morning at 8am MST.

Steps for Getting a Havasupai Permit

Step 1 – Create an account

First you will need to create an account on https://www.havasupaireservations.com. (All visitors must have an account but your booking will be under 1 account for all members of your party up to 12 people). You will use this account to book your permits, your mules and read the rules of staying at Havasupai.

Step 2 – Purchase an early permit

There is no longer an early access lottery but now an early access presale which simply means that you must pay an additional $40 to book early. You then choose your dates and confirm your booking.

Step 3 – Purchase a general public permit

If you don’t want to pay an extra $40, you can try to purchase a general public permit, however, I expect that this may be quite hard to get as most of the permits will go in the early access sale.

To do this, you will need to:

Log into your account on the day that the general public permits are released.
Choose an available date
Pay for your permit

Step 4 – If you missed out on the pre-sale AND the general public permits

If you missed out on the pre-sale lottery and the general public Havasupai permits, don’t worry too much! If you are flexible on dates, you still have a chance to pick up a permit that has been cancelled by another group.

To check for cancellation permits, you will need to log into your account on https://www.havasupaireservations.com/ and click on Campground and then Cancellations / Transfers List.

screenshot of Havasupai Cancellation permits page

A list will appear with any reservation starting dates which were cancelled and are now available. Choose one from the list and click on View to fill out your information and pay for the permit, making it yours.

Step 5 – Book your prior night accommodation

I recommend booking your accommodation for the night before the hike as soon as you receive notice that you have your reservation booked in so that you don’t miss out.

The Grand Canyon Caverns Inn is the closest hotel to the Havasupai trailhead and also conveniently the hotel that you will need to check in at. You will be able to check in either the night before or the morning of.

👉 Don’t miss out on the best Havasupai accommodation the night before. Book here!

How to get a Mule Reservation

There is an option when hiking to Havasupai, to book a mule to help carry your overnight bags. This does not automatically come with the camping or cabin permit and needs to be booked separately.

We decided to book a mule and then came across horrific images and stories online about the treatment of the mules that made us feel sick. We decided to plan not to use them, unless we arrived and saw that they were in good condition. Luckily, (because we definitely overpacked a little for the cold weather) when we arrived, we found, to our surprise, that the mules seemed to be happy and well fed.

This was just our experience and you should make your mind up for yourself on whether to use a mule or not. Before you book, just make sure you do your research because you cannot get a refund once you have booked and paid. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to take any photos of the mules as this is against the rules when hiking.

Okay, now onto how you actually book a mule if you choose to go this route. Note: Pack mules are USD400 per mule and can take up to 4 bags.

Go to your campground reservation
Click on book a pack mule
Go into the waitlist for a pack mule. Your credit card details on file will be used once your booking has been accepted.
You will receive an email saying that you your mule booking has been accepted. Once you receive this email, you cannot cancel the mule booking for money back. It took us about 4 or 5 days for a mule to be confirmed.

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