A First-Timer’s Havasupai Packing List for 2023

Ahhhh, HAVASUPAI. The beautiful Gatorade-blue clear waters deep in the Grand Canyon. If you’re reading this post, you either already have tickets or you’re planning to get tickets. Congrats! Havasupai was truly the adventure of a lifetime- good, bad, and everything in between.

Prior to signing up for Havasupai, I hadn’t been backpacking, and I bet many of you are in the same position. We went backpacking in the Superstition Mountains 3 weeks prior to Havasupai to practice, which helped a lot. Both of these trips helped to form my packing list that I’m here to share!

Read more about my backpacking trip in the Superstition Mountains here.

I know there’s a lot of stress and planning and time and money that goes into going to Havasupai, so you may be wondering… is it worth it?? I ANSWER THIS IN THE VIDEO BElOW!

TIPS ON YOUR PACKING LIST FOR HAVASUPAI

Packing for Havasupai isn’t easy, especially for a beginner. Here are a couple of tips of mine that helped a LOT.

1. PLAN MONTHS IN ADVANCE. This sounds crazy, but I’m serious. It helped me to lay my stuff out on the floor and slowly get gear. It gives you time to look for deals and return things if needed.

2. DON’T FEEL LIKE YOU NEED THE BEST GEAR. You could spend THOUSANDS on gear by getting the lightest and top-of-the-line gear. I tried to keep the cost low, but it’s still expensive. Do your best!

3. USE YOUR GEAR BEFORE LEAVING. Do a practice backpacking trip. Set up your tent in your house. Whatever you need to do to make sure you know how to use your stuff.

4. SAFETY FIRST. It does add weight, but your safety is first. Make sure to bring a first aid kit and other safety gear.

HAVASUPAI PACKING LIST FOR BEGINNERS

Let’s start reviewing the gear I brought to Havasupai. I will be mentioning the things I was SO GLAD I BROUGHT and the things I REGRET BRINGING as well as PRICING. Everything you need to know to make your Havasupai packing list.

HAVASUPAI PACKING LIST- “THE BIG FOUR”

These are the most important items of backpacking. It is also really important to your overall weight. As I mentioned, lightweight items are very expensive, so I wasn’t OVERLY concerned about weight.

BACKPACKS

Women’s Deuter Aircontact Core 45+10

TIP: SIZE MATTERS

Of course, referring to the backpack. My mom’s pack was TOO BIG and she was miserable during the hike. If you live near one, go to REI and be fitted (they’ll have you wear the pack with weight too. If not, order a few backpacks online and try them on at home. Go for a practice hike or walk around your neighborhood with it.

TENT

I’ll admit, it was overwhelming to pay for a tent. The last tent I bought was $50 from Walmart and I’ve been using it for about 7 years. After looking at many options, I felt the REI Trailmade 2-Person Tent was my best option. It comes in blue and orange. It’s $179 and weighs about 4.5 lbs (more if you take all the stakes). I only took 4 stakes to Havasupai instead of 10.

I have no issues with this tent after taking it on two trips. It has openings for airflow, but it can also be warm, and it’s plenty of room for me, my husband, and our 45 lb dog.

REI Trailmade Tent in Havasupai

SLEEPING BAG

Sleeping bags range from $50 to $400, yikes. I knew I wanted a sleeping bag with a 20-30 degree rating (coldest temperature). We went to Havasupai in early April and temperatures ranged from 32-35 at night to 75 during the heat of the day. I’d rather be warm than cold. This $99 sleeping bag from REI was perfect. It was about 3.5 lbs (weight varies based on size). I felt cozy, but not claustrophobic. I loved the hood too- I haven’t hada  sleeping bag with a food before. This sleeping bag is a must for your Havasupai Packing List.

REI Co-Op Trailmade 20 Sleeping Bag on my practice trip

SLEEPING PAD

You could be cheap or luxurious with your sleeping pad selection. I considered single pads and 2-person pads, since it was me and my husband. I liked the idea of the 2-person pad that it wouldn’t be slipping around whenever you try to roll on your side at night. But man, we slept on the Therm-A-Rest pad in REI and it was amazing. We have an EXPED mattress for car camping too and we feel like we sleep on a cloud with it.

For our havasupai packing list, we chose the $50 sleeping pad for two because of the price. We really didn’t regret it! We just split who carried the tent and the pad.

ExPed SynMat XP 7

1 lb, 1 person

$219

PRO TIP- SLEEPING PAD

First Time to Havasupai? Sharing your Tent?

Get the Yuzonc Double Sleeping Pad. It’s only $50 and it fits perfectly inside the REI Trailmade Tent.

TIP- blow it up INSIDE the tent. 

MY LUXURY ITEM- RUMPL BLANKET

I wanted to add, in addition to the big four, I did bring a blanket. It’s bulky and added a pound or so and my husband told me not to bring it, BUT I DO NOT REGRET IT ONE BIT. I used it all of the time because it got cold! you can wear it like a cape, use it as extra warmth at night, sit on it, etc.

HAVASUPAI PACKING LIST- CLOTHES

It was really hard to pick what clothes to bring to Havasupai. We visited during the shoulder season in Early April, so temperatures ranged from 32 to 80. We needed to be prepared for rain, wind, sun, clouds, and even snow (it snowed on our hike out). Overall, I felt I packed perfectly and used everything I brought.

PRO TIP- PACKING CLOTHES

Use a compression sack to stuff your clothes. It saves so much space, and it doubles as a knee pillow during sleep.

See my video below for how to use it!

HAVASUPAI PACKING LIST- TOILETRIES

Yes, it’s backpacking and yes you will be dirty and stinky, but I still brought things to feel fresh and clean and I don’t regret it. So I numbered the items below and I’ll link them too.

TOILETRY LIST

1. Nomadix Microfiber Towel ($39) for swimming. This 1 towel was fine for 2 people.

2. Small deodorant (we shared for 2)

3. Compact Backpacking Toilet Paper ($5) from REI. WE NEEDED IT. The toilets at the Havasupai Campground ran out of toilet paper often. We used all of the TP for 4 people.

4. Small travel-sized container with lotion

5. Small travel-sized container with baby powder (for chafing- didn’t use it)

6. Travel-sized brush. A MUST!

7. Ursa Major Wipes (from my Nomadik Boxes). Let me tell you- SO REFRESHING. I’m hooked on this brand now.

8. Pee Cloth (didn’t end up using it except on the trail up)

9. Outdoor Wipes (keep your goodies clean!)

10. Camp Suds (didn’t end up using it!)

11. Hand Sanitizer

12. Travel Toothbrush and Toothpaste

HAVASUPAI PACKING LIST- SAFETY

SAFETY IS ALWAYS FIRST PEOPLE. It’s your life. You can get severely dehydrated, hurt, or malnourished at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. You don’t need to be afraid of mother nature but RESPECT HER. PREPARE FOR IT.

For background, I’m a Physician Assistant/Associate and I train in wilderness medicine, so I’m prepared for whatever comes at me in the wild. I also want to be prepared to help others.

I won’t go over EVERYTHING in my first aid kit here, but here’s a list of safety items I brought.

SAFETY PACKING LIST

1. Bug Spray/ Bug Wipes (didn’t use it)

2. Sunscreen + SPF Chapstick (used it!!)

3. Self-created first aid kit (check out My Medic for pre-made kits)

4. Garmin InReach Mini 2 ($400). This is a lifesaver literally. It has SOS + text capabilities without service and you can track back your trail if you get lost. PRACTICE BEFORE YOU GO.

5. Gear Aid Tape from my Nomadik Subscription. For tears. If your sleeping pad popped, you’d die for this!

6. Fire Starters ($5)

7. Multi-Tool ($50) from REI

HAVASUPAI PACKING LIST- KITCHEN AND FOOD

If you aren’t already a member of a Havasupai Facebook Page, search and join one. They are so helpful and the questions are great! There are always so many questions about what to bring for your food- how much, what kind, weight, etc. AND, specific to Havasupai, how to protect your food from critters.

KITCHEN PACKING LIST

1. RapidPure Filter System. I didn’t use it. Havasupai Campground has a spring and it’s safe and tastes great!

2. Vapur Anti-Water Bottle ($11 for 2). Water Bottles that roll up for storage but can be filled up and hung from your backpack. I LOVE these. We used them all day, to fill up our jet boil or to mix with Gatorade powder.

3. Camping Sporks from REI ($5). Simple, light, and I use them all the time.

4. JetBoil + fuel ($125). 1000% worth the investment. So small, light, and fast. Make sure to bring a tank of fuel. I like to bring a backup but most people say not to take the extra weight.

5. Normal + Storm-Proof Matches.

6. Collapsible Bowl (we mainly used it for morning oatmeal- I use dog bowls haha).

FOOD

Everyone brings different amounts of food. I’d rather have more than less. The rule of thumb is to bring an extra day’s food in case you got hurt or lost. I brought THREE DEHYDRATED MEALS PER DAY (12 total per person). My mom actually dehydrated all of our meals, but you can buy them from REI or online (Mountain House is my favorite). I also brought a gallon zip lock full of snacks (candy, pretzels, Gatorade powder, fruit snacks, fruit leathers, bars, nuts, etc). Food does weigh a lot, but it’s worth it!!

FOOD PROTECTION

Food protection is a hot topic with visiting Havasupai. The tribe lists requirements online and states you must be able to protect your food from animals and critters, especially squirrels. They will eat through your bag if you keep food in it! Preferably, they want you to use a Rat Sack or Bear Canister. Havasupai isn’t known to have bears, this is just a way to protect your food.

A BEAR CANISTER ($60-90) is a large plastic cylinder that holds food and traps smells.

A RAT SACK ($30-50) is a large, tough, metal mesh bag that hangs from a line usually from a tree. Can be used with smelly-proof bags inside.

Er personally used a large rat sack that carried all of our food for 2. We didn’t have the food in the rat sack while hiking. The bear canister was too big and too expensive for us.

HAVASUPAI PACKING LIST- FUN STUFF

Of course we all have things we want to bring backpacking that aren’t necessary. Fun things! For us, this was a hammock and card game. We used both of them! We ended up only bringing one hammock and one set of cards due to weight.

HAVASUPAI PACKING LIST- ELECTRONICS

The last thing to consider for your Havasupai Packing List is electronics. They weigh more, so bring them sparingly. I realized my large camera was just TOO MUCH of a burden to bring. Here’s what I brought. All of it except the black tripod fit inside my fanny pack and I kept it facing the front for easy access while hiking. 

ELECTRONICS

1. Fanny Pack. I LOVE Keep Nature Wild. My favorite outdoor company for apparel.

2. BLAVOR Solar Charger ($35). It lasted my whole trip and helped charge phones for others in my group. It has a light too. NOTE- it takes DAYS of direct sun exposure to recharge it.

3. Sony RX100 Compact Camera ($1000). Very good quality and light camera. I use it all the time.

4. Camera tripod that came with my camera. For night photography.

5. iPhone Tripod with extendable rod and bluetooth button ($21)

6. Cords for each item for the solar charger.

FINAL THOUGHTS ABOUT PACKING FOR HAVASUPAI

It’s hard to pack. Give yourself time. Give yourself a break. It can be overwhelming and expensive, but I hope this post helped. Always feel free to leave me a comment and ask questions. HAVASUPAI IS WORTH IT- you’ll have so much fun. You can do it! My 53-year-old mom did amazing! Read some of my other recent posts based in Arizona below.

See Weaver’s Needle from Black Top Mesa Trail

Flatiron- A Bucket List Phoenix Hike.

Pass Mountain Loop in East Mesa

How to Hike to the Tallest Point in Maricopa County: Four Peaks