Havasupai is every backpacker’s dream destination. After twisting through the towering walls of the Grand Canyon, your feet will transport you to what can only be described as a magical oasis.
Clear turquoise water, stark red rock walls, and some of the most stunning waterfalls you’ll ever see await you in Havasupai.
Since you’ve found my blog post, you probably already have your permits (yay!), or you might simply be curious about what’s involved in this wild adventure. Either way, I’m so happy you’re here!
After securing your permits – you can read all about that process here – it’s time to pack your backpack for Havasupai!
Whether this is your first backpacking trip or your fiftieth, you’ll find this ultimate Havasupai packing list guide helpful. Some things on this list are specific to this location, so I will be sure to share everything you need to bring to have a successful adventure in the land of turquoise waterfalls.
I’ve also included a free printable at the end so you don’t forget anything when you’re packing for this epic bucket list adventure!
Ultimate Havasupai Packing List (+ Free Printable!)
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you click on the links, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. As always, all opinions are my own. Thanks so much for your support!
Havasupai Packing Tips
Before diving into the packing list, let me first share a few tips for packing for your backpacking trip to Havasupai.
Pack Light
First and foremost, pack as light as possible! Your backpack shouldn’t exceed 20% of your body weight. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, keep your pack under 30 pounds.
While you don’t need the best, most expensive gear, true ultralight backpacking gear will make for an overall more enjoyable experience and save your body a lot of pain.
We are experienced backpackers, so we’ve upgraded our gear over the last few years. That being said, not everything we use is top-shelf in terms of price. I’ll share everything we brought on this trip and alternate gear that we’ve used in the past as beginners.
Test Your Gear Before Your Trip
Even if this isn’t your first backpacking trip, testing your gear before each trip is so important.
Make sure your sleeping pad doesn’t have any holes, ensure all of your tent poles and stakes are secured inside the bag, check your stove for malfunctions, etc.
Don’t Rely on Mules or Helicopters
While there are options to fly in and out of the canyon via a helicopter or have mules carry your heavy packs, don’t rely on these services.
The helicopter schedule and mule transportation aren’t guaranteed, so make sure you can carry your packs in and out of the canyon yourself.
Pack For the Weather
Winter can get pretty cold inside the canyon, while summers can get extremely hot, so it’s important to pack for the season you’ll be going.
Check the weather beforehand and adjust your packing list as needed.
We backpacked from May 5-8, and the weather swung from 55 degrees and rainy the first two days to 75 degrees and sunny the last two days. Overnight temperatures were consistently in the mid-40s all three nights.
Backpacking Gear
Okay, let’s dive into the exciting topic of backpacking gear! Here’s what we brought.
Backpack + Rain Cover
For this backpacking trip, we carried our 50L Osprey Sirrus backpacks. These backpacks are discontinued, so the closest model would probably be the Osprey Aura AG 50L.
If this is your first time backpacking, it’s important to pick out your backpack last. Why? Because you need to make sure your gear will fit inside it. If you get heavier, more budget gear, then you’ll likely need a larger pack (60-70L). If you get smaller, more ultralight gear, then you can get away with a smaller pack (40-55L).
No matter which size backpack you go with, make sure to bring a rain cover for your pack in case it rains! Many backpacks do come with one, so be sure to check before buying one separately.
Tent + Footprint
We brought our favorite backpacking tent, the Big Agnes Copper Spur UL3. Although this ultralight tent is quite pricey, it’s extremely durable and has withstood the craziest storms and highest winds.
Aside from the luxurious extra space in the 3-person model, we love the roomy vestibules for our gear. That way, we don’t have to bring our dirty, wet gear inside the tent body, but everything is still protected from the rain.
We always lay this footprint underneath our tent to protect the material and give us another barrier from the ground.
Sleeping Pad
Due to the hard ground at Havasupai, sleeping pads are a necessity. We love our lightweight Big Agnes AXL Airs, which are unfortunately discontinued.
So I’d recommend the Big Agnes Rapide or the Thermarest NeoAir as good alternatives. They both pack down light and will keep you warm and insulated from the ground underneath you.
Sleeping Bag
During our trip in May, temperatures were in the mid-40s at night, so we needed sleeping bags. I was quite chilly in my 45-degree bag (it’s a Big Agnes Lost Dog 45 – also discontinued) for two nights, so I should’ve brought a 30-degree bag instead.
As a good rule of thumb, bring a bag rated for 15 degrees cooler than the anticipated overnight temperatures. So if it’ll be 45 degrees overnight, pack a 30-degree bag.
If you’re going in the warmer months when it’s 60+ degrees at night, a 45-degree bag should suffice. Or on extra warm nights, many people just sleep in their hammocks instead!
Pillow
Pillows may be a luxury to some, but to us, they’re a necessity. Our Cocooon pillows weigh almost nothing, so tossing these in our backpacks is an easy decision.
If you want true luxury and don’t mind the extra weight, consider a comfier camp pillow like the Therm-a-Rest compressible pillow (it’s real, no air – closest thing to sleeping with a home pillow in the backcountry) or the Exped Mega pillow (luxury without weighing as much as the “real” Therm-a-Rest).
Trekking Poles
Trekking poles are a must for not only the hike into and out of the canyon, but for the day hikes to all of the waterfalls!
We recently purchased these ultralight Fizan poles, which are honestly the best we’ve ever used. And they’re priced so much better than a lot of the big-name brands.
Compressible Day Pack
A compressible day pack is good to have so that you don’t have to carry your large backpacking pack to the waterfalls.
Essentially, you’ll only be using your backpacking pack for the trek into and out of the canyon. You’ll just need a small day pack for the day hikes from the campground to all of the waterfalls.
Our compressible day pack packs down small to fit inside our backpacking pack but opens up to a 20L day pack. We used it for all of our waterfall day hikes.
Paracord
We brought about 50 feet of paracord to use at camp. I thought this would be overkill, but we used all 50 feet.
We strung it around trees at our campsite and used it as a clothesline to hang-dry all of our wet gear. Even if it doesn’t rain on your trip, trust us when we say that you’ll still get wet when you go to Mooney Falls, Beaver Falls, and the Confluence!
You can also use paracord to hang a bear bag.
Dry Bag (Optional)
Dry bags aren’t totally necessary if you have a rain cover for your backpack, but this is a more fully waterproof option.
We brought a 10L dry bag (the large one in this budget set), which we used on the hike down into the canyon when it rained. We used it to protect our phones, wallets, car keys, and camera equipment.
It rolls down pretty small when not in use (and you could always bring a smaller size).
Solar Lantern (Optional)
We always bring this ultralight Luci lantern on our backpacking trips. It’s solar, inflatable, and packs down super small.
We used the lantern at our table to see in the dwindling light, and inside the tent at night when we wanted to play games or get ready for bed.
You can always use headlamps for situations like these, but we love the soft glow of the lantern for a less harsh light option. Plus, since the lantern is solar, we didn’t have to waste our headlamp batteries.
Hammock (Optional)
Some people will ditch their tents and sleep in hammocks in the summer! But for most, hammocks are a nice addition to chill at camp or hang out at the waterfalls.
Camp Chair (Optional)
Camp chairs are another luxury, but we love our Helinox Zero chairs. Weighing only one pound, these are great for relaxing at the waterfalls.
These are especially nice to have if you pick a campsite that doesn’t have a picnic table. But even if you have a picnic table at your site, these are much more comfortable and they have backrests!
Chairs are especially helpful to people who have back issues or want extra back support.
Food and Kitchen
There is a cafe and a small general store in the Supai Village, both about 2 miles from the campground. However, since hours vary, it’s important not to rely on them and to bring all the food (and then some) that you’ll need for your entire trip.
Breakfast
We had breakfast at the trailhead before starting our hike into the canyon, so we only had to pack three breakfasts.
We ate yummy Kodiak oatmeal for breakfast. These are super convenient for backpacking because you can simply boil water and pour the hot water right into the single-serve bag. No mess and no clean-up!
Lunch
Depending on when you leave the canyon, you’ll either need three or four lunches. We brought four because we didn’t know what time we’d be exiting the canyon. Turns out we didn’t need that last lunch, but at least we had it in case the hike out took longer than expected.
We ate tuna with crackers and tortillas.
Dinner
You’ll need three dinners. We dehydrated our own backpacking meals before our trip, which saved a ton of weight and made for much healthier meals.
But you could always simplify things and just bring Mountain House or Peak Refuel backpacking meals, like most people do. Those do weigh a bit more, though, and can be hard to stuff in bear canisters.
Play around with your food and bear canister a few days before your trip to see what fits.
Snacks
Pack plenty of snacks! We underestimated the amount of snacks we’d want/need. We hiked 10+ miles every day, so our Cheez-its, dehydrated fruit, jerky sticks, and protein bars didn’t quite cut it.
Luckily, the general store in the village was open during our trip, so we were able to grab a couple of extra snacks. But in hindsight, I would’ve packed at least one extra bag of trail mix.
Also, bring candy for the hike, especially on the way up! The sugary Nerd Clusters and sour gummy bears gave us a nice energy boost for that last strenuous mile out of the canyon.
Coffee + Tea Supplies
If you’re like us, tea and coffee are necessities in the backcountry.
Erica likes coffee, and I prefer tea, so we brought 6 tea bags, 6 instant coffee packets, and 12 packets of stevia. Just enough to have 2 cups each per day!
Electrolytes
You lose a lot of electrolytes from the combination of elevation, sun exposure, and activity. To replenish our electrolytes and combat dehydration, we brought one packet of LMNT or Liquid IV for each day that we were down there.
Water Bladder (3L)
Water isn’t available at the trailhead or anywhere along the trail (until you reach the campground, 10 miles in), so you’ll need to pack in at least 3 liters per person for the hike down.
We brought our 3L Gregory water bladders. These handy water bladders serve two purposes: easy hydration for the journey into and out of the canyon and basecamp water.
When we got to camp, we hung one of the bladders from a tree branch and used the convenient push-button pour spout to dispense water for our bottles, cook pot, and to wash our hands and dishes.
We saw many people bring a collapsible jug for camp, but our 3L Gregory water bladders replaced the need for that bulky, heavy thing!
Water Bottle For Electrolytes (1L)
Since we didn’t want to put electrolytes in our water bladders, we brought two 25-oz water bottles for electrolytes – one for each of us.
The bottles were easier to drink at camp, too.
Water Filter
Havasupai Campground has one water source, Fern Spring, near the beginning. Though we heard that filtering water there is optional, we didn’t want to risk getting sick, so we filtered all of our water.
Filtering is quick and easy with our Katadyn BeFree filter.
Sorry to all of the thru-hikers out there…but the Katadyn is so much better than the Sawyer Squeeze. The Katadyn doesn’t need to be backflushed and filters water faster, making it much more reliable in the backcountry. I’d recommend bringing two, so that you have one as a backup.
The water filter also comes in handy for the journey to Beaver Falls and/or the Confluence. If you run out of water, you can filter Havasu Creek into your bottles or bladder!
Stove
Since no campfires are allowed, all cooking must be done with a camp stove.
We saw many people with a Jetboil Flash; we backpacked with a Jetboil for years, too. It works fine, it does the job, but if you want something more affordable and lightweight, I’d recommend using our current stove, the Soto Windmaster.
While the Soto Windmaster doesn’t boil water quite as fast as the Jetboil Flash, it’s still fairly quick (around 2 minutes for 2 cups of water) and works great in windy conditions. Plus, it packs down so much smaller than the Jetboil!
NOTE: The Jetboil Flash and Soto Windmaster are for boiling water only. If you bring meals that need to simmer, I’d recommend getting the MSR PocketRocket.
Cook Pot
If you’re bringing a Jetboil, it will already have a cook pot attached. However, if you bring a backpacking stove like the Soto Windmaster, you’ll need a cook pot.
We love the Toaks titanium pot! It’s lightweight, affordable, and can nest a ~100-gram can of fuel and a small stove.
Fuel
If you’re just boiling water for dehydrated meals and coffee/tea, a small ~100-gram fuel can will do.
If you’re going to be doing a lot of simmering or have a bigger group, you might need the intermediate-sized (~250-gram) fuel can.
Lighter
A lighter is needed to ignite many camp stoves. Our Soto Windmaster stove has a Piezo ignition button, but we always bring a lighter just in case that button fails.
Plus, you can use a lighter to start a fire in emergencies!
Spork
We used these UCO sporks for the longest time, but we recently upgraded to these long-handled titanium sporks. They are perfect for tall dehydrated meal bags or Stasher bags. No more messy fingers!
Mug
We love these cheap ultralight mugs from Uco for our coffee and tea. They collapse and take up very little space.
Bear Canister or Bear Bag
There are no bears in Havasupai, but they do have small critters and stray dogs that will happily dive into your food.
So it’s important to store your food and scented items in a bear canister or bear-proof bag anytime you’re sleeping or away from your campsite.
We saw many people hanging bear bags on paracord lines, but we opted for the simpler bear canister method.
We stuffed all of our food into the BV475 bear can.
Trash Bag
Anything you pack in must be packed back out, so you’ll need a small trash bag. A plastic grocery store bag or a gallon Ziploc would work best.
Be mindful of the trash that you generate on your trip because you’ll have to pack it all out in your backpack. Reduce food packaging ahead of time to minimize trash.
Paper Towels
Stash a few squares of paper towels in your backpack. They’ll come in handy for random things like wiping your dishes, mopping up messes, etc.
Collapsible Bowl (Optional)
Bowls are a luxury in the backcountry and can be bulky and unnecessary. Especially when we used to bring these clunky bowls.
However, we recently discovered these ultralight collapsible plate/bowl combos. Weighing just 1.4 ounces each, these bowls were nice to have so that we both didn’t have to eat out of the same Stasher bag.
We will be bringing these on all of our backpacking trips from now on!
Stasher Bag (Optional)
We dehydrated our own backpacking meals and stored them in sandwich bags. Since disposable sandwich bags can’t withstand hot water, we brought one mini stand-up Stasher bag to pour hot water and our dehydrated meals into each night.
Camp Kitchen Set (Optional)
Having a camp kitchen setup in the backcountry is optional, but at the very least, I’d recommend tossing a tiny bottle of Campsuds into your pack. This soap came in handy for not only washing our hands but also cleaning our bowls and reusable Stasher bag.
Some people also like to bring a collapsible kitchen sink and scrubber as well. We own this set and have used it for many camping and backpacking trips.
Just note that all of your greywater (the dirty dish water) needs to be disposed of at least 200 feet from the creek.
Hygiene and Health
Good hygiene in the backcountry isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity. Maintaining good hygiene while hiking and camping is important to prevent illnesses and infections.
Toothbrush + Toothpaste Tabs
We brought these ultralight bamboo toothbrushes and toothpaste tabs. These paste tabs don’t taste the best, but they’re much more practical than tubes of toothpaste because with these, you only bring what you’ll actually use.
For example, we just brought 2 tabs each per day. Unlike with toothpaste tubes, there’s no guessing how much you’ll use.
Face/Body Wipes
Sorry to burst your bubble, but there are no showers at the campground! We brought Combat wipes, which can be used on the face, hands, feet, armpits, groin, etc. We used 2 each per day; they made us feel so much cleaner!
NOTE: Don’t use wipes or soaps in the creek. Even if the bottle/package says that it’s biodegradable, it can still harm waterways and wildlife.
Hand Sanitizer
Hand sanitizer pumps are stationed at each of the vault toilets, but most of the time, they were either empty or running low. So we just brought our own sanitizer.
Campsuds can be used to clean your hands thoroughly, but for quick and easy sanitizing with no water necessary, hand sanitizer is the answer.
Sunscreen
The UV rays are harsh, so you’ll need a good water-resistant sunscreen.
SPF Lip Balm
Avoid painful blisters on your lips by packing and applying SPF 30 lip balm.
Bug Spray
I read other blogs that said to bring bug spray, so we did. But we never had to use it. I’m not sure if the bugs are only bad during certain times of the year, but we didn’t have any problems with biting insects when we went in early May.
Kula Cloth
We always clip our antimicrobial Kula cloths onto our packs whenever we hike and backpack.
Whether it was on the trail or at the vault toilets that didn’t have toilet paper, these pee cloths came in handy several times.
Toilet Paper
The campground vault toilets notoriously run out of toilet paper, so bring some of your own. Even if you have a Kula cloth, you’ll need something for poop.
Feminine Products
Ladies, if you’re on your period or you think you might start while you’re down there, bring supplies like pads, tampons, and cramps medication.
The small general store didn’t have any of that (that we noticed), so you’ll have to pack in what you need or think you’ll need.
Quick-Dry Pack Towel
We brought a small, quick-dry pack towel for drying off after waterfall swims. It can also double as a blanket, camp rug, picnic tablecloth, etc.
Vitamins + Meds
We brought our daily vitamins along with ibuprofen and anti-diarrheal meds, just in case. Luckily, we didn’t need the anti-diarrheal pills, but we did take many doses of ibuprofen for our back and muscle pain.
Lotion (Optional)
Lotion is totally optional, but the water and sun dried out my skin, so I was grateful to have a small tube of it.
Hair Brush (Optional)
Another optional item is a small travel-sized hairbrush. Since my hair is long and thick, it turns into a tangled mess if I don’t brush it.
Deodorant (Optional)
Along with wipes, we brought a small travel-sized deodorant spray. The wipes were more effective for our face and feet, so we liked having the spray to use on our underarms.
I recommend a spray deodorant because sticks tend to melt in the heat. But no judgment if you don’t bring deodorant. It’s okay to embrace the backpacker stink!
Clothing
Some people might prefer to bring an outfit for every day, but the weight of clothing can really add up when you’re backpacking. So we embraced the smell and just packed minimal clothing. And opted for merino wool where possible to help minimize the stink.
Hiking Boots or Shoes
Erica & I prefer to hike in boots, but trail runners would work fine. I wore my trusty Keen Terradora boots.
Water Sandals
Water sandals are a must for the water crossings and the day hikes in Havasupai! I was glad I didn’t have to wear my heavy hiking boots through the creeks and on our day hikes to all the waterfalls.
It was nice to let my feet breathe from the blisters and be able to get in the water whenever I wanted without having to switch my footwear.
These Tevas are my go-to water shoe and camp shoe!
Wool Socks
We each brought two pairs of socks: one for the hike into and out of the canyon and another one to wear to bed. We wanted to make sure we had a clean, dry pair to sleep in.
We wore short merino wool Smartwool socks for the hikes and long merino wool Darn Tough socks to sleep in since it was a little chilly overnight.
Underwear
We each brought one pair of underwear per day because that’s just something we’re not willing to compromise on.
Sports Bra
I just brought one quick-drying sports bra for the hikes into and out of the canyon. I wore my bathing suit for the day hikes, and I didn’t sleep in a bra, so I didn’t see the need to bring two.
Hiking Tops
I brought two hiking tops – a long-sleeved sun hoodie and a short-sleeved tee. If you’re concerned about smell, consider buying merino wool tops.
Hiking Bottoms
I brought a pair of leggings and shorts. I wore the leggings for the early morning hikes into and out of the canyon and the shorts the rest of the time.
Swimsuit
A swimsuit is a must! You won’t be able to resist dipping in the turquoise water.
Baselayers
Bring baselayers to sleep in or in case it gets cold! We like the Smartwool baselayers and the Kari Traa baselayers.
Fleece and/or Puffy
A good mid-layer, like a fleece or a puffy, is essential to stay warm overnight or on your early morning hikes. I brought my Patagonia Better Sweater, which is my favorite fleece of all time.
Wind/Rain Jacket
Bring a rain jacket even if rain isn’t in the forecast; unpredictable pop-up showers could happen at any time. Plus, the jacket is nice to have when hiking down to Mooney Falls; the spray is intense!
I wore the Columbia Arcadia rain jacket.
Sun Hat
Ball caps are fine (Erica wore one), but for complete protection against the sun, I’d recommend wearing a wide-brimmed sunhat.
Bandana
I always bring a bandana on backpacking trips because they have multiple purposes. I use it as a neck wrap to either dip in water when it gets hot or to shield my neck from the sun. It can also be used as a rag!
Sunglasses
Wear a pair of sunglasses to protect your eyes from the bright sunlight.
Cold Weather Gear
For the colder overnights and the early morning hike out of the canyon, it was nice to have an ear wrap, neck chute, and gloves. You could substitute the ear wrap with a beanie if you’d prefer.
Gloves For Mooney Falls
Last but not least, you’ll want a pair of biking gloves to descend the chains to Mooney Falls! Gloves make gripping the slippery chains, bolts, and ladders much easier.
The ones we bought on Amazon years ago are discontinued, but this pair seems comparable in price, quality, etc.
We noticed a bunch of gloves lying in a pile at the beginning of the chains section, but I’m not sure if they’re always there. I wouldn’t rely on that pile being there; just bring your own!
Emergency
These items are all essential to prevent emergencies and assist you should you have any.
Headlamp
You’ll need a headlamp to hike in the dark, navigate your campsite at night, walk around the campground at night to go to the bathroom or fill up water, etc.
I’d recommend getting a rechargeable headlamp like mine so you don’t have to worry about carrying extra heavy batteries.
Maps
Download offline maps with AllTrails ahead of time. This is the exact trail map that I downloaded, and it was pretty accurate.
Overall, the Havasu Falls Trail is pretty easy to follow, but it’s nice to keep track of where you’re at and how much further you have to go. And to make sure you don’t stray from the path on those few spots that are tricky to navigate (especially from Mooney Falls to Beaver Falls and the Confluence).
Satellite Messenger
There’s basically zero cell service from the road to the trailhead, all the way down to the campground. We found one tiny spot of service around Little Navajo Falls (we have Verizon), and the lodge has wifi, but for the most part, you’re completely off-grid down there.
For peace of mind, carry a satellite messenger like the Garmin inReach Mini. You’ll be able to communicate with loved ones and hit the SOS button should you have an emergency.
We were able to use it to text my mom when we were starting our hike, when we made it to camp, etc.
First Aid Kit
Our first aid kit is always stocked with bandages, moleskin for blisters, a tick key, and wipes. Don’t skimp on the moleskin; blisters are inevitable!
Knife/Multi-Tool
A knife is one of the 10 essentials, so this is always in our backpack. It can be used for a wide variety of tasks like cutting, personal protection, etc.
Repair Kits
Bring repair kits for your gear! We find that tenacious tape does the trick for most things – it can be used to patch holes in sleeping pads, tents, rain jackets, etc.
Important Items
Personal items are the easiest to forget because they’re not included on most packing lists. You cannot forget things like your photo ID, tent tags, and permits because you will not be allowed to stay down there without them.
Phone
Don’t forget your phone! We have the iPhone 16 Pro.
Photo ID
Always carry your photo ID. Someone from the Havasupai Tribe can check the trip leader’s photo ID at any time during your visit.
ID is important to carry with you anyway because in the event of an emergency or medical issue, you can be easily identified. So everyone should carry their ID, not just the trip leader.
Cash
While the general store and cafe accept credit cards, the fry bread stand by Havasu Falls only accepts cash! Traditional fry bread with taco toppings was $15 during our visit, but we’ve heard that the cost fluctuates.
So you can decide whether you want to bring cash or a credit card, or both.
But I’d highly recommend having at least one fry bread while you’re down there! It was delicious.
Printed Permits and Tags
After checking in at Grand Canyon Caverns Inn, slip your permits and tags directly into your backpack.
You must have your permit with you at all times and put the tag onto your tent immediately after pitching it at camp.
Mask
Face masks are required to be worn throughout the village, including inside the cafe and the general store.
At least according to the signs that were posted everywhere…
No one was wearing masks during our visit – locals or tourists – and no one was enforcing this rule either. But I’d bring a mask just in case.
Technology and Entertainment
Last but not least, here are some (mostly) optional things to enhance your overall experience in the canyon.
Since it is my job to take photos and videos, I brought more gear than the average backpacker. Bring what you’re comfortable with!
Portable Power Bank + Chargers
You’ll need a way to charge all of your electronics, like your phone, satellite messenger, headlamp, etc.
We like the Anker power bank – it comes with a built-in power cord that charges our phones, plus additional USB ports to charge other things like our satellite messenger and headlamps.
Try to bring extra camera and GoPro batteries to avoid having to charge those, too. And if you can, try to use as much gear as possible that uses solar or rechargeable batteries. Solar doesn’t need power to charge, and rechargeable batteries can just be charged, as opposed to being replaced with bulky AA or AAAs.
This power bank kept both of our phones charged for all four days. But if we had needed to charge our satellite messenger or headlamps, we might not have had enough power. So we would each bring our own power bank next time!
GoPro Gear (Optional)
While you can certainly get away with just snapping photos and videos with your phone, having a waterproof camera around the waterfalls and creeks is nice. That way, you won’t have to worry about getting your phone wet or dropping it in the water!
We brought our GoPro Hero 11 with a compact stick/tripod combo. This was the main device we used to vlog and capture water-related content, like swimming in the waterfalls, descending the chains to Mooney Falls, etc.
Camera Gear (Optional)
Most people who backpack to Havasupai don’t bring professional cameras. They’ll just use their phones or a waterproof camera like the GoPro or Insta360, and that’s just fine!
But we brought our full-frame mirrorless Canon R5, 24-70mm lens, Peak Design tripod, remote, and lens cloths. This way, we were able to snap some amazing shots of both of us!
I attached a Peak Design Capture Clip to my backpack and slid my camera onto it – that way, the camera didn’t strain my neck!
E-reader (Optional)
An e-reader is a luxury, but I can’t go backpacking without my trusty Matcha-green Kindle! Make sure your Kindle has a case, or the screen could crack inside your backpack. This is my Kindle case; isn’t it adorable?!
If you’re more of an audiobook or podcast fan, you can also download those before your trip and listen to them on your phone with a pair of earbuds. (But those might suck up more battery juice on your phone, so keep that in mind).
Having a source of entertainment like a book or a podcast is helpful for any downtime at camp or when lounging by waterfalls.
NOTE: Don’t listen to music, podcasts, or audiobooks while hiking because you need to listen for mules.
Playing Cards (Optional)
This deck of waterproof playing cards and this teeny-tiny deck of SkipBo cards are so fun to play at camp, in your tent at night, or by the waterfalls!
Grab My Free Printable Havasupai Packing List!
Finish Planning Your Trip to Havasupai
Take the stress out of trip planning with the help of my guides!
- Getting a Havasupai Permit in 2026: Step-By-Step Guide
- How to Find the 6 Havasupai Waterfalls: MAPPED!
- Is Hiking to Mooney Falls Actually Scary?
- All About the Adventurous Beaver Falls Hike
- What It’s REALLY Like Camping at Havasupai
- Best Time to Visit Havasupai? Month to Month Comparison
- Should You Visit Havasupai in May?
- Steal Our 4 Day Havasupai Itinerary!
- Backpacking Havasupai: Everything You Need to Know
Discover Your Next Adventure
Where to next? I’ve got some suggestions!
- Emerald Cave
- Antelope Canyon
- Kanab Sand Caves
- Grand Canyon National Park
- Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park
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