Necessary gear:
- Sleeping pad
- Sleeping bag
- Pillow (or bag with clothes stuffed in)
- Tent
- Hiking Backpack (45L+)
- Daypack (16L-24L)
- Water reservoir (3L)
- Water shoes
- External battery
- Mug, bowl, spork
- JetBoil
- Headlamp
- Hiking shoes/boots
- Camp towel
Sleeping Pad – $65-$125
Get an inflatable one, saves weight and space. They have “self-inflating” ones too.
Sleeping Bag – $60-$150
Get one in the backpacking/camping category to save on size and weight. Temp rating does not need to be too low, anything 30+ is good. Most nights between May to September are warm enough to not even need a sleeping bag.
Pillow – $25-$75
All personal preference. We suggest inflatable because of size and weight. You can also fill a stuff sack with clothes to use as a pillow.
Tent: – $130+
Cost will depend on 1, 2, or 3+ person tent size. If you’re getting a new tent, just make sure it is for backpacking because they are lighter and more compact.
Hiking Backpack – $150-$250+
Ideally between 50-65 liters. There are different sizes (S, M, L), so be sure to try it on in store. This will carry all of your things for Havasu camping.
Daypack – $30+
Ideally lightweight material that can be packed away and built for holding a water reservoir. This will be used daily any time you leave camp. Will hold water, snacks, phone, cameras, extra clothes or gear you want to have on hand. We use a 16L daypack and it is perfect for our needs.
Water reservoir – $30+
Get a 3L reservoir. This will be used daily in your daypack and in your backpack hiking in and out of Havasu for 4+ hours in the desert. We’ve drank all 3L each way.
Water shoes – $20-$100
These will be used daily in Havasu. You can get cheaper slip-ons or more shoe-like ones.
External battery – $25+
Up to you if you want to charge your phone/electronics or just disconnect completely. Get anything, but just pay attention to the battery capacity. 12000mAh is about 6 full iPhone charges. Battery-saving trick is to be in airplane mode throughout the trip. There is (slow) open wifi in Supai village and a small window of LTE service somewhere between Supai village and Little Navajo Falls.
Mug, bowl, spork – $20+
Get whatever you want for these. Mug for tea or coffee in the morning, bowl and spork for meals. Anything from an outdoors store will be fine. Just be conscious of size and weight.
JetBoil or similar – $75+
No fires are allowed at the campground. This is a great, lightweight way to boil water for coffee, tea, and MREs (Meal, Ready to Eat). Everyone does not need their own, just have 1 for the group. If you’re flying, leave the fuel at home and just purchase when you land. Read more about food options.
Headlamp – $20+
Used nightly, necessary for longer hikes later in the day when you lose sunlight. Ideally get one that has various light settings to dim and red light setting. Full blasting light is annoying. A waterproof one is a good idea if you plan to hike to the confluence.
Hiking shoes/boots – $50+
Sneakers work fine for some, but whatever you wear make sure you won’t get blisters. The terrain is mostly dirt and sand.
Camp towel – $10-$30
Lightweight, fast-drying towel.
Non-essential gear:
- Camp Chair
- Hammock
- Hammock straps
- Various stuff sacks
- Carabiners
- Para cord
- Collapsible water bottles
Camp Chair – $25-$125
We used these every day/night for hanging out around camp. Not totally necessary, but good to have because they also have picnic tables, but are first come, first serve.
Hammock – $25-$60+
There are tons of perfect hammocking spots, but definitely not an essential item. Some people even sleep in their hammock instead of a tent.
Hammock straps – $10-$30
If you bring a hammock, remember to bring straps. If you are purchasing new, get the loop straps. They are much easier to set up.
Stuff sacks – $10+
Having some stuff sacks to organize gear within your backpack is super helpful so nothing is loose. Try to have everything in your backpack organized into a stuff sacks. Good for keeping dirty clothes separate from clean and as a pillow alternative.
Carabiners – $1-$10
Just having a few of these is super useful. Clip gear to your backpack, but mostly for hanging things around camp. They don’t have to be weight bearing, just the ones on your hammock (which should come with the hammock).
Para cord – $5+
Good to have 1-2 of these for the group. Used just to hang gear around camp to dry and keep things off the ground.
Collapsible water bottles – $5+
Not essential, but definitely highly recommended! Good to have for drinking and cooking water around camp.
Food at Havasu Falls
No fires allowed at Havasu Falls Campground. Most meals will likely consist of granola, trail mix, energy bars, and MREs. So pack a JetBoil for MREs and morning coffee or tea.
There are 3 places to get food in the village of Supai, all 3 take credit cards.
- Sinyella Store
- Havasupai Trading Company (Havasupai Store)
- Village Cafe