I just got back from Havasupai two days ago. While there some people who did the hike to the confluence used the same word: sketchy. Thanks to this video I got to see what I missed and probably won’t ever do. Mooney and Beaver Falls were excitement and challenge enough for me.
Cool! Glad you enjoyed the video. It's a hard hike down there and the falls themselves are more than enough. So if you don't have a lot of time, I recommend using the time you have to relax and enjoy the falls. I didn't do this hike my first time down either.
Thank you for this thorough explanation. I have a spinal cord injury and want to put this on my bucket list. Because of you, I now know what I need to train on to be strong enough to do the hike. Thank you so much!!
I was fortunate to have floated the Grand Canyon when I was in high school back in the 70's. We stopped at Havasu creek and hiked up to Mooney Falls. In the last few days, I've watched several videos on hiking into Havasu Canyon kindling a desire to go back. Your video is one of the most detailed in terms of risks and challenges that one can encounter. Thanks for putting it together.
Funny. I made this video because I was heading down there and had a new camera and wanted to know if you had to get into deep water crossings if you hiked to the confluence. I couldn't find that info, so I made my own guide. Glad you enjoyed. Hopefully they reopen soon and people can get back down there.
Wish this would have been available when I went. We did that hike 3 or 4 years ago during our fall visit and it was hot weather so we drank a lot of water. Luckily I had my water filter. Didn’t leave early enough so we jogged part of the way back and still came up Mooney Falls after dark. Sketchy!! That stretch below Beaver Falls definitely had the “pucker factor”. Great job of showing the obstacles and beauty of the hike.
Funny. I made this because when I was planning my trip I couldn't find the info I wanted; I'd just gotten a new camera and wanted to know if there were any deep stream crossings (like the narrows). So I decided to just make the video I was looking for. That high road was no fun. I think if I did it again, I'd take the GoPro only and swim through the narrows.
This place remains, to this day, the most profound hike of my life! Went there 5 times over a 7 year stretch!!! We were told of a trail that led up on top of the rim high above Havasu & Mooney Falls, and the pics from up there are breathtaking! While we were at Mooney Falls swimming, Squirrels climbed up the tree I had hoisted our supply of food up on using a branch.They chewed through the rope dropping the food down to their ground Buffet!
Those squirrels down there are on steriods. And they are not shy. We just sat at camp one night and watched them getting into other people's backpacks and hammocks.
@@JerryArizona I have "Caught On Camera" evidence of the little $@#%$#@# from a 1990 hike. It was tragically cut short by 5 days due to their SWAT (Squirrels Who Assult Team) activities! We are still awaitig a trial date... ;)
Great video. Been there 7 times beginning in early 60’s when the canyon below the village was not a part of the reservation. Have hiked in from Hualapai Hilltop and also Cataract Canyon via road to Grand Canyon Village that is no longer accessible. Best summer lunch spot is sitting on submerged ledge in the river just up from the confluence.
I've heard they re-opened permits for 2022? I haven't checked it out personally, but hopefully that's the case. It would've been amazing to see back in the day, I'm sure.
I just was just at havasu. Such a magical place. I didn’t go to the confluence but maybe another time. This was an awesome video. Always wanted to see the confluence. Thank you.
Thanks for responding. We are registered, now we wait for Feb 1st and pray we get permits. The confluence hike looks tricky but for now we will b happy just to get the permits. Happy hiking Dorinda
One of the harder hikes I’ve ever done . %100 worth it though ! We also had luck and ran into the rafting groups. Such a great reward at the end but the thought of having to hike all the way back before dark got us going back quick. Smaller 10-15 ft Rock Jump on the way back was nice! Great video !
Glad you enjoyed it. Yeah, this is a tough hike, for sure. I didn't realize all the elevation change until I got back to camp. Definitely worth it, and definitely a long, hard day.
Pretty sure you can skip that if you go through the narrows below. But again, I haven't done that, so you should definitely check with someone who has actually gone through that way.
Enjoy it. That place is incredible. Make sure you check out 50 foot and (if it's open) Navajo Falls. We overlooked those the first time and they're incredible.
About climbing Mooney Falls chains in the dark...no not a fun time. :D I got back late and had to hike up that. Even with headlamps, it was a bit sketchy, especially when you're all tired out.
Guessing you went through the narrows at the base of Beaver Falls, then? I heard some people do. It was too cold and I had a new camera, so I decided not to risk it.
Oh man, I’ve always wanted to do this but am realizing watching your video that I’d never make it through those really steep inclines. I have a hard enough time going down Bright Angel, I hug the walls. 🤯
I really think you can swim through the narrows. I didn't want to try it because I was solo and I had my good camera on me. The real challenge is getting permits.
The Not Lost Nomad cool man. Checked out your channel too. Nice stuff. Where are you based out of? Always looking for new places to go. Any questions on Havasupai, let me know. They’ve changed some rules this year (which I didn’t get permits for) so I recommend checking out the Havasupai falls Facebook group. They have a ton of info.
Jerry Ackerman , thanks a lot! I’m based out of East Texas...a few hours from Dallas. We are a bit limited on outdoor adventures around here so we drive out West to Big Bend NP and Guadalupe Mountains NP.... also do quite a bit of hiking in Arkansas. With the lack of adventure close by we opt for yearly trips where will fly to a better location...Rim to Rim Grand Canyon last year and Havasupai this year. We’re planning on Olympic National Park Coastal trail as a backup but luckily we got permits. Thanks again for the great videos, you’ll definitely be one of my channels for researching future trips! And I’ll reach out to you if I have any questions.
We did the Olympic Coast last year. Just an overnight as part of a bigger trip in Washington. It was amazing. My favorite to date is Kalalau Trail in Kauai (not sure if it’s reopened from flooding last year) and then Buckskin Gulch as #2. Ashamed to say as an Arizona resident I haven’t done the Grand Canyon yet. Hopefully we get to do it this year on the Deer Creek/Thunder River Loop.
Those two are definitely on my list, I have a friend that was getting ready to do the Kalalau Trail but the flood came the week before he went. Hopefully I can make it out there soon!
@@JerryArizona , we missed out on doing the confluence...my friends knee was hurting him too much. we opted for hanging out at beaver falls. at least we got there early and had Mooney to ourselves and relatively no crowd at Beaver falls. I'll have to head out there again just for the confluence.
Glad you enjoyed. Hopefully you've registered online already; permits go up 2/1 and sell out in minutes. If you try to get to the confluence, make sure you're prepared. It's a rough hike. Good luck!
Yes, this is my first time getting reservations, and I seriously had to WORK at it to get a reservation. I made 3 accounts, and logged in with 3 different browsers, and kept hitting refresh!
I’ve just discovered your channel...wow! Your guides are so amazing, thank you! While your hikes are much too advanced for my creaky old joints, I’m inspired and hopeful I can shorten/modify some of them to explore more areas. Again, thank you!
Cool, man. Any questions, feel free to ask. Some of them can be made easier; like Buckskin Gulch. You can see the best parts but avoid miles of hiking and the slop in the canyon just by going in and out White House.
@@JerryArizona Certainly not for beginners but if you back packed the 10 miles in already you probably aren't a beginner. Can't wait to visit that amazing place again. Thanks for the vid.
Absolutely awesome video and great information! Havasu has been one of my dream hikes and I haven't been able to get a permit yet. Someday but until then I'll just continue to live vicariously through this video!
Cowboy Roy a couple secrets; call on the off season. Like maybe now. But call the lodge. They book rooms (which come with permits) at a different time of year. May have changed with the new online permit system, but I think they used to take those over the phone in June. You can check the website for updates. Alternatively, join the Havasupai group on Facebook (think the actual name is in the description). People randomly have spots open up and sell them. Otherwise you can try online 2/1. I have a video of my experience this year (and failure). It’s a crap shoot but when I did eventually get through there were still spots open in February. Which meant it would be cold and you’d have to immediately go, but hey, waterfalls.
A friend and I went down from the Hualipai Hilltop trailhead in mid Oct 1986, back then there was no permits system so it was free. We started late around 4 pm and it was getting dark when we arrived and we camped at the last camping area just above Mooney Falls. Beside the Indians there we not many other hikers. The next morning we hiked down to the confluence starting just at first light, the first tunnel thru the Travertine was dark and we used headlamps, then we followed the trail all the way down to the Colorado river on all the main trail. We arrived at the Colorado river around 11 am and had it all to ourselves. We saw a small group of Big Horn Sheep there and a couple deer. We started back up towards Supai around 2 pm and by the time we made it back to the Travertine wall its was as dark as it was when we started. We got back to our camp sight and stayed another night, the next day we started early and made it back to the trail head in a few hours. In 1996 my same friend and I went back down, but tho there was a permit system we did not know about it and stayed in the only camp spot left and then the second day we went down and swam below Mooney Falls, it was in late August and there were many, many people, day hikers and overnighters. No one ever came to our sight asking for a permit. The third day we hiked back out to the road.
That sounds absolutely incredible. No offense to people, but I go out in wilderness for some solitude. Some places, you just can't help the crowds. Would have loved to have seen it empty. Then again, I was pretty much alone this entire day until I got back to camp. Just gotta get out of bed early nowadays.
Jerry, thanks a million for the cool video. You're a nice guy. I don't do tips online, only one on one & never to city slickers. Have just sent several 4K/HD videos of places I've been to the last 30 years including a great one from Dutchman to my Czech colleagues & friends stuck at home instead of in the pubs on the weekend due to the Wuhan virus. We were there 3 days two couples before Easter 1995 ~ 7.IV. The day before our arrival there it was snowing and on Good FR (several hundred people rushed there) the rain started (we reached the car up top in the dry - 12 km) till SU. We had 3 days of sun and 27 degrees C. In the camp below the village btw the waterfalls were ~ 50 people. The heavens smiled at us. At that time, a permit from the Indians cost $ 20 / camp and $ 12 / person. The gals splashed in the travertine pools, while Ales and I headed to the CO river (25 km round trip), nobody there. Back then there was no real trail or signs nor ladders below Mooney Falls. Also, no water sandals; we waded ~8X barefoot. Being a geologist helped. Noticed a high ledge below Beaver F. It was quite a scramble to it. It went around 3 bends & saved us that many crossings. One of the best trips of my life! Standing barefoot on the Zoroaster granite and Vishnu schist at the confluence of Havasu (meaning blue-green) and the then silty CO River (Inner Gorge) was a forceful event - 2 billion years old rocks. Happy trails, bud.
Just completed this hike yesterday and at times I questioned my sanity for doing it alone. There are places where you could easily get hurt or die. On the way back from the confluence I lost the trail and went up and over the narrows and back down at the cove. I used a trail probably used by bighorn sheep that was made up of loosed rocks. Any slip up and I would have fallen to my death. Thank God I found a path down and back onto the trail. It was an amazing hike but I probably wouldn’t do it again.
Sounds like we had similar experiences. Except I got off trail on the way in. If I go back, I'd probably try to swim/wade through the narrow section and skip that sketchy high trail completely.
Backpacking trip to Havasu Falls was the most beautiful and challenging one for me. We had the guide (wildland trekking) for this trip - 4D3N It should be on every backpackers list of places to hike
You need a permit through the Havasu tribe. They sell them starting 8AM (?) AZ time on 2/1. They sell out for the entire year within minutes. www.havasupaireservations.com/ This year, they're really screwed up though. They closed down due to COVID and there is a note saying that the people who were cancelled can reschedule for next year. That will make getting permits for next year even harder than normal, I would think. You can also book a room at the lodge. I believe those go up in June, but I'm not sure. If you're interested, it would be worth looking into though since less people know about that method. The only other way is to take a rafting trip through the grand canyon. They stop at the confluence and you can go upstream from the Colorado.
Funny, because I just got a new camera and wanted to go to the confluence and was concerned about getting it wet. I checked all over and couldn't find information on if you had to get wet, which ultimately lead to me making this video. I usually take a dry bag if I'm slightly worried. If I know I'm getting wet, I may leave my Canon at home and just go with the gopro which is waterproof.
Seriously, awesome video. Thanks for all the information, maps, and graphics. Now I know I won't be doing this hike when I go in September, but I'm super glad to know what I was getting into.
It is a pretty tough hike. Between that and the hike in, my knees hurt for a month after. When you go, I highly recommend you check out 50’ and Navajo Falls. Not crowded, not hard to get to but beautiful. We missed them the first time we went.
This is a great guide! I just went to the confluence this past March. I wish I had watched this first. We had a bit of a hard time on the way back. Just released some new travel films. Please have a look when you have some free time!
Great video. I have permit for mid Nov and a question regarding footwear. I planned on just bringing a pair of brooks Cascadia but then had concerns that maybe I should have a dry pair for hiking and another pair (Merrell choprock) for in water and crossing streams on hike to confluence. In order to avoid being in wet shoes during November. If it was September it wouldn't be an issue. But what are your thoughts?
Thanks. I brought regular hiking shoes and my Keen water sandals. Wore the Keens (with wool socks) to the confluence. There really isn't any way to stay out of the water if you make that hike, or even just hike to Beaver Falls. Imo, it was worth the extra weight to have something dry to change into at the end of the day, especially since there are no fires allowed. (As a side note; the hike in/out has a lot of loose gravel/sand. Open sandals are brutal for that part. Regular hiking shoes and even a set of mini-gaiters are highly recommended for that portion of the hike.) Enjoy. It is an amazing place.
I'm going with Hatch River Expedition in July. I've been told we may not be able to stop at Havasu Creek Confluence because it's on Navajo Land. How far does there land reach to the river? I'd sure hate to miss this part of the trip. Even if we only got to hike a mile or so to take great pictures of the Blue Green waters and swim a little
The Havasu reservation ends just downstream of Beaver falls. So you can definitely hike a few miles upstream. Unfortunately, not to any of the falls though
This is beautiful. Can you just hike to the first falls? I am not too confident to do those other hikes that are dangerous because I'd be going with my kids.
Do you have permits? Assuming you do, you have to hike from the parking lot to the campsite, which is about 2,000' elevation drop into the valley and 10.5 miles of hiking. It's straightforward and doesn't have any scrambling or climbing parts. Once you're there, you can visit 50' falls, navajo falls (if access from the floods has been repaired) and Havasu falls without any problems. You can see Mooney from the top, but have to make the climb shown in the video to get to the base of it, or to Beaver Falls 3 miles down canyon. But the first three falls are really beautiful and should be plenty of entertainment. I have a video showing the basic layout of the place and all the falls as well that you can check out. The hike to the confluence is considered advanced and should only be done by avid hikers. Getting to the base of Mooney falls is hit or miss; I've seen plenty of people turn around and not make it to the bottom. Depends on how young your kids are. Some people are fearless with their kids. I wouldn't take mine on this hike because even the 10.5 mile hike in would yield waaaay too many teenage complaints. But they aren't hikers. It's really personal preference and dependent on your kids. But this is a long hike. They need to like this sort of stuff.
@@JerryArizona Thanks for responding. I do not have permits. I am just inquiring first before actually considering whether I would be able to even attempt such a hike with my 2 kids. My kids are not avid hikers. I am not an "Avid" hiker, but I do hike locally. I would consider myself a novice to moderate hiker. I have taken them on more than a handful of hikes and they do enjoy them, but not without breaks and snacks. My children are 11 and 9. If there is a promise of great scenery they are pretty much in for the hike. I will have to invest in some hiking shoes for them however, because they don't have any and sometimes struggle with regular shoes on the hikes.
Are you in Phoenix? Plenty of other fun hikes around AZ. Check out Fossil Creek Falls Trail, Bullpen Ranch at West Clear Creek, West Fork in Sedona, Wet Beaver Creek to the Crack, Parsons Trail...Good scenery, pretty easy and all but west fork have swimming holes. If they like those, you can move on to tougher hikes.
@@JerryArizona I am in Texas, so no. This summer we are going to Glacier Falls in Montana and they are looking forward to it. We are going to attempt whitewater rafting as well. The longest they have hiked with me is 5 miles. I know some trails here in Texas with watering holes we are going to attempt. I guess I will have to take them somewhere similar with watering holes as a trial run.
This was the most amazing, thrilling and memorable hike I’ve ever done in my entire life! I did this back in July of 2001, then went back again in August of 2003. Stayed a week both times. Best time of my life even though we (an international group of 14) illegally camped out at Beaver Falls and were stranded on a peninsula when the rains from up above flooded over and came thundering through like a raging river of cappuccino turning that gorgeous blue-green water to brown like the Colorado!! 😱 We took turns overnight keeping track of the rising waters should we need to pack up and vacate our shrinking triangle of land in darkness. Luckily the water stopped rising but by daylight the creek had probably tripled both in width and depth. We made a human chain to cross over to the trail on the other side and battled every second to keep our feet from being swept out from under us. Man! Good times...good times!! WARNING ⚠️. DON’T EVER CAMP OVERNIGHT AT BEAVER FALLS! YOU CAN DIE!! Great video, Jerry! It was an awesome way to relive that wondrous hike! Thank you so much! And you’ve got a new subscriber! ❤️😁
Wow. That sounds like a little too much adventure. Glad you made it out safe. This hike was epic, as is everything down there. Glad you enjoyed the video!
Thanks for the beautiful video! Is it possible to hike from the lower little Colorado river (Havasu creek) to the Havasu falls (i know you need a permit) but is it a way to go from there? Do i need to hike in the water? Is yes the level of the water is low or i even have to swim ? Or is it a trail? How long time it will take? I plan to come from the Hopi Salt Trail and my goal is to arrive at the Havasu Falls. Thanks a lot by advance for your help!
That would be highly un-advisable if not impossible. Not sure how many miles it is from the Little Colorado to Havasu Creek, but it's a LOT. They are two different creeks/rivers, entirely. They both have the same color water, but they're very far apart. I've researched Salt Trail quite a bit and it's a brutal trail. The trail down the Little Colorado to the Colorado is even moreso. I can't recomment that. Most people who visit Havasu Creek from the Colorado do so from white water rafting tours. That actually may be the only way to do it. Please don't attempt this.
I have only hiked it from Supai, but I think you'd just need to search online for rafting tours in the grand canyon that go by this spot. I looked into those before, but not in detail. They are kind of expensive, but look like incredible adventures.
I used Gaia GPS on iPhone. Been using it for years. The hike back wasn't bad. There's some elevation to it, but it's gradual. I was worn out by the time I made it back to camp though.
I’m thinking of going here in the next few weeks. I looked on the website after watching your video. I’d like to ask if I need a permit/reservation to hike or is the permit/reservation only necessary to camp? I’d hate to go out there and not be able to hike. Any info would be appreciated thanks a lot
Havasupai is notoriously difficult to get permits for. Day hiking is not allowed; you can backpack or stay at the lodge. Their permits go up for sale on 2/1 each year and they sell out the entire year in minutes. Unfortunately, they cancelled all reservations this year due to COVID. I think they are also giving priority next year to people who had this year booked, so I'm guessing next year will be even harder to get permits for. My only advice is log into the reservation website and register. Go on there and check periodically for when they are reopening. Try to get permits 2/1, and if you don't, keep going back online to check for cancellations. I did see some this year before they closed down for COVID.
Jerry Arizona thank you so much for the reply and advice. I’ll definitely do that and hopefully I get lucky. I’ve watched 5 maybe 6 of your videos and it seems like every hike has the same requirements as far as permits go and being closed or limited due to Covid. Any advice on where I can go? My wife and I wanna take a trip in early October. For what it’s worth I appreciate your channel a lot cause you show the raw feeling of exploring a new hike. Most channels I come across is mainly high energy music and quick shots of the area or a couple jumping in a lake that can make me feel dizzy at times. Thanks and keep up the good work
@@mtb_8796 Depends on what you want to see and do. Hole in the Rock Road doesn't require permits (Coyote Gulch, Spooky/Peek A Boo/Zebra), Buckskin gulch you can sign in at the trailhead if you day hike only, kayaking from Glen Canyon is open, White Pocket, Mount Baldy/white mountains (only areas off the reservation), plenty up by Flagstaff, Mogollon Rim (Cabin Loop), most of Sedona....
Great video and super helpful. We are heading to havasu in April. I'm hoping to hike to the confluence but worried about staying on trail. Any other tips you could give? And what was your itinerary for havasupai? Did you hike to to confluence the day after arrival to camp? TIA
I hiked in with a full pack day 1, then hiked to the confluence and back day 2. This is a tough hike and out of five people who tried it that day, I was the only one who made it from camp. Not that I'm a super hiker. My knees hurt for about a month after those two brutal days of hiking. I was lucky enough to catch a helicopter out (day 3). Best $85 I have ever spent, especially having made that hike out with a full pack before. I wouldn't worry too much about wayfinding. It's fairly straightforward. You can almost always have the creek in sight. In April you probably can get into the water, so you don't have to worry about going high and left at the narrows at the end; you can swim straight through. Might want to swim through the narrows right after Beaver falls too, but I have not done it personally. (Hated that exposed high route.) I hear it can be done but that the current is strong. Maybe ask around for someone who has gone that route. Pretty much once you're past the narrows section after Beaver, the major obstacles are out of the way. From then on, it's more an issue of covering mileage. Leave early. Take a headlamp. Bring a water purifier or plenty of water. No need to run out when you're next to a creek. Enjoy.
I prefer wider lenses. But this was my first trip with my new Canon EOS R and all I had was the 24~105. It's really your personal preference, but all the pictures in the video were shot at 24. I'd think the 15~30 would be a good range for the area.
Trying to decide if this hike is worth it. My group will be hiking into the canyon Saturday and hiking out Monday, so this would take up all of Sunday, our only full day there. For anyone who has done this hike to the confluence, do you think it’s worth sacrificing time spent hanging out at the other falls?
Chris Hardison honestly, I’d recommend skipping it if you only have one free day. You really want one full day to hang out and relax. The hike in and out is no picnic, and neither is the confluence. I’d recommend checking out all the falls (including 50’ and Navajo) and enjoying some down time over squeezing this in.
Has anyone gone or going in February? We got reservations for Feb 2nd. Just saw it snowed like 3" outside Scottsdale the other day... Anyone have suggestions on gear for early February trips?
Trent Crull best cold weather purchase I’ve made is an REI co-op down (partial synthetic) jacket. Packs small, reasonable cost ($100?) and keeps you warm. Get your layers down. Base layer, a few insulating layers, jacket and shell. Layers make all the difference. A good sleeping bag and mattress, although I’ve found bringing my wife helps with just a cheap sleeping bag. Hand and foot warmers. Plenty of socks and an extra pair of shoes in case you get yours wet. Stinks you can’t have fires down there. Remember they have a store in town if you really need it, but it’s a hike (~2 miles and some uphill) to get there. Did this trip solo in November. Temps at night were in the 40’s and I was fine. February will probably be a lot colder though.
Looks awesome I'll be going to havasupai march 11-15 and I definately want to do this trail. What kind of GPS did you have? Or did you just use your phone?
I use Gaia on my iPhone. I've used it for years. It does help to pre-mark your hikes though because it can have signal problems out on the trail sometimes. But even if the map isn't loading well, the path is still there if you've marked it.
Awesome video, have a question since I've only been to the confluence on e on a raft trip 20yrs ago and cant remember it. Is there enough room to put down camp for the night there? I know you need a permit (which is $10) bit forget if there is enough room anywhere. Thanks for your time. Also, I know you hiked in November but if it were a summer month and 100 degrees out (my permit is in August) do you thinknits possible to wade the river instead of taking the high road and "sketchy" cliff trails? Do you have a map of your hike path posted somewhere online?
Outside The Box thank you! I don’t think camping is allowed at the confluence at all. I know on the reservation it’s only allowed between Mooney and Havasu Falls. But the confluence is the Grand Canyon....regardless, I’m fairly certain you aren’t allowed to camp there. I didn’t see any campsites to indicate anyone had camped. You’re probably fine swimming the part past Beaver. And even through the slot canyon right at the end at the confluence. I was worried about cold and I had some expensive electronic equipment I had to keep dry, so I wasn’t going to try it.
Any good hiking shoe or sandal would work. I have canyoneering shoes with stealth rubber soles, but didn't bring them and never felt like I needed them. I use Keen water sandals with wool socks. They dry out quickly, but since it was winter, I brought extra hiking shoes to have something dry to put on at the end of the day. The trail in is especially filled with small, loose gravel and sand that can get into sandals, so regular hiking shoes and even mini gaiters would be good to keep rocks out. If you go when it's warm, you'll definitely want something that you can get in the water with though.
Heading down in a week and planning on hitting the confluence one of our days in there. Any way to directly link to the Gaia GPS route? I can’t seem to pull it up in the app
Unfortunately, I can't figure out how to add a link into UA-cam. Once you're at Mooney, it's pretty much following the creek down to the Colorado though. So you shouldn't have any issues finding the way. Just make sure you pay attention toward the end so you know exactly how to get back up.
I've used Gaia with an iphone for years. I typically pre-mark the trail on it before going out, just in case I have signal issues. I absolutely love it.
@@ovherlander I don't. Honestly never took the time to figure that out. And I have a really bad habit of forgetting to start and stop tracks at the right time. Just did that today coming out of the Superstitions; paused recording, then walked about 2 miles before I remembered to resume. So if anyone tried to follow my tracks, I'd probably get them lost.
Jerry Ackerman, I get it I accidentally had mine set to public once...still trying to figure out how I did that, hahaha! Thanks for these awesome video guides!
@Paul Kryder because people have witnessed horse's being beat, dead horse's on the Trail, the Indians Dog's were eating a Donkey while it was still alive but to weak To get away, starving horse's, horse's with exposed backbones because the pack ruled it raw, should I go on?? There's much more
@Paul Kryder stop the money until the tribe does the right thing and stop the abuse.. why don't you just go to the website I provided the link.. and they can better answer your Questions.. but here's a Question for you, why would you support a tribe that is so cruel to animals??
I just got back from Havasupai two days ago. While there some people who did the hike to the confluence used the same word: sketchy. Thanks to this video I got to see what I missed and probably won’t ever do. Mooney and Beaver Falls were excitement and challenge enough for me.
Cool! Glad you enjoyed the video. It's a hard hike down there and the falls themselves are more than enough. So if you don't have a lot of time, I recommend using the time you have to relax and enjoy the falls. I didn't do this hike my first time down either.
Thank you for this thorough explanation. I have a spinal cord injury and want to put this on my bucket list. Because of you, I now know what I need to train on to be strong enough to do the hike. Thank you so much!!
I hiked this with a buddy in 1987 this really shows the beauty and ruggedness of this great hike and swim
So beautiful. I couldn’t do it though. Heights! Thank you for the great video
I was fortunate to have floated the Grand Canyon when I was in high school back in the 70's. We stopped at Havasu creek and hiked up to Mooney Falls. In the last few days, I've watched several videos on hiking into Havasu Canyon kindling a desire to go back. Your video is one of the most detailed in terms of risks and challenges that one can encounter. Thanks for putting it together.
Funny. I made this video because I was heading down there and had a new camera and wanted to know if you had to get into deep water crossings if you hiked to the confluence. I couldn't find that info, so I made my own guide. Glad you enjoyed. Hopefully they reopen soon and people can get back down there.
Wish this would have been available when I went. We did that hike 3 or 4 years ago during our fall visit and it was hot weather so we drank a lot of water. Luckily I had my water filter. Didn’t leave early enough so we jogged part of the way back and still came up Mooney Falls after dark. Sketchy!! That stretch below Beaver Falls definitely had the “pucker factor”. Great job of showing the obstacles and beauty of the hike.
Funny. I made this because when I was planning my trip I couldn't find the info I wanted; I'd just gotten a new camera and wanted to know if there were any deep stream crossings (like the narrows). So I decided to just make the video I was looking for. That high road was no fun. I think if I did it again, I'd take the GoPro only and swim through the narrows.
This place remains, to this day, the most profound hike of my life! Went there 5 times over a 7 year stretch!!! We were told of a trail that led up on top of the rim high above Havasu & Mooney Falls, and the pics from up there are breathtaking! While we were at Mooney Falls swimming, Squirrels climbed up the tree I had hoisted our supply of food up on using a branch.They chewed through the rope dropping the food down to their ground Buffet!
Those squirrels down there are on steriods. And they are not shy. We just sat at camp one night and watched them getting into other people's backpacks and hammocks.
@@JerryArizona I have "Caught On Camera" evidence of the little $@#%$#@# from a 1990 hike. It was tragically cut short by 5 days due to their SWAT (Squirrels Who Assult Team) activities! We are still awaitig a trial date... ;)
Great video. Been there 7 times beginning in early 60’s when the canyon below the village was not a part of the reservation. Have hiked in from Hualapai Hilltop and also Cataract Canyon via road to Grand Canyon Village that is no longer accessible. Best summer lunch spot is sitting on submerged ledge in the river just up from the confluence.
I've heard they re-opened permits for 2022? I haven't checked it out personally, but hopefully that's the case. It would've been amazing to see back in the day, I'm sure.
You guys show me things that I am not able to go to. I want to thank you for sharing these wonderful places and scenery. What a blessing 😊👍
I don’t know if you have ever been to Yuma but…
I just was just at havasu. Such a magical place. I didn’t go to the confluence but maybe another time. This was an awesome video. Always wanted to see the confluence. Thank you.
I had no ideal you could hike to the confluence. I definitely wanna try this someday.
Yes, you can! It's a pretty rough hike though. Especially after you've already hiked down to the campgrounds. If you go, leave early.
Lots of people hike from the confluence to mooney
Thanks for responding. We are registered, now we wait for Feb 1st and pray we get permits. The confluence hike looks tricky but for now we will b happy just to get the permits.
Happy hiking
Dorinda
Did you get permits?
What was it like? Snow?
One of the harder hikes I’ve ever done . %100 worth it though ! We also had luck and ran into the rafting groups. Such a great reward at the end but the thought of having to hike all the way back before dark got us going back quick. Smaller 10-15 ft Rock Jump on the way back was nice! Great video !
Glad you enjoyed it. Yeah, this is a tough hike, for sure. I didn't realize all the elevation change until I got back to camp. Definitely worth it, and definitely a long, hard day.
Thank you for this video. It's really cool and I didn't know that the trail has some quite exposed sections. Very helpful!
Pretty sure you can skip that if you go through the narrows below. But again, I haven't done that, so you should definitely check with someone who has actually gone through that way.
Holy Crap. Very Beautiful. The water is so blue. Not sure if we would risk the climb but it is really cool.
Wayward Waggs yeah. I tried my best to stress how exposed that one section is. And it’s a long day. But plenty else to see closer to camp.
@@JerryArizona 👍
Thank u for ur video...very helpful in detail and all. Thanks!
Great video, thanks for the info. I'm going to Havasupai Falls this June, can't wait!!
Enjoy it. That place is incredible. Make sure you check out 50 foot and (if it's open) Navajo Falls. We overlooked those the first time and they're incredible.
your channel is awesome. you definitely deserve more subscribers
About climbing Mooney Falls chains in the dark...no not a fun time. :D I got back late and had to hike up that. Even with headlamps, it was a bit sketchy, especially when you're all tired out.
We hiked the confluence in June 2018 and definitely didn't go this way. We came across a rattle snake and a king snake. Our way was so easy! Good job!
Guessing you went through the narrows at the base of Beaver Falls, then? I heard some people do. It was too cold and I had a new camera, so I decided not to risk it.
@@JerryArizona I guess...lol. I'm going back in July 🙌!
Oh man, I’ve always wanted to do this but am realizing watching your video that I’d never make it through those really steep inclines. I have a hard enough time going down Bright Angel, I hug the walls. 🤯
I really think you can swim through the narrows. I didn't want to try it because I was solo and I had my good camera on me. The real challenge is getting permits.
@@JerryArizona I’ve both swam the narrows and hiked the trail at the confluence, both are easily done.
This is the best video of the confluence that I've seen...Thanks for capturing this! I can't wait to make this hike in April!
The Not Lost Nomad cool man. Checked out your channel too. Nice stuff. Where are you based out of? Always looking for new places to go.
Any questions on Havasupai, let me know. They’ve changed some rules this year (which I didn’t get permits for) so I recommend checking out the Havasupai falls Facebook group. They have a ton of info.
Jerry Ackerman , thanks a lot! I’m based out of East Texas...a few hours from Dallas. We are a bit limited on outdoor adventures around here so we drive out West to Big Bend NP and Guadalupe Mountains NP.... also do quite a bit of hiking in Arkansas.
With the lack of adventure close by we opt for yearly trips where will fly to a better location...Rim to Rim Grand Canyon last year and Havasupai this year. We’re planning on Olympic National Park Coastal trail as a backup but luckily we got permits.
Thanks again for the great videos, you’ll definitely be one of my channels for researching future trips! And I’ll reach out to you if I have any questions.
We did the Olympic Coast last year. Just an overnight as part of a bigger trip in Washington. It was amazing. My favorite to date is Kalalau Trail in Kauai (not sure if it’s reopened from flooding last year) and then Buckskin Gulch as #2.
Ashamed to say as an Arizona resident I haven’t done the Grand Canyon yet. Hopefully we get to do it this year on the Deer Creek/Thunder River Loop.
Those two are definitely on my list, I have a friend that was getting ready to do the Kalalau Trail but the flood came the week before he went. Hopefully I can make it out there soon!
@@JerryArizona , we missed out on doing the confluence...my friends knee was hurting him too much. we opted for hanging out at beaver falls. at least we got there early and had Mooney to ourselves and relatively no crowd at Beaver falls. I'll have to head out there again just for the confluence.
That was awesome! Great job. My sister & I are hoping to get permits 2019 for Havasu falls. Really enjoyed your video. Safe travels
Dorinda
Glad you enjoyed. Hopefully you've registered online already; permits go up 2/1 and sell out in minutes. If you try to get to the confluence, make sure you're prepared. It's a rough hike. Good luck!
Yes, this is my first time getting reservations, and I seriously had to WORK at it to get a reservation. I made 3 accounts, and logged in with 3 different browsers, and kept hitting refresh!
I’ve just discovered your channel...wow! Your guides are so amazing, thank you!
While your hikes are much too advanced for my creaky old joints, I’m inspired and hopeful I can shorten/modify some of them to explore more areas. Again, thank you!
Cool, man. Any questions, feel free to ask. Some of them can be made easier; like Buckskin Gulch. You can see the best parts but avoid miles of hiking and the slop in the canyon just by going in and out White House.
Thanks for this! We are headed there in Sept and this helps greatly!!
Enjoy! Btw, I made another video a few months ago that really goes into detail on this overall trip if you have any other questions.
@@JerryArizona can you send a link to that vid??
love the channel. love the info. thanks for the inspiration
WOW, incredible!! THANKS
This is spot on. The trail definitely gets sketchy and hard to follow at some points but it is well worth the intense hike.
PeterJurgen definitely worth it. I really wanted to stress the difficulty of the hike in the guide. It’s not a beginner hike for sure.
@@JerryArizona Certainly not for beginners but if you back packed the 10 miles in already you probably aren't a beginner. Can't wait to visit that amazing place again. Thanks for the vid.
Got the permit for this June. Feel so lucky :)
Definatly gonna check that tunnel out.
Thank you for sharing 😍👍
Very informative vid!
That's great! I didn't get permits this year, but I've been lucky enough to go the last two. It's an incredible place. Enjoy.
Beautiful
Absolutely awesome video and great information! Havasu has been one of my dream hikes and I haven't been able to get a permit yet. Someday but until then I'll just continue to live vicariously through this video!
Cowboy Roy a couple secrets; call on the off season. Like maybe now. But call the lodge. They book rooms (which come with permits) at a different time of year. May have changed with the new online permit system, but I think they used to take those over the phone in June. You can check the website for updates. Alternatively, join the Havasupai group on Facebook (think the actual name is in the description). People randomly have spots open up and sell them. Otherwise you can try online 2/1. I have a video of my experience this year (and failure). It’s a crap shoot but when I did eventually get through there were still spots open in February. Which meant it would be cold and you’d have to immediately go, but hey, waterfalls.
Awesome!
Adding this one to the list!
Unfortunately, it's been closed for 2 years now due to COVID. Not sure when they plan to open back up.
ohhh i was debating on if i should do this one... now i totally want to do it... I dont see/hear much about it... going in April 2019 yay
Leave early, bring water and a headlamp. Best of luck.
A friend and I went down from the Hualipai Hilltop trailhead in mid Oct 1986, back then there was no permits system so it was free. We started late around 4 pm and it was getting dark when we arrived and we camped at the last camping area just above Mooney Falls. Beside the Indians there we not many other hikers. The next morning we hiked down to the confluence starting just at first light, the first tunnel thru the Travertine was dark and we used headlamps, then we followed the trail all the way down to the Colorado river on all the main trail. We arrived at the Colorado river around 11 am and had it all to ourselves. We saw a small group of Big Horn Sheep there and a couple deer.
We started back up towards Supai around 2 pm and by the time we made it back to the Travertine wall its was as dark as it was when we started. We got back to our camp sight and stayed another night, the next day we started early and made it back to the trail head in a few hours.
In 1996 my same friend and I went back down, but tho there was a permit system we did not know about it and stayed in the only camp spot left and then the second day we went down and swam below Mooney Falls, it was in late August and there were many, many people, day hikers and overnighters. No one ever came to our sight asking for a permit. The third day we hiked back out to the road.
That sounds absolutely incredible. No offense to people, but I go out in wilderness for some solitude. Some places, you just can't help the crowds. Would have loved to have seen it empty. Then again, I was pretty much alone this entire day until I got back to camp. Just gotta get out of bed early nowadays.
Jerry, thanks a million for the cool video. You're a nice guy. I don't do tips online, only one on one & never to city slickers. Have just sent several 4K/HD videos of places I've been to the last 30 years including a great one from Dutchman to my Czech colleagues & friends stuck at home instead of in the pubs on the weekend due to the Wuhan virus. We were there 3 days two couples before Easter 1995 ~ 7.IV. The day before our arrival there it was snowing and on Good FR (several hundred people rushed there) the rain started (we reached the car up top in the dry - 12 km) till SU. We had 3 days of sun and 27 degrees C. In the camp below the village btw the waterfalls were ~ 50 people. The heavens smiled at us. At that time, a permit from the Indians cost $ 20 / camp and $ 12 / person. The gals splashed in the travertine pools, while Ales and I headed to the CO river (25 km round trip), nobody there. Back then there was no real trail or signs nor ladders below Mooney Falls. Also, no water sandals; we waded ~8X barefoot. Being a geologist helped. Noticed a high ledge below Beaver F. It was quite a scramble to it. It went around 3 bends & saved us that many crossings. One of the best trips of my life! Standing barefoot on the Zoroaster granite and Vishnu schist at the confluence of Havasu (meaning blue-green) and the then silty CO River (Inner Gorge) was a forceful event - 2 billion years old rocks. Happy trails, bud.
Glad you enjoyed. I'm sure it was a lot different back then.
Awesome!
Just completed this hike yesterday and at times I questioned my sanity for doing it alone. There are places where you could easily get hurt or die. On the way back from the confluence I lost the trail and went up and over the narrows and back down at the cove. I used a trail probably used by bighorn sheep that was made up of loosed rocks. Any slip up and I would have fallen to my death. Thank God I found a path down and back onto the trail. It was an amazing hike but I probably wouldn’t do it again.
Sounds like we had similar experiences. Except I got off trail on the way in. If I go back, I'd probably try to swim/wade through the narrow section and skip that sketchy high trail completely.
Subbed, its amazing out there. Although mooney falls was super scary so I stayed at havasu falls he he
Backpacking trip to Havasu Falls was the most beautiful and challenging one for me. We had the guide (wildland trekking) for this trip - 4D3N
It should be on every backpackers list of places to hike
are the permits a raffle? or first come first serve
You need a permit through the Havasu tribe. They sell them starting 8AM (?) AZ time on 2/1. They sell out for the entire year within minutes. www.havasupaireservations.com/ This year, they're really screwed up though. They closed down due to COVID and there is a note saying that the people who were cancelled can reschedule for next year. That will make getting permits for next year even harder than normal, I would think. You can also book a room at the lodge. I believe those go up in June, but I'm not sure. If you're interested, it would be worth looking into though since less people know about that method. The only other way is to take a rafting trip through the grand canyon. They stop at the confluence and you can go upstream from the Colorado.
we climbed mooney in the dark it was fun
Super informative video, thank you! What kind of gear do you use to keep your cameras from getting water damage?
Funny, because I just got a new camera and wanted to go to the confluence and was concerned about getting it wet. I checked all over and couldn't find information on if you had to get wet, which ultimately lead to me making this video. I usually take a dry bag if I'm slightly worried. If I know I'm getting wet, I may leave my Canon at home and just go with the gopro which is waterproof.
Awesome video, subbed to your channel!
Ronie Calzoncinth thanks, man! Just playing around with all this about a year ago so it’s good to hear feedback.
Seriously, awesome video. Thanks for all the information, maps, and graphics. Now I know I won't be doing this hike when I go in September, but I'm super glad to know what I was getting into.
It is a pretty tough hike. Between that and the hike in, my knees hurt for a month after. When you go, I highly recommend you check out 50’ and Navajo Falls. Not crowded, not hard to get to but beautiful. We missed them the first time we went.
Great video! Any chance you have a gpx of the hike? I'm looking to upload to Gaia before my trip. Thanks!
I can't seem to share them on UA-cam; only through Gaia. Not sure how to share from one user to another on the app.
Thanks
This is a great guide! I just went to the confluence this past March. I wish I had watched this first. We had a bit of a hard time on the way back. Just released some new travel films. Please have a look when you have some free time!
Great video. I have permit for mid Nov and a question regarding footwear. I planned on just bringing a pair of brooks Cascadia but then had concerns that maybe I should have a dry pair for hiking and another pair (Merrell choprock) for in water and crossing streams on hike to confluence. In order to avoid being in wet shoes during November. If it was September it wouldn't be an issue. But what are your thoughts?
Thanks. I brought regular hiking shoes and my Keen water sandals. Wore the Keens (with wool socks) to the confluence. There really isn't any way to stay out of the water if you make that hike, or even just hike to Beaver Falls. Imo, it was worth the extra weight to have something dry to change into at the end of the day, especially since there are no fires allowed. (As a side note; the hike in/out has a lot of loose gravel/sand. Open sandals are brutal for that part. Regular hiking shoes and even a set of mini-gaiters are highly recommended for that portion of the hike.) Enjoy. It is an amazing place.
I'm going with Hatch River Expedition in July. I've been told we may not be able to stop at Havasu Creek Confluence because it's on Navajo Land. How far does there land reach to the river? I'd sure hate to miss this part of the trip. Even if we only got to hike a mile or so to take great pictures of the Blue Green waters and swim a little
The Havasu reservation ends just downstream of Beaver falls. So you can definitely hike a few miles upstream. Unfortunately, not to any of the falls though
This is beautiful. Can you just hike to the first falls? I am not too confident to do those other hikes that are dangerous because I'd be going with my kids.
Do you have permits? Assuming you do, you have to hike from the parking lot to the campsite, which is about 2,000' elevation drop into the valley and 10.5 miles of hiking. It's straightforward and doesn't have any scrambling or climbing parts. Once you're there, you can visit 50' falls, navajo falls (if access from the floods has been repaired) and Havasu falls without any problems. You can see Mooney from the top, but have to make the climb shown in the video to get to the base of it, or to Beaver Falls 3 miles down canyon. But the first three falls are really beautiful and should be plenty of entertainment. I have a video showing the basic layout of the place and all the falls as well that you can check out.
The hike to the confluence is considered advanced and should only be done by avid hikers. Getting to the base of Mooney falls is hit or miss; I've seen plenty of people turn around and not make it to the bottom. Depends on how young your kids are. Some people are fearless with their kids. I wouldn't take mine on this hike because even the 10.5 mile hike in would yield waaaay too many teenage complaints. But they aren't hikers. It's really personal preference and dependent on your kids.
But this is a long hike. They need to like this sort of stuff.
@@JerryArizona Thanks for responding. I do not have permits. I am just inquiring first before actually considering whether I would be able to even attempt such a hike with my 2 kids. My kids are not avid hikers. I am not an "Avid" hiker, but I do hike locally. I would consider myself a novice to moderate hiker. I have taken them on more than a handful of hikes and they do enjoy them, but not without breaks and snacks. My children are 11 and 9. If there is a promise of great scenery they are pretty much in for the hike. I will have to invest in some hiking shoes for them however, because they don't have any and sometimes struggle with regular shoes on the hikes.
Are you in Phoenix? Plenty of other fun hikes around AZ. Check out Fossil Creek Falls Trail, Bullpen Ranch at West Clear Creek, West Fork in Sedona, Wet Beaver Creek to the Crack, Parsons Trail...Good scenery, pretty easy and all but west fork have swimming holes. If they like those, you can move on to tougher hikes.
@@JerryArizona I am in Texas, so no. This summer we are going to Glacier Falls in Montana and they are looking forward to it. We are going to attempt whitewater rafting as well. The longest they have hiked with me is 5 miles. I know some trails here in Texas with watering holes we are going to attempt. I guess I will have to take them somewhere similar with watering holes as a trial run.
This was the most amazing, thrilling and memorable hike I’ve ever done in my entire life! I did this back in July of 2001, then went back again in August of 2003. Stayed a week both times. Best time of my life even though we (an international group of 14) illegally camped out at Beaver Falls and were stranded on a peninsula when the rains from up above flooded over and came thundering through like a raging river of cappuccino turning that gorgeous blue-green water to brown like the Colorado!! 😱 We took turns overnight keeping track of the rising waters should we need to pack up and vacate our shrinking triangle of land in darkness. Luckily the water stopped rising but by daylight the creek had probably tripled both in width and depth. We made a human chain to cross over to the trail on the other side and battled every second to keep our feet from being swept out from under us. Man! Good times...good times!! WARNING ⚠️. DON’T EVER CAMP OVERNIGHT AT BEAVER FALLS! YOU CAN DIE!! Great video, Jerry! It was an awesome way to relive that wondrous hike! Thank you so much! And you’ve got a new subscriber! ❤️😁
Wow. That sounds like a little too much adventure. Glad you made it out safe. This hike was epic, as is everything down there. Glad you enjoyed the video!
Thanks for the beautiful video!
Is it possible to hike from the lower little Colorado river (Havasu creek) to the Havasu falls (i know you need a permit) but is it a way to go from there?
Do i need to hike in the water? Is yes the level of the water is low or i even have to swim ? Or is it a trail? How long time it will take?
I plan to come from the Hopi Salt Trail and my goal is to arrive at the Havasu Falls.
Thanks a lot by advance for your help!
That would be highly un-advisable if not impossible. Not sure how many miles it is from the Little Colorado to Havasu Creek, but it's a LOT. They are two different creeks/rivers, entirely. They both have the same color water, but they're very far apart. I've researched Salt Trail quite a bit and it's a brutal trail. The trail down the Little Colorado to the Colorado is even moreso. I can't recomment that. Most people who visit Havasu Creek from the Colorado do so from white water rafting tours. That actually may be the only way to do it. Please don't attempt this.
Very informative. Thanks for sharing. Any idea on how to get on those rafts in that area? I’ve done Horseshoe Bend but would love to go here.
I have only hiked it from Supai, but I think you'd just need to search online for rafting tours in the grand canyon that go by this spot. I looked into those before, but not in detail. They are kind of expensive, but look like incredible adventures.
What trail app did you use to track your progress? Also how was the hike back?
I used Gaia GPS on iPhone. Been using it for years. The hike back wasn't bad. There's some elevation to it, but it's gradual. I was worn out by the time I made it back to camp though.
I’m thinking of going here in the next few weeks. I looked on the website after watching your video. I’d like to ask if I need a permit/reservation to hike or is the permit/reservation only necessary to camp? I’d hate to go out there and not be able to hike. Any info would be appreciated thanks a lot
Havasupai is notoriously difficult to get permits for. Day hiking is not allowed; you can backpack or stay at the lodge. Their permits go up for sale on 2/1 each year and they sell out the entire year in minutes. Unfortunately, they cancelled all reservations this year due to COVID. I think they are also giving priority next year to people who had this year booked, so I'm guessing next year will be even harder to get permits for. My only advice is log into the reservation website and register. Go on there and check periodically for when they are reopening. Try to get permits 2/1, and if you don't, keep going back online to check for cancellations. I did see some this year before they closed down for COVID.
Jerry Arizona thank you so much for the reply and advice. I’ll definitely do that and hopefully I get lucky. I’ve watched 5 maybe 6 of your videos and it seems like every hike has the same requirements as far as permits go and being closed or limited due to Covid. Any advice on where I can go? My wife and I wanna take a trip in early October. For what it’s worth I appreciate your channel a lot cause you show the raw feeling of exploring a new hike. Most channels I come across is mainly high energy music and quick shots of the area or a couple jumping in a lake that can make me feel dizzy at times. Thanks and keep up the good work
@@mtb_8796 Depends on what you want to see and do. Hole in the Rock Road doesn't require permits (Coyote Gulch, Spooky/Peek A Boo/Zebra), Buckskin gulch you can sign in at the trailhead if you day hike only, kayaking from Glen Canyon is open, White Pocket, Mount Baldy/white mountains (only areas off the reservation), plenty up by Flagstaff, Mogollon Rim (Cabin Loop), most of Sedona....
Jerry Arizona thanks I will look into those hikes ASAP. Take care
Great video and super helpful. We are heading to havasu in April. I'm hoping to hike to the confluence but worried about staying on trail. Any other tips you could give? And what was your itinerary for havasupai? Did you hike to to confluence the day after arrival to camp? TIA
I hiked in with a full pack day 1, then hiked to the confluence and back day 2. This is a tough hike and out of five people who tried it that day, I was the only one who made it from camp. Not that I'm a super hiker. My knees hurt for about a month after those two brutal days of hiking. I was lucky enough to catch a helicopter out (day 3). Best $85 I have ever spent, especially having made that hike out with a full pack before.
I wouldn't worry too much about wayfinding. It's fairly straightforward. You can almost always have the creek in sight. In April you probably can get into the water, so you don't have to worry about going high and left at the narrows at the end; you can swim straight through. Might want to swim through the narrows right after Beaver falls too, but I have not done it personally. (Hated that exposed high route.) I hear it can be done but that the current is strong. Maybe ask around for someone who has gone that route.
Pretty much once you're past the narrows section after Beaver, the major obstacles are out of the way. From then on, it's more an issue of covering mileage.
Leave early. Take a headlamp. Bring a water purifier or plenty of water. No need to run out when you're next to a creek. Enjoy.
great video! do you suggest a 15-30mm or 24-70mm lens. once in the canyon i am not sure if 15mm is tooo wide. thanks.
I prefer wider lenses. But this was my first trip with my new Canon EOS R and all I had was the 24~105. It's really your personal preference, but all the pictures in the video were shot at 24. I'd think the 15~30 would be a good range for the area.
Trying to decide if this hike is worth it. My group will be hiking into the canyon Saturday and hiking out Monday, so this would take up all of Sunday, our only full day there. For anyone who has done this hike to the confluence, do you think it’s worth sacrificing time spent hanging out at the other falls?
Chris Hardison honestly, I’d recommend skipping it if you only have one free day. You really want one full day to hang out and relax. The hike in and out is no picnic, and neither is the confluence. I’d recommend checking out all the falls (including 50’ and Navajo) and enjoying some down time over squeezing this in.
@@JerryArizona thank you, really appreciate the advice. and this video was great, hope to get to the confluence on a return trip in the future.
Has anyone gone or going in February? We got reservations for Feb 2nd. Just saw it snowed like 3" outside Scottsdale the other day... Anyone have suggestions on gear for early February trips?
Trent Crull best cold weather purchase I’ve made is an REI co-op down (partial synthetic) jacket. Packs small, reasonable cost ($100?) and keeps you warm. Get your layers down. Base layer, a few insulating layers, jacket and shell. Layers make all the difference. A good sleeping bag and mattress, although I’ve found bringing my wife helps with just a cheap sleeping bag. Hand and foot warmers. Plenty of socks and an extra pair of shoes in case you get yours wet. Stinks you can’t have fires down there. Remember they have a store in town if you really need it, but it’s a hike (~2 miles and some uphill) to get there. Did this trip solo in November. Temps at night were in the 40’s and I was fine. February will probably be a lot colder though.
Looks awesome I'll be going to havasupai march 11-15 and I definately want to do this trail. What kind of GPS did you have? Or did you just use your phone?
I use Gaia on my iPhone. I've used it for years. It does help to pre-mark your hikes though because it can have signal problems out on the trail sometimes. But even if the map isn't loading well, the path is still there if you've marked it.
Awesome video, have a question since I've only been to the confluence on e on a raft trip 20yrs ago and cant remember it. Is there enough room to put down camp for the night there? I know you need a permit (which is $10) bit forget if there is enough room anywhere. Thanks for your time.
Also, I know you hiked in November but if it were a summer month and 100 degrees out (my permit is in August) do you thinknits possible to wade the river instead of taking the high road and "sketchy" cliff trails? Do you have a map of your hike path posted somewhere online?
Outside The Box thank you! I don’t think camping is allowed at the confluence at all. I know on the reservation it’s only allowed between Mooney and Havasu Falls. But the confluence is the Grand Canyon....regardless, I’m fairly certain you aren’t allowed to camp there. I didn’t see any campsites to indicate anyone had camped.
You’re probably fine swimming the part past Beaver. And even through the slot canyon right at the end at the confluence. I was worried about cold and I had some expensive electronic equipment I had to keep dry, so I wasn’t going to try it.
Any rattlesnakes you seen?
Plenty, but none at Havasupai. I'm sure they're down there though/ Probably not so much in the more populated areas, but you never know.
I have hiking shoes, but what kind of shoes do you recommend for these climbs?
Any good hiking shoe or sandal would work. I have canyoneering shoes with stealth rubber soles, but didn't bring them and never felt like I needed them.
I use Keen water sandals with wool socks. They dry out quickly, but since it was winter, I brought extra hiking shoes to have something dry to put on at the end of the day. The trail in is especially filled with small, loose gravel and sand that can get into sandals, so regular hiking shoes and even mini gaiters would be good to keep rocks out.
If you go when it's warm, you'll definitely want something that you can get in the water with though.
Heading down in a week and planning on hitting the confluence one of our days in there. Any way to directly link to the Gaia GPS route? I can’t seem to pull it up in the app
Unfortunately, I can't figure out how to add a link into UA-cam. Once you're at Mooney, it's pretty much following the creek down to the Colorado though. So you shouldn't have any issues finding the way. Just make sure you pay attention toward the end so you know exactly how to get back up.
Jerry Ackerman great, thank you! I’ve watched a few times to ingrain it as well
What video editing software you used?
Premiere Pro CC. Steep learning curve, but I absolutely love it.
What kind of gps/trail map do you use?
I've used Gaia with an iphone for years. I typically pre-mark the trail on it before going out, just in case I have signal issues. I absolutely love it.
Jerry Ackerman, I love Gaia. Do you make your Gaia tracks/routes public so they can be downloaded by other users?
@@ovherlander I don't. Honestly never took the time to figure that out. And I have a really bad habit of forgetting to start and stop tracks at the right time. Just did that today coming out of the Superstitions; paused recording, then walked about 2 miles before I remembered to resume. So if anyone tried to follow my tracks, I'd probably get them lost.
Jerry Ackerman, I get it I accidentally had mine set to public once...still trying to figure out how I did that, hahaha! Thanks for these awesome video guides!
Thanks Jerry! We downloaded Gaia and hiked our way to the confluence!! That was a great hike!! Thanks for your videos!!
Wait, did he say "watch for Karens"? 5:17 LOL
Watch FOR cairns. Watch OUT for Karens.
Watch for Karens!!!! LMAO 🤣!!!!
Horrible animal abuse Don't GO!
THEY STARVE THE HORSE'S
@Paul Kryder the Indians
Go to a website save havasupia horse's
Or the Facebook page
@Paul Kryder havasupaihorses.org/
@Paul Kryder because people have witnessed horse's being beat, dead horse's on the Trail, the Indians Dog's were eating a Donkey while it was still alive but to weak
To get away, starving horse's, horse's with exposed backbones because the pack ruled it raw, should I go on?? There's much more
@Paul Kryder stop the money until the tribe does the right thing and stop the abuse.. why don't you just go to the website I provided the link.. and they can better answer your Questions.. but here's a Question for you, why would you support a tribe that is so cruel to animals??
@Paul Kryder you cant go unless you have a pass and you have to buy it in advance.. And they do not sell day passes ..