Havasupai packing list

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Camping at Havasu Falls - What to Pack

We hiked, we camped, we descended the chains and ladders down to Mooney, and we loved our 4 day, 3 night adventure down at the Havasupai Falls.

You can read all about our bucket-list trip to this gorgeous blue-green waterfall paradise here.

This post is for all you planners out there dying to know...

Havasupai Falls packing list

Let me start off by saying: We used every item listed below and they served us perfectly. This is basically what we packed for Havasupai.

Even though we hired mules to carry all our camping gear and food for two families totaling twelve people ages 9 to 47, we still used backpacks (plus a few duffel bags) to pack our stuff on the mules.

Each mule carried a max of 4 bags at 32.5 pounds each. Here's the one legit way to hire mules. We averaged one bag per person, so for 12 bags, we hired 3 mules round trip.

NOTE: Do not pack weapons, alcohol, your grandmother’s hand-knit afghan, or floatation devices of any sort. Leave your pool noodles, rafts, inner tubes, splash toys, etc. at home — they are not allowed in the Havasupai Falls so leave them at home for days at the neighborhood pool.

Osprey Backpack

This backpack fits me like a glove. I love the well-placed compartments and accessibility in this Osprey Women's Ariel AG 65.  

Teton Sports ALTOS +20 degree Sleeping Bag

Stellar reviews on this affordable down sleeping bag. My new one's coming soon! Here are more sleeping bags I like for the whole family.

Mountainsmith Celestial 2-Person Tent

Made with 3 seasons in mind, my boys put this tent up in a jiffy. We found ours at SierraTradingPost.com at a super low price.

Exped SynMat 7 Pump Sleeping Pad

The built-in hand pump, 4.9 R value (keeps you warm on the ground!), and packability sold us. We currently own 4 of these bad boys.

Black Diamond Cosmo Headlamp

I needed a new headlamp because my kids took off with my old one, never to return. When the sun goes down, this headlamp will perfectly light your way when you're getting ready to snuggle down for the night.

Osprey Daylite Plus Daypack

For all those glorious day trips to Havasupai's five gorgeous waterfalls. Also great for the hike down if you choose to hire mules to carry your packs like us.

Hydrapak Shape-Shift Reversible Reservoir

Currently we own 4 different brands of water bladders for all our daypacks, but this is my new favorite. Easy to fill and so far, it's leak-proof.

Water Bottle

Any 1L water bottle will do, but I'm especially fond of this CamelBak Chute. Inexpensive, this comes in many different colors so everyone can recognize theirs quickly.

Solar Phone Charger

If you’re using your phone for pictures, you will definitely want a solar powered phone charger to keep it going for 4 days and 3 nights! Also, an inexpensive, waterproof phone pouch is a good idea.

Hiking Boots

Or hiking shoes. I'm a fan of these sturdy Asolo hiking boots... currently going on year 6 in mine. We're also fans of Smartwool hiking socks.

Chacos Sandals

We went back and forth about buying true water shoes, but in the end we relied on our Chacos for climbing the wet, muddy ladders and chains down to Mooney Falls. They worked perfectly.

Ultralight Backpacking and Camping Stove Kit

Our old JetBoil system served us well. This MSR kit would also do the trick. Coffee, hot cocoa, oatmeal, rice, pasta dishes and more made easy.

20 oz stainless camp cup

The ol' Two Cup, as we call it. We ate everything out of our camp cup or our bandana in our lap. It's really all you need when you're roughing it in Paradise.

Spork

Fork, spoon, plus a serrated edge... tie it to your Two Cup with your bandana and hang it on the line when not in use.

Hammock 

The best hammock money can buy, Hobo Hammocks come with everything you need, like hanging straps.  Throw in wonderful customer service and hearts to serve the less fortunate, you can't go wrong. Check out all their cool hammock colors here.

Swimsuit + Towel

You already own a swimsuit, I'm sure. But let's talk towels... I was skeptical when my husband purchased this set of feather-weight Turkish beach towels. One use, and I'm sold. These towels dry quickly, sand shakes off easily, and they pack down tight for your daypack. Perfect for Havasupai. This set of 6 currently sells for about 40 bucks. 100% cotton, measuring 39" by 70".

Folding Camp Chair

On my wish list, I like how these keep you off the ground. Plus, they're uber lightweight, sturdy, and compact.

Adventure Medical Kit

Watertight and everything you need for a 3-4 day camping/hiking trip. Of course, you can always make your own, but this one's no-brainer.

Fleece Pullover

My husband splurged and bought this as a congratulations gift for me. Soft and cozy, I especially loved how the pockets in this Patagonia pullover quickly warm up my hands.

More suggested camping/hiking clothes:

Athletic shorts, active t-shirt, beanie, thin gloves, leggings or sweats for cool mornings or evenings.

Rain Jacket

It never rained while we were in Havasupai, but we gratefully wore rain jackets making our misty way down the ladders to Mooney Falls. Throw a rain jacket over your pullover fleece, and you may not need the next item...

Down light jacket

While we had blue skies and complete sunshine at the end of March, we hit Havasupai during a quick cool spell, so our Eddie Bauer down light jackets came out as the sun went down or at first light as we made our coffee. No campfires are allowed in the campground, so you'll be thankful if the temps dip down towards the 30s at night. Also makes for a pillow at night.

MiiR Insulated 16 oz. tumbler

Avid coffee drinkers, or hot chocolate lovers, this MiiR tumbler will keep your drink warm for hours. We own two of them. Enough said.

Collapsible 5 gallon Water Jug

If you're camping in Havasupai, you'll need a way to transport water from the one spring to your campsite. The campsites are spread out along one mile of Havasu Creek, so plan ahead with this collapsible, lightweight water jug.

Fun to have in Havasupai

• Solar Camping Lantern LED Lights,Inflatable Outdoor Collapsible

• Camera - I only used my iPhone 8 Plus (waterproof, portrait setting rocks!) Check out our photos here.

• Sunglasses

• Parachord - For hanging towels & Two-Cups, and keeping your food up and away from critters at night.

• Bocce Ball - REI sells a nifty $15 bocce ball backpacking set.

• Hat

• Bandanas - Multipurpose, these served us well while picnicking and drying our camp cups.

• Sunscreen

• Wet Wipes - The porta-potties may or may not be stocked with toilet paper, plus there are no showers, so these will freshen you up a bit each day.

• Food - 100 lbs. of grub for 12 hungry mouths. That's an entire other conversation. Basically plan on 2 lbs of food per day per person.

• The Wandering Wheatleys also share their tips for backpacking down to Havasupai.

• Kristen from Bearfoot Theory has been to Havasupai twice now - glean her tips here.

How does a big family fit everything in a mini-van?

Looking for extra trunk space? Learn more about the Stowaway Max Cargo Carrier here. It's a total road trip game changer.

What are some of your favorite items when it comes to hiking and dry camping? Share below in the comments section, we'd love to know!