Hey friends! Soon, we will be soaring across the skies again on our way to sunny Arizona. This will be our fourth time in the last few years because we just love it so much! It’s one of my favorite states at this point in my life because of the sunshine, epic views, and different scenery we get to experience from Sedona to the Grand Canyon to Flagstaff! Today I wanted to touch base on what our weeks (and months) leading up to trips like this look like, because although it is still a vacation, a TON of preparation needs to go into it to ensure all plans run smoothly especially on a trip like a Havasu Falls hike. Shall we?!
Prep and Planning for the Havasu Falls Hike and Other Adventures
So before we even know where we’re going, we usually apply for multiple permits to places that are nearby one another just in case we end up getting all of them so we can hit them up at the same time! Then, once permits are approved (or not approved, boo!), we create the rest of our travel plans from there.
This time though, we knew where we were going since early last year when we got permits for the one and only Havasu Falls. If you’re not sure what this is, I highly recommend checking out some pics online because it is a sight to behold, and one I’m very grateful that we soon get to see in person!
We were scheduled for our Havasu Falls hike for September of last year, until the tragic 2024 flash flood wiped out most of the area only 2 weeks before our trip. It was a unexpected but we readjusted and made plans around the area anyway. We still had a wonderful time and I actually enjoyed just winging it!
Check out this post if you’re up for hearing about our trek up Humphrey’s Peak!
We actually found a place outside Flagstaff to camp for one of the nights, and loved it so much that we booked a tiny home there to prep for our way down into the canyon this time! We’re going to use the first two days to prepare hearty meals, make sure we have everything we need for our 4 day backpacking adventure into the Grand Canyon (where Havasu Falls is at), and enjoy some peace and quiet before being surrounded by 374 permits per day that are accepted there!
Luckily, we were able to snag an early morning flight, and although it’ll suck getting up around 1:30am, it’ll be amazing to touch down in Phoenix right after breakfast! (Matt’s Big Breakfast in Scottsdale is usually our go-to!) We will then have the entire day to grab our rental car, find good food, enjoy our few hours drive, gear up at the REI in Flagstaff and checkout any cool stops along the way. Then when we check into our tiny home, we can just take one whole day to simply chill and prep before hitting the trail a few days later.
On the third day, we are heading to a boutique hotel in Seligman, Arizona. This is one of the closest places you can get to the entrance for the hike. We’ll need to grab our permits and head out early so we can beat the heat of the sun as we descend into the canyon.
Have you ever been to the Grand Canyon? Have you hiked it? What’re your thoughts if so? Would you go back?
Gear, Prep, and Post-Trail Recovery
Once we’re there, we will live out of our Osprey backpacks for 4 days and 3 nights. We are loving our 48 liter Eja and Exos which carry everything we need for our trips thus far.
This is probably the part I’m most excited about. We’ll be grabbing a bear canister at that previously mentioned REI and some dehydrated meals for this part of the trip, and using water from the sole water source once we get to camp. (From what we read online, there is only one area to get potable water from).
*Potable water, also known as drinking water, is water that is safe and suitable for human consumption, meeting standards for purity and freedom from contaminants.
I’m most eager for this part because I love being off grid and away from the notification world. Although there will be hundreds of people traveling to the same area at the same time, it’s still immersed in nature and living outdoors which is something I truly can’t get enough of.
If you’d like to hear more about how this trip went, check back in the next few weeks to hear a post that goes into more detail about how everything worked out! 🙂
As for today’s post, we’re simply covering how we prepare and execute a week long backpacking-centered trip (in this case Havasu Falls), so let’s get into more of that.
Once we make our way back out of the canyon, we’ll most likely be stinky, muddy, and sweaty. Ew. We are hopeful to complete our backpacking early on in the day before the sun comes up too much, and get on the road to the next adventure. (This time, being the hotel we have booked in Phoenix!)
This is something we make sure to include at the end of any long hiking trail. ESPECIALLY if said hiking trail includes any backpacking. We learned quickly after exiting the Bright Angel Trail that we would need much more than just half of one day to recover before flying back home and working the next day.
Not only does this allow us more recovery time, but it also gives us time and space to reorganize our messy packs, wash off any lingering dirt or mud before reorganizing our luggage, and showering like, a BUNCH so we can get back to smelling like our normal selves.
After at least two days in a hotel, we head home and keep an extra day on the end of the trip to buffer our home time with any jet lag or unloading that we need to accomplish before heading back to our day jobs.
When was your last adventure?
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Backpacking To-do List
So! As you can see, we like to break up our trips into 5 stages: (our go-to when possible is 9 days)
Stage 1 (Days/Weeks/Months Leading Up To Trip):
Plan out your locations and apply for permits to any trails or parks you’d like to camp at. Include buffer days on either side of the trip to allow time for organizing and preparing for your biggest hike or adventure and cleaning up and chilling after it!
Stage 2 (Day 1-3):
Fly or drive to your location and get excited about your new adventure! Pick up a rental car, grab yourself some yummy groceries and any last minute items for your trip. Check into your Air BnB stay or tiny home so that you have space and time over the next few days to make sure your mind, body and gear is prepared.
Stage 3 (Day 4-7):
Wake up early and start your backpacking trail! Have your permits and parking lot vouchers ready and with you in case you need them at any time. Don’t forget to bring any essentials *before* you get to the trail just in case there are no places nearby to stock up last minute.
Stage 4 (Day 8-9):
Once you make your way off trail, head back to your parking lot and pickup your rental car to head to the nearest and best hotel! Pamper yourself with some much deserved shower time and room service (and pool time if your location allows it!) before reorganizing your epic new Osprey luggage for the ride back home. (Score free shipping on your first order when you sign up for their emails!)
Stage 5 (Day After Return Home):
I emphasize the word “after” here because going back to work the day immediately following your trip, especially a physically demanding one can be detrimental to the chill vibes leaving much faster than expected, but also because you likely won’t give your mind and body enough time to truly recover. This also allows time for any last minute laundry you didn’t have time to do before vacation, a much anticipated bath, and takeout for dinner (while watching vlogs of your next adventures! Jerry Arizona is one of our favorites!) so you can soak up all the last minutes of freedom you have before heading back to the daily grind.
Of course there is no tried and true plan that is going to be completely right for everyone. However, we have adapted our planning to running through these five stages so that we can plan accordingly for any hiccups or other adventures we may want to squeeze in. After several years of using this method to plan our travel, we find it works best for us and hope it does the same for you and your travel buddies!
Send us pics on social if you’ve hit up Havasu Falls Hike already and let us know of any last minute tips and tricks while we’re there!
Don’t forget to stay tuned in the next few weeks to hear about how we managed and we’ll share our own tips that we learned along the way!
Did you enjoy today’s blog about prepping for our Havasu Falls Hike?
Thank you to all my readers including today’s post “Havasu Falls Hike Preparation: Our Backpacking To-Do List”. Don’t forget to tag us on social media for your chance to win! Until next time.
See you soon friends! 👋
