Lottery8/10
Grand Canyon hiking permits
Required for all overnight camping below the rim....
Havasupai Gardens Campground Permit
Grand Canyon National Park · Arizona
Lottery, then cancellations all season
Midway point campground.
70% of the openings our scanner caught on Havasupai Gardens were gone within 10 minutes.
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Havasupai Gardens Quick Facts
Permit RequiredYes
Booking MethodLottery
Demand LevelHigh8/10
SeasonYear-round - Year-round
Cost$10 per permit or lottery application, plus $15 per person per night below the rim. Park entrance fees are paid separately on arrival.
Max Group Size11 people
Havasupai Gardens Permit Facts
- As of September 2026, Havasupai Gardens in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona requires a permit issued via lottery.
- Havasupai Gardens is a high-demand permit, rating 8/10 on PermitSnag's demand index.
- The Havasupai Gardens lottery typically opens The 16th of each month, four months before your start month and closes 5 pm MST on the 1st of the following month, with results announced Up to 750 applicants are awarded a booking timeslot; everyone else gets access on the 1st of the next month.
- The permit season for Havasupai Gardens runs year-round.
- The Havasupai Gardens route covers 4.5 miles with 3,060 feet of elevation gain, rated strenuous.
- Cancelled Havasupai Gardens permits are re-released on the booking system; PermitSnag monitors availability and alerts watchers when dates open.
Key Information
Key Dates
Lottery OpensThe 16th of each month, four months before your start month
Lottery Closes5 pm MST on the 1st of the following month
ResultsUp to 750 applicants are awarded a booking timeslot; everyone else gets access on the 1st of the next month
SeasonYear-round - Year-round
Permit Details
TypeOvernight
Booking MethodLottery
Demand Level8/10
LocationColorado Plateau, AZ
Pro Tips
- •Havasupai Gardens is usually easier to draw than Bright Angel Campground, and it splits the climb out in half - book it as the second night of a river trip, not just as a destination.
- •Read the park's Key Hiking Messages page the morning you leave the rim. It lists water on or off at each corridor tap, and it changes without warning when the waterline breaks.
- •Applying as a party of six or fewer gets you into a much larger pool of sites; the park issues more permits for 1-6 people than for 7-11.
- •Walk to Plateau Point after dinner rather than at midday. It is exposed the whole way and the light is better anyway.
- •In winter, carry traction. The top two miles of the Bright Angel ice up hardest from December through February.
What to Expect
Route Details
Distance
4.5 miles
Elevation Gain
3,060 ft
Route Type
Out & Back
Duration
2 days
Difficulty
StrenuousElevation Range
3,800 - 6,860 ft
Highlights
- •4.5 miles below the South Rim by the park's trail-distance table, 4.8 by its campground page and Recreation.gov
- •A 3,060-foot climb back out, on the only corridor trail with shade
- •15 small group sites and 1 large group site; no stock
- •Ranger station, emergency phone, toilets, picnic tables, pack poles and metal food storage cans
- •Plateau Point is a 1.5-mile walk from camp with no water and no shade
- •Two nights maximum per campground per hike; four between November 15 and February 28
- •Last-minute in-person permits for this campground exist only March 1 to November 30
Best Time to Visit
March-May and September-November. The rim is cool, the campground is comfortable, and the climb out is survivable in daylight. Summer works only if you are on the trail before dawn and off it by 10 am. Winter is quiet and gets you the four-night Corridor limit from November 15 to February 28, but expect ice on the top two miles and carry traction.
Hazards & Considerations
- !Heat. The park's instruction for summer is blunt: do not hike between 10 am and 4 pm
- !Hyponatremia from drinking large volumes of water without replacing salt
- !Waterline breaks. Every tap on this trail depends on the Transcanyon Waterline and the park shuts them off without notice; check Key Hiking Messages the morning you start
- !Monsoon thunderstorms and flash flooding in side canyons, July through September
- !Ice on the upper two miles of switchbacks in winter
- !The climb out takes roughly twice as long as the descent
Weather Forecast
Trailhead (5,000 ft)
Today
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82°
64°
Sun
☀️
81°
63°
Mon
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81°
61°
Tue
☁️
80°
68°
Wed
☀️
80°
66°
Thu
☁️
82°
66°
Fri
☁️
84°
70°
View full NWS forecast →Mountain weather changes rapidly. This forecast is a guide—always be prepared for worse conditions.
How to Get This Permit
1
Create a National Park Service account
Sign up at National Park Service if you don't have an account. Verify your email and add payment info ahead of time.
2
Apply during the lottery window
Submit your application between The 16th of each month, four months before your start month and 5 pm MST on the 1st of the following month. Apply for multiple dates to increase your odds.
3
Wait for lottery results
Results are typically announced Up to 750 applicants are awarded a booking timeslot; everyone else gets access on the 1st of the next month. Check your email and your National Park Service account.
4
If unsuccessful, monitor cancellations
Permits get cancelled daily. Peak cancellation times are 24-48 hours before the trip date.
5
Set up PermitSnag alerts
Get notified when cancellations happen. Pro and $19 single-permit alerts are checked about every minute, 24/7; free accounts are checked hourly.
Learn More
When to Go
Peak: March-May and September-NovemberShoulder: Late February and early December
Conditions
Rim temperatures are mild and the inner canyon is warm rather than dangerous. The top two miles can still hold ice in early March.
Crowd Level
HighAdvantages
- +The best hiking temperatures of the year at 3,800 feet
- +Garden Creek and the cottonwoods are at their best
- +Long enough daylight for a Plateau Point evening walk
Challenges
- !The hardest permits of the year to draw
- !Ice on the upper switchbacks into March
- !Rim parking fills early
Difficulty Assessment
Physical Demand4/5
Fitness and endurance required
Technical Skill1/5
Climbing, scrambling, or specialized skills
Exposure Risk2/5
Steep dropoffs and fall potential
Navigation1/5
Route finding and trail clarity
Commitment3/5
Difficulty of bailing out mid-route
Best For
Fit hikers who want a night below the rim without committing to the river. If you can manage a 3,060-foot climb with a pack over 4.5 miles, this works.
Recommended Experience
One prior overnight with a loaded pack and one long, sustained climb. No scrambling, no route-finding, no technical skill required.
Not Recommended For
Anyone attempting it as a summer day hike, and anyone without heat experience. The park's rescue statistics are built out of people who went down further than they could climb back up.
About This Permit
Havasupai Gardens is the campground partway down the Bright Angel Trail - the one that makes a Grand Canyon backpack humane instead of heroic. The park's trail-distance table puts it 4.5 miles below the South Rim at 3,800 feet; its campsite-information page and the Recreation.gov permit both say 4.8. The climb back to the 6,860-foot trailhead is 3,060 feet either way. The park publishes 15 small group sites and 1 large group site, with a ranger station, emergency phone, toilets and piped water, and every site has a picnic table, a pack pole and a metal food storage can.
The name changed in November 2022. The US Board of Geographic Names voted unanimously on the NPS's request, made on behalf of the Havasupai Tribe, to rename Indian Garden to Havasupai Gardens. The campground code on your permit is still CIG.
Getting a night here means a Grand Canyon backcountry permit through Recreation.gov. Applications open on the 16th and close at 5 pm MST on the 1st, four months before your start month; up to 750 applicants get a timeslot to build an itinerary, and everyone else gets access on the 1st of the following month. Two nights maximum per campground per hike, or four between November 15 and February 28. A handful of last-minute in-person permits exist for this campground between March 1 and November 30 - one night only, and no earlier than the day before you start.
Water here comes off the Transcanyon Waterline, and the park publishes a live per-location status on its Key Hiking Messages page precisely because, in its own words, these statuses are current but can change suddenly due to breaks in the waterline. On August 9, 2026 that page read water ON at Havasupai Gardens and both Bright Angel Trail resthouses, and water OFF due to pipeline break at Bright Angel Campground, Cottonwood and Manzanita. Read it the morning you leave, and carry treatment regardless - the park's own instruction is that day and overnight hikers should always carry water treatment options.
The Experience
Why It Matters
The place was Ha'a Gyoh long before it was a campground. The Havasupai farmed the springs here, and the Park Service pushed them out - the last Havasupai resident, Captain Burro, was forcibly removed in 1928. In November 2022 the US Board of Geographic Names voted 19-0 on a request the NPS submitted on behalf of the Havasupai Tribe, and Indian Garden formally became Havasupai Gardens. You will still see the old name on trail signs, in old guidebooks, and in the campground code CIG on your permit.
The Route
It is 4.5 miles from the Bright Angel Trailhead at 6,860 feet down to 3,800 feet, per the park's trail-distance table - though the campground page and Recreation.gov both put it at 4.8. Either way the climb out is 3,060 feet. The trail follows the Bright Angel Fault into a side canyon, which is why it has the only shade and the only taps of the three corridor trails. Mile-and-a-Half Resthouse comes first, then Three-Mile, then the long series of switchbacks called Jacob's Ladder, and then the ground flattens and the cottonwoods start.
From camp, Plateau Point is the classic evening walk - 1.5 miles out across the Tonto Platform to a railing above the inner gorge, with the Colorado River 1,300 feet below you. The Tonto Trail runs east from here to the Tip Off and the South Kaibab. The park listed both the Plateau Point Trail and the Tonto from the Tip Off as open on 2026-08-09.
The Feeling
You drop out of the switchbacks and the noise changes. There are big cottonwoods, running water in Garden Creek, picnic tables and a roof over the ranger station - the first shade of any consequence since the rim. Sit down and the walls go up 3,000 feet on three sides, and the rim you started from is a thin line you have to tilt your head back to see.
Trailhead Information
Bright Angel Trailhead
The only trail access. Recreation.gov says the campground, formerly known as Indian Garden, is accessed from Grand Canyon Village via the Bright Angel Trail, 4.8 miles and 3,060 feet below the rim.
Restrooms
No water
Nearest Services
Grand Canyon Village. NPS says the South Rim Backcountry Information Center is open daily year-round, 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m. Mountain Standard Time.
Rules & Regulations
- •A backcountry permit is required and must be in your possession while below the rim
- •Groups larger than eleven people may not camp in the same campground or use area; the park issues more permits for small groups (1-6) than large groups (7-11)
- •No more than four large groups or eight small groups affiliated with each other may camp in the backcountry on the same night
- •Two nights maximum per campground per hike, or four nights in the Corridor between November 15 and February 28
- •Wood and charcoal fires are prohibited; fossil-fuel backpacking stoves are allowed
- •Store all food and scented items in the metal cans provided - ringtails and squirrels here are practised thieves
- •Pack out all trash, including toilet paper
- •Pets are not allowed below the rim
- •Trip leaders must be 18 or older to apply for a backcountry permit
Gear Checklist
Required
- At least 3 litres of water capacity per person, and a filter or chemical treatment as backup
- Electrolytes - the park names hyponatremia from drinking without replacing salt as a real risk on this trail
- Sun hat, long sleeves and sunscreen
- Headlamp, because a pre-dawn start is the only sensible way to do this in summer
- Traction devices from roughly December through February, when the top two miles ice up
Recommended
- Trekking poles for the 3,060-foot climb out
- A shirt or bandana you can soak - the park's own heat advice is to get wet and stay wet
- Camp sandals for Garden Creek
- Rain shell for the July-September monsoon
Plan Your Trip
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Better odds with a crew
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Gear Checklist
Required and recommended gear for Havasupai Gardens
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Shuttle Services
Trailhead transportation options
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Key Landmarks
↑
3,060ft
Gain↓
3,060ft
Loss⛰️
6,860ft
High📏
4.5mi
Distance📐
12.9%
Avg GradeClick on a marker to view details•5 landmarks
Landmarks (5)
Lottery Statistics
Competitive
estimated success rate
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Havasupai Gardens FAQ
Do I need a permit to camp at Havasupai Gardens Campground?
Yes. Every overnight stay below the Grand Canyon rim needs a backcountry permit, issued through Recreation.gov. The permit costs $10, plus $15 per person per night, and park entrance fees are separate.
Is Havasupai Gardens the same place as Indian Garden?
Yes. The US Board of Geographic Names voted unanimously in November 2022 to rename Indian Garden to Havasupai Gardens, on a request the National Park Service submitted for the Havasupai Tribe. The campground code on your permit is still CIG, and older signs and maps still carry the old name.
How far is Havasupai Gardens Campground from the South Rim?
The park publishes two figures. Its trail-distance table and the Bright Angel Trail handout say 4.5 miles; its campsite information page and the Recreation.gov permit say 4.8. Both agree on the vertical: 6,860 feet at the trailhead down to 3,800 feet at the campground, so 3,060 feet of climbing on the way out.
Is there drinking water at Havasupai Gardens Campground?
There is a tap, and it runs off the Transcanyon Waterline. The park publishes a live per-location status on its Key Hiking Messages page because, in its words, these statuses are current but can change suddenly due to breaks in the waterline. On August 9, 2026 it read water ON here. Check it the morning you descend, and carry a filter or chemical treatment either way - the park tells every hiker to.
When does the lottery open for a Grand Canyon backcountry permit?
Applications open on the 16th of each month and close at 5 pm MST on the 1st, four months before your intended start month. The draw runs late on the 2nd and gives up to 750 applicants a timeslot to build an itinerary. Everyone else can book whatever is left starting on the 1st of the following month.
How many nights can I stay at Havasupai Gardens Campground?
Two, consecutive or not, per campground per hike. Between November 15 and February 28 the Corridor limit rises to four nights per campground per trip.
Can I hike to Plateau Point from Havasupai Gardens Campground?
Yes - it is about 1.5 miles each way from camp across the Tonto Platform to a viewpoint 1,300 feet above the Colorado River. The park listed the Plateau Point Trail as open on August 9, 2026. There is no water and no shade out there, so carry what you need and skip it in the middle of a summer day.
👥Community
Trail Conditions
No active conditions reported
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Photography Guide
Golden Hour
Plateau Point at sunset, with the inner gorge going dark below you while the buttes across the canyon are still lit.
Best Light
The campground itself gets soft light late - the walls block direct sun early, which gives you a long, gentle window under the cottonwoods.
Beat the Crowds
Day hikers turn around at Three-Mile Resthouse or Plateau Point and are gone by late afternoon. From about 4 pm the whole Tonto Platform belongs to whoever is camped here.
Classic Shots
- 📍Plateau Point railing with the Colorado River 1,300 feet below
- 📍Jacob's Ladder switchbacks from above, with hikers for scale
- 📍Cottonwoods and Garden Creek running through camp
- 📍Looking back up at the rim from the Tonto Platform
- 📍The Battleship from the Tonto Trail heading east
Can't Get a Havasupai Gardens Permit?
Consider these alternatives if your preferred dates aren't available.
Bright Angel Campground
Similar ExperienceThe campground at the bottom, on Bright Angel Creek beside Phantom Ranch, 9.5 miles down the Bright Angel Trail.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
It is the destination everyone actually wants, and by the park's own description the most requested below-rim campground in Grand Canyon - so it is much harder to draw. Its tap depends on the same Transcanyon Waterline and read water OFF due to pipeline break on August 9, 2026.
Grand Canyon Backcountry Permit
Same AreaThe park-wide overnight permit, covering the corridor campgrounds and the threshold and primitive use areas beyond them.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
More freedom to build a multi-night itinerary, and the same lottery. Off-corridor use areas have no maintained trail, no toilets and no water at all.
Cottonwood Campground
Same AreaThe corridor campground on the North Kaibab side, 6.8 miles below the North Rim.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
Quieter and far less contested, but the North Rim road is closed December 1 to May 14, and rim-to-rim hiking stops from 11:59 pm on October 15, 2026 until roughly February 2027 for waterline work.
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Where to Stay
Nearby campgrounds to complete your Havasupai Gardens trip
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