Havasu Falls/Grand Canyon Hike
 

We have a group of 4 (in their 50's) wanting to hike down GC from Hualapai Hilltop to Havasu Falls. Was wondering if anyone has made this trip lately, and did you stay in the lodge down there? I couldn't find many posts except from a few years ago where people did not have a good experience with the electricity working at the lodge and the unfriendliness of the people. We understand this is their home and only want to see their beautiful area with respect. Anyone have anything to weigh in on this matter? Should we consider getting a guide to go down with us? Also, we were thinking about taking the helicopter out, does anyone have information about this and where does it land to get back to our car? Was thinking about going end of summer 2016, is September a good time to hike?

Start with this site (there are others)
https://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt...havasu%20falls

It is a 7-mile walk downhill to the village.
They rent mules/horses. Or helo if you are rich.
It is a rustic village - no Holiday Inns
If you camp, beware of theft which many now be solved.
Hiking data
http://www.smartertravel.com/travel-....html?id=11115

Summer temp >= 100F, so later is better.

ETC on the web.

This year, snow melt will deter spring visits.

Vaga

It's a bit tricky planning such a trip, and you'll need quite a bit of information. I hope I'm not offending the Fodor folks by noting that travel to Supai is a very specialized topic, and much more information is available on some other, more specialist, websites.

I've written a long winded guide based on a ton of research, plus a trip in 2014. It's a PDF that I THINK is viewable at https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/sh...hare_link_copy . I've recently had to move it, so hopefully it's now viewable. At the end of the document is a whole bunch of references, including a couple of very good websites.

In case you can't view it, here are a few thoughts:
(1) See the tripadvisor forum ( http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum...i_Arizona.html ) for Supai, Arizona. There are some very knowledgeable folks there.
(2) I've stayed at the Lodge. It's pretty run down, but considering the remote location, not terrible. The beds are comfortable enough, and the room has a shower and potable water. Make your lodge reservations as soon as possible. Have alternate dates in mind, as some September dates may already be sold out. Oh yes -- you'll also need plans for where to sleep the night before the hike. The closest place is in Peach Springs (around 70 miles from Hualapai Hilltop); other people choose to drive to the Hilltop in the evening, and sleep in their cars.
(3) Many Havasupai are very quiet. I don't know whether that translates to unfriendly, or is simply a cultural difference. It's just something you need to be prepared for. Some folks are outgoing; others may barely say a word, even when you ask a question.
(4) It may be possible to get a helicopter out. However, it only runs 4 days a week, there are no reservations, and it may be canceled without notice due to weather. Tribe members get priority, and the wait can be very long. On another board, three different groups reported waits of from seven to eight and one half hours (two or three hours seems more typical). The helicopter lands at Hualapai Hilltop.
(5) I don't feel that a guide is necessary, although it does eliminate a lot of the planning. I didn't use one, and can't say which of the numerous companies is best.
(6) September is a pretty good month, albeit a bit warm. Early September can be downright hot (record high = 105).
(7) While the hike isn't terrible, there's a fairly large elevation change, and the trail is by turn steep and rocky, then full of loose gravel, then of sand. If it's hot, start your hike before sunrise. If you have experience with desert hikes with large elevation changes, the hike isn't bad. If this is new to you, it can be a real shock.

Have fun!

My husband and I (30's) did this trip last October and are planning to do it again this upcoming October. It is hands down one of the most spectacular places I have ever seen. That being said, it is not an easy trip. I would not anticipate friendliness from the locals although I would suggest being friendly to any in the tribe you encounter. With us, they basically just seemed to ignore us. I don't think they particularly like the tourist influx but it is an economic necessity I believe.

We did not stay at the Lodge so I can not comment on that except to say I am quite sure it will be very basic. Also, the Lodge is located in the village of Supai which means a 2 mile hike to Havasu Falls and a further 1 mile hike to Mooney Falls. That means from the Lodge to Mooney falls and back is a 5 mile round trip. It will be a descent going to the falls and a decently steep ascent on your return to the lodge. We were so glad we stayed in the campground for this very reason. The campground is located between Havasu and Mooney falls, along the Havasu creek.

As to some of your other questions - we were surprised that the second week of October was still so hot. I imagine September will be quite warm - great for swimming but making hiking a bit difficult. Make sure to hydrate more than you think necessary. Drink a lot of water and try to time any hiking so that it is not done during the hottest parts of the day. I personally would not hire a guide as I am not really a tours and guides kind of traveler but I did see many people in the campground that were part of such groups. They camped much more comfortably than we did with the guides preparing nice meals while we ate those freeze dried meals you pour hot water into haha. Lastly, I would not consider the helicopter as a great way to exit the canyon. It only runs a couple of days a week and you must wait your turn - tourists are the lowest in terms of priority for boarding. Other forums have reports of people waiting HOURS to board - so long that in a group of people where half hike out and half wait for the helicopter, the hiking group makes it to the top first. I would recommend hiking out (you can pay to have a mule carry your gear out so you don't have to carry a heavy pack). If hiking is absolutely not an option you can ride a mule/horse to the top.

Lastly, the tribe began accepting reservations for 2016 on February 1st. As of last night, most of the spring was already booked up. We called and called for four days before getting through yesterday and getting our spot for October. If you want to go in September, I wouldn't wait much longer to try to secure a reservation. It seems this place is getting more well known and there is increasing demand for the available lodge and campground spots.

Thank you, to all who responded. Very helpful information.