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Havasupai 2025

By: Julia Botelho Morgan

By KAVU

November 11^th, 2025

At the beginning of the year, our friend Cassie mentioned she was planning a camping trip with her husband and two kids (both under five) to the famous and breathtaking Havasupai Falls. Somehow, I thought that sounded like the perfect challenge — and an amazing opportunity for us to tackle those 20 miles (in and out) together with all three kids.

Luckily, I was able to secure camping permits at the same time as hers, the week before Halloween. Those spots usually sell out within minutes, so I was excited to snag them in time.

Now here we were, packing for the trip. The forecast temperatures weren’t exactly encouraging, but the excitement outweighed the nerves. We’d camped a couple of times before in rental camper-vans with our son, but this would be his first true backpacking experience. He’s three and a half now — though, to be fair, so he’ll be doing most of the journey from the comfort of a backpack.

Everything’s packed and ready to go.

Walking 10 miles usually feels easy for us after so many years hiking mountains, but walking 10 miles with a child on your back — while keeping him happy and entertained — is a whole new adventure of its own.

The Journey Begins

Between coaching at the DropZone and preparing for the trip, I’d been packing all week; double checking every little thing to make sure nothing got left behind. Although, in retrospect, I definitely packed way too much food.

Scotty worked all day Saturday, and in true Scotty fashion, he came back from work,packed a single change of clothes and trusted that I’d taken care of everything else. Our house is about a six-hour drive from the Cavern Inn (check in point for the trail), so we left late that night and drove through the desert under a sky full of stars, heading toward Needles for a few hours of sleep before the adventure began.

Next morning, we met up with the crew — Cassie, Pepe, and their two kids — near the Cavern Inn, where everyone picks up their wristbands for the trail. Later, our friend Ryan (the brave single one joining a group of families) arrived, and our team was complete.

We spent the evening exploring a huge cave nearby. The kids were full of energy, asking the guide all sorts of funny questions — “Are there dinosaurs in here?” being the clear favorite. I’m pretty sure the guide loved every second of it.

Hiking In

We spent the night at the Cavern Inn and woke up at 5 a.m. with the kids, and drove about an hour to the trailhead at Hualapai Hilltop (elevation 5,200 ft). From there, the trail descends roughly 2,400 feet over 10 miles (16 km) to reach the campground near Havasupai Falls.

Since we were hiking with little ones, we hired a mule to carry our food, tent, and heavy gear — a total lifesaver. Without it, I don’t think we could’ve managed to bring everything we needed. Havasupai is the kind of place where you have to pack in all your water, food, and camping supplies for your entire stay — four days.

Just before we started, Rio got so excited that he peed his pants — classic toddler moment! A quick change, lots of giggles, and we were off. On the way down, Scotty carried Rio in the backpack while I hiked light, carrying snacks, water, and a change of clothes. Cassie and Pepe had no choice but to hike with one of their kids each, leaving them with a total weight of around 60 pounds. Perks of having just one little “hiker”!

The first 1.5 miles drop steeply into Hualapai Canyon through a series of switchbacks before opening into a long, scenic stretch of sandy canyon trail. The path follows a dry creek bed (make sure to bring water) most of the way until reaching Supai Village around mile 8, where you grab a snack at the café or store, and continue the last two miles to the campground.

The total trail down took about 4/5 hours, with the stop at the Cafe. The weather was perfect for hiking — cool, clear, and breezy. Maybe a little too chilly for swimming, but that didn’t stop us. When the sunlight hit the turquoise water, it was impossible to resist.

Made it to Camp!

We reached the campground, set up our tents, and the boys eagerly helped. The next two days were pure magic — short hikes to explore Havasupai Falls, Hidden Falls, and Fifty Foot Falls.

By the time we got down that first evening, we were dusty and tired. Rio asked for a “real shower” before bed, and I told him swimming in the waterfall totally counted. He wasn’t convinced — but he laughed and fell asleep anyway.

It was amazing to watch the kids play together — climbing trees, playing with sticks, chasing the one small ball we brought, and building monster-truck tracks — all with zero screen time. We couldn’t bring many toys, so they had to rely on their imaginations, and honestly, it was fantastic to see.

We thought about hiking down to Mooney Falls, but with three small kids it felt like pushing our luck. The descent was muddy, slippery, and crowded with people climbing up and down the chains. We got a few raised eyebrows when folks asked if we were really planning to take the kids down — but we laughed it off. Maybe next time, when they’re better listeners and more confident climbers.

To be fair, we almost did it. There was a solid moment when we looked at each other, questioning whether we should just go for it. Maybe next time!

Headin' Homeward

On our last day, we decided to beat the sun and start hiking out early — another 5 a.m. wake-up. This time, I carried Rio in the backpack. The hike out gains around 788 meters (2,600 feet) of elevation, and that final climb back up the switchbacks is a true test of endurance, especially with a toddler on your back.

During the whole hike out, Rio was singing “This is Halloween, la la la la la la la” at the top of his lungs. Before long, everyone was humming along, and the song got stuck in all our heads for the rest of the climb. It turned into our unofficial hiking anthem of the day — equal parts hilarious and adorable.

We made a few quick stops on the way up for snacks and to let the kids climb on the rocks and stretch their legs after sitting for so long. By the time we reached the top, we were exhausted but proud — and already reminiscing about the turquoise waterfalls below.

For reference, it took us about 4 and half hours to hike out, including breaks — slower than our usual pace, but totally worth it for the experience (and the toddler karaoke).

Reflections...

It was an incredible experience — challenging, beautiful, and full of small, unforgettable moments. The boys had the time of their lives, and we proved that adventure doesn’t have to stop when you have kids; it just looks a little different (and involves a lot more snacks, extra clothes, and wet wipes).

We left Havasupai tired, happy, and already dreaming of coming back — maybe next time we’ll make it down to Mooney Falls, or even all the way to the Colorado River.

We made it back home just in time for Halloween — the perfect ending to an unforgettable trip.

Until then, Havasupai — thank you for the memories.

Happy KAVU DAYS!

Scotty KAVU

Julia Botelho Morgan

Scotty Bob Morgan

Bob's BASE Academy

Footnotes

We love seeing some of the worlds best aerial athletes being such amazing and devoted parents. Life is about living and love is best spread far and wide! That's KAVU!

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FootNotes

We love seeing some of the worlds best aerial athletes being such amazing and devoted parents. Life is about living and love is best spread far and wide! That's KAVU!

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