To Grand Canyon visitors in the know, the word Havasu conjures up images of a remote desert paradise. Located about 35 miles west of Grand Canyon Village, Havasu Canyon is one of the most beautiful places in the Southwest. For over 700 years, it has been the home of the Havasupai, the “People of the Blue-Green Water,” who derive their name from the vibrant turquoise stream that flows through the center of the canyon. Today roughly 450 Havasupai continue to live in the tiny village of Supai, which is located 2,000 feet below Grand Canyon’s rim. A short distance from the village are Havasu Falls and Mooney Falls—two of the most stunning waterfalls in America.
Although Havasu Canyon only receives an average of nine inches of rain each year, a natural spring near Supai releases nearly forty million gallons of water a day. The color of the water, an electric blue more typical of the Caribbean than the desert Southwest, is caused by natural minerals dissolved in the water. As Havasu Creek flows down the red rock canyon, it tumbles over dozens of beautiful pools and cascades. The creek also supports a lush riparian habitat of cottonwood trees, maidenhair fern and scarlet monkey flowers.
Is Havasu Canyon too good to be true? Almost. Due to its rugged, remote location, getting here is a bit of a challenge. Hualapai Hilltop, the jumping off point for the eight-mile hike into the canyon, is reached after a long drive along desolate roads. From the hilltop you descend into the canyon by foot, on mule, or by helicopter. No roads lead to Supai, which is the last town in the United States where daily mail is still delivered by mule. Furthermore, all visitors to Havasu must obtain a permit before entering the canyon. To prevent overcrowding, the Havasupai limit the number of daily permits issued.
Because Havasu Canyon remains cut off from much of the outside world, the pace of life here is distinctly different. The Havasupai continue to speak their native language, horses and dogs freely roam the dirt roads, and illumination is mostly provided by the sun and the moon. All this, combined with breathtaking natural scenery, makes Havasu Canyon one of the most unique destinations in North America.
For the most up-to-date Havasu Canyon info, check the Havasupai Tribe’s official website: havasupai-nsn.gov
Havasu Canyon is only 35 miles west of Grand Canyon Village as the condor flies, but it’s about 200 miles away by road. The trail to the village of Supai starts at the rim of Havasu Canyon at Hualapai Hilltop. To get there from Grand Canyon Village, take I-40 to the town of Seligman, then turn onto AZ-66 heading toward Peach Springs. A little under 30 miles past Seligman (six miles east of Peach Springs), turn onto Indian Route Highway 18 and follow it roughly 60 miles to Hualapai Hilltop. From the hilltop you have three options to get to Supai:
By Foot: The trail to Supai is about eight miles long and descends 2,000 vertical feet. Plan on roughly four hours hiking down and five hours hiking up. Despite some steep switchbacks near the top, the majority of the trail is a moderate/easy hike. You can also arrange to have your gear carried down by mule (see below). Note: The campground is an additional two miles beyond Supai.
By Mule: Mule rides to Supai cost $80 per person one-way, $135 round-trip. One mule can also carry up to four bags weighing a total of 130 pounds for the price of one rider. Reservations are handled by the Havasu Lodge (928-448-2201).
By Helicopter: Airwest Helicopters offers flights from Hualapai Hilltop to Supai. Cost: $85 per person one-way (includes one 40-pound backpack). First-come, first-served flights are offered Fri and Sun (plus Thurs and Mon from March 15 to Oct 15) between 10am and 1pm. (623-516-2790, airwesthelicopters.com)
All visitors must have an advance reservation at either the campground or lodge prior to arrival. There’s also a $35 per person entrance fee, plus a $5 per person environmental impact fee. All campers must check in and pay the fee at the tourist office in Supai, open 7am–7pm April–Oct, 8am-5pm Nov–March.
The following companies offer guided, multi-day tours of Havasu Canyon:
Grand Canyon Field Institute
(grandcanyon.org/fieldinstitute)
Arizona Outback Adventures
(aoa-adventures.com, 480-945-2881)
Wildland Trekking Company
(wildlandtrekking.com, 800-715-4453)
Discovery Treks
(discoverytreks.com, 888-256-8731)
The small, two-story Havasu Lodge in Supai offers 24 motel-style rooms with air conditioning and private bathrooms (no telephones or TV, but mobile phone signals do reach the lodge). Note: May through October is peak tourist season, and the lodge is often booked months in advance, especially on weekends. Rates: $145 per room/per night, up to four people per room. (928-448-2201)
A large 200-person campground, located two miles north of Supai near Havasu Falls, is open year-round. Campsites are located on either side of Havasu Stream, and there are composting toilets. A hand pump near the head of the campground provides drinking water. Reservations are generally easy to come by, except during peak summer season or on busy holiday weekends. Cost: $17 per person/per night. (928-448-2141, 928-448-2121, 928-448-2180)
There’s only one restaurant in Supai: the Tribal Cafe, which serves cafeteria-style food (try the Indian Taco) with a few vegetarian options. Hours vary, but the cafe is generally open 6am–6pm summer, 8am–5pm winter (928-448-2981). There’s also a small grocery store across from the cafe that sells basic goods. Some Havasu families also run micro-stores and restaurants out of their homes (look for the signs as you stroll through town).
Driving to Hualapai Hilltop from Grand Canyon Village or any other nearby city takes several hours, and after a long drive the last thing you’ll want to do is start a long journey into Havasu Canyon. A better option is to spend the night at one of the hotels located along AZ-66 and start out early in the morning. This is especially true in the summer, when morning shade provides relief from the sun.
This basic 48-room motel, located along a lonely stretch of Route 66, offers the closest lodging to Hualapai Hilltop. It’s situated on top of a large cave system. Tours of the caves are available, and there’s even a giant “Cavern Suite” located 220 feet underground. Rates: $90–$100 (928-422-3223, gccaverns.com)
This modern 60-room hotel, located in the small town of Peach Springs, is a step up from Grand Canyon Caverns Inn, but you’ll have to drive a few extra miles to reach Hualapai Hilltop. Rates: $100-130. (928-769-2636, grandcanyonwest.com)
Genetic evidence indicates the Havasupai are descended from the first wave of human migrants to enter North America roughly 20,000 years ago. The Havasupai refer to themselves as Havsuw ‘Baaja (“People of the Blue-Green Water”), and Havasupai creation myths speak of a time when Coyote and other animal gods imparted their wisdom to the tribe, establishing their basic customs and rituals. Archaeological evidence indicates that Havasu Canyon has been occupied for at least 700 years.
In the summer, the Havasupai historically tended gardens of beans, corn and squash. Their irrigation techniques, possibly imported from Mexico, were among the most advanced in the Southwest. In addition to Havasu Canyon, they farmed several side canyons along Grand Canyon’s South Rim, including Indian Gardens below present-day Grand Canyon Village. Dozens of wild plants such as agave and pinyon pine provided additional food.
Havasu Canyon was home to the tribe’s most prominent village, but their territory covered a vast area along much of the South Rim. In winter, when the sun only shines in Havasu Canyon for a few hours each day, the tribe moved to the open plateaus along the South Rim. Snow provided a steady source of water, firewood was abundant, and rabbit and deer supplemented their diet.
Daily life revolved around farming, food gathering, hunting, cooking, tool-making and socializing. Social conformity was extremely important, and those who did not follow traditional Havasupai ways were publicly shamed and ostracized. Women were often treated as property, and polygamy was sometimes practiced by high status males, but there was no formal marriage ceremony. After a single woman’s family had been given sufficient gifts by a suitor, the woman and man were considered “married.”
Traditional Havasupai dwellings consisted of earth-covered conical huts with dirt floors. Clothes, moccasins and blankets were crafted from animal hides. Women often wore face paint and jewelry, and important ceremonies featured elaborate costumes and body paint.
The Havasupai had friendly relations with the nearby Hopi and Navajo, and the tribes often gathered at annual celebrations that included feasting, dancing and gambling. During these gatherings, the Havasupai traded vegetables and buckskin for jewelry and blankets.
Not all nearby tribes had friendly relations with the Havasupai. The Yavapai and Paiute occasionally carried out violent raids on Havasu Canyon. To defend their territory, the Havasupai retreated to high cliffs where they shot arrows poisoned with toxic liquids extracted from plants and scorpions. Heavy rocks were also rolled down on the invaders.
Following the arrival of the Spanish in North America, the Havasupai indirectly acquired horses and added melons, peaches, and pears to their gardens. But due to their remote location, they had little direct contact with the Spaniards, and their lifestyle was far less impacted than those of other tribes.
In the mid-1800s, white miners and ranchers began arriving in northern Arizona. Land conflicts with the Havasupai became common, and in 1882 the federal government placed the tribe on a reservation in Havasu Canyon less than a square mile in size. A separate reservation was set up for the Hualapai (“Pine Tree People”) on the rim. Forced onto separate reservations, the Havasupai and Hualapai became two distinct tribes; previously they may have considered themselves part of the same tribe. The Havasupai were also denied access to their traditional winter hunting grounds on the rim. This was a devastating blow. The Havasupai suddenly found themselves confined to a tiny reservation with barely enough farming area to feed themselves year-round. Previously unknown European diseases also ravaged the Havasupai, and their population plummeted.
Meanwhile, as more and more manufactured goods trickled into the region, the Havasupai abandoned many of their traditional ways. Cotton shirts replaced animal skins, rifles replaced bows and arrows, and pottery was completely abandoned. Despite the changes, the Havasupai held on to their culture better than most other tribes. In the 1930s, an anthropologist visiting Supai remarked that it was “the only spot in the United States where native culture has remained in anything like its pristine condition.” As the decades wore on, however, the Havasupai continued to suffer. Alcohol and diabetes were soon added to the tribe’s growing list of problems. The loss of land, harsh living conditions, and cultural upheaval left many Havasupai angry and demoralized.
Throughout much of the 20th century, the tribe waged a long-shot legal battle to reclaim much of their former territory. They were up against powerful forces. Their former territory now belonged to Grand Canyon National Park, and both the park service and environmental organizations like the Sierra Club fought to keep the land in federal hands. The Havasupai, who had sustainably interacted with their environment for centuries, were stunned when told to stay off the land so that plants and animals could be protected.
Undeterred, the Havasupai continued to press their case. A turning point came in 1973, when they met with Arizona senator Barry Goldwater, who offered his support. Two years later, on January 4, 1975, over 250,000 acres were returned to the Havasupai. In addition to land on the rim, the tribe regained control of the area below Havasu Falls, which had been operated as a national park campground. Seeking to alleviate the poverty that had plagued them for decades, the Havasupai took full control of Havasu Canyon’s tourist operations.
Today tourism generates $2.5 million annually for the tribe. And though modernization has come to Supai in the form of electricity and smartphones, the pace of life remains distinctly different. Any suggestions to build a modern road into the canyon have always been rejected, and today the Havasupai boast the highest percentage of native speakers of any tribe in the U.S.
Flooding is a fact of life in Havasu Canyon, which experiences, on average, a flood every three years. The canyon drains a watershed encompassing nearly 3,000 square miles, and runoff from thunderstorms funnels into Havasu Canyon with astonishing speed. Most floods are minor and merely a nuisance. But every few years a massive thunderstorm dumps enormous quantities of rain in a remarkably short period of time. When this happens, the consequences for Havasu Canyon are severe.
In 1900 a woman named Flora Gregg Iliff was teaching in Havasu Canyon when she experienced a flash flood first-hand. Her terrifying account is recorded in her book People of the Blue Water: “With startling suddenness, a full-grown river, boiling with sand and debris, leaped over the east wall with a force that shot it far out into the canyon ... Nothing could stand against that roaring waterfall. It hurled a boulder over the rim, spun it crazily and smashed it on the ground with an impact that shook the canyon.” During the flood, the Havasupai did what they have always done: retreat to the high cliffs surrounding the canyon and wait for the waters to subside. The tribe also stored a year’s worth of food in the cliffs above Supai in case flooding destroyed their crops.
In January 1910 the largest flood in recorded history tore through Havasu Canyon, peaking at an estimated 35,000 cubic feet per second—1,000 times greater than Havasu Creek’s normal flow. Every building in Supai was destroyed. Fortunately the flood occurred in winter, when most of the tribe was living on the rim, and many lives were spared. In 1990 the second largest flood in recorded history tore through Havasu Canyon, peaking at roughly 20,000 cfs. Three years later, another flood maxed out at roughly 10,000 cfs. Flooding can occur in both winter and summer, but nearly 80 percent of historical Havasu Creek floods have occurred during or immediately following El Niño years.
More recently, in August 2008, a flash flood made headlines when it dramatically reshaped Havasu’s famous waterfalls. The flood tore out a new streambed downstream of Supai, diverting the creek away from Navajo Falls (previously the first large waterfall encountered below Supai) and creating two new waterfalls. Remarkably, the 2008 flood was estimated at only 6,000 cubic feet per second, making it the 17th smallest flood in recorded history. But its power was severe. According to one witness in the campground, “All kinds of debris went rushing by including an outhouse, tents, water toys, cottonwood trees and boulders.” Fortunately, thanks to many Havasupai First Responders, there were no casualties in the campground and residents of Supai were unharmed. Type “Havasu Flood 2008” into YouTube to find some dramatic video footage taken by visitors during the flood.
This small village, home to roughly 450 full-time residents, is the permanent home of the Havasupai Tribe. If you’re arriving on foot, you’ll reach Supai after twisting and turning through Havasu’s narrow upper canyons. After descending into a large, open canyon floor, you’ll follow a series of dusty dirt roads until you reach the tourist office, where all visitors must check in. Continue down the street to reach “downtown” Supai, home to the village cafe, market, post office, community center, and K-8 school (when the children reach high school they attend a boarding school outside the canyon). The Supai lodge, a Christian church and a Mormon church are also located nearby. Follow the main road north of the majestic Wii Gl’iiva and soon the road will turn into a trail that heads down to Havasu’s famous waterfalls and the campground.
Some visitors are dismayed by what they find in Supai. Hoping to experience a hidden paradise “uncorrupted” by the modern world, they encounter modest homes topped with satellite dishes and a helicopter dropping off supplies. The Havasupai are proud of their ancient culture and continue to speak their native tongue, but they have embraced many aspects of the modern world. Some visitors are also surprised by the run-down condition of some parts of town. Remember that living in a remote, isolated canyon presents many challenges. (You can’t just run to the hardware store whenever something breaks.) As you walk through Supai, remind yourself that you are a guest of the Havasupai and please be respectful of their home.
In August 2008 a flash flood tore through Havasu Canyon, reshaping the scenery between Supai and Havasu Falls. The flood ripped out vegetation, carved out a new watercourse, and created two “new” waterfalls. (In fact, the uppermost falls was called “Fifty-Foot Falls” until a flash flood buried it in sediment sometime around 1940. The 2008 flood simply re-exposed the old waterfall.) The upstream waterfall (right) is called Navajo Falls and the downstream waterfall (above) is called Little Navajo Falls. Navajo Falls is about 70 feet high, and Little Navajo Falls is about 30 feet high. Notice the vast stretch of dead trees on the ridge above Rock Falls. Prior to 2008, Havasu Creek supported a vast riparian habitat along the ridge. Although the old habitat died after the water shifted course, new habitat is slowly forming along the banks of the new creek.
Havasu Creek’s new waterway completely bypasses “Old” Navajo Falls, a 75-foot waterfall once considered one of the canyon’s prettiest sights. It is frequently claimed that Old Navajo Falls was destroyed by the 2008 flood, but the waterfall’s extensive travertine structure remains intact, creating, in effect, a “fossilized” waterfall. Although impossible to see from the trail, Old Navajo Falls is located downstream of Little Navajo Falls beyond the river’s western bank. Although the loss of Old Navajo Falls is tragic, it is part of the natural cycle of destruction and regeneration that has shaped Havasu Canyon for thousands of years. And the new waterfalls sure are pretty.
Havasu Falls, the star attraction of Havasu Canyon, is located roughly half a mile past Navajo Falls. As the trail drops down along the sheer western wall of Havasu Canyon, the roar of the falls grows louder. Suddenly, Havasu Falls appears on your right. At this point you’re at eye level with the top of the 90-foot falls. Continue down the trail to reach several well-trodden side trails that lead to a beach area shaded by cottonwood trees. Although often crowded in summer, the beach is one of the most spectacular swimming holes in Arizona.
A century ago, Havasu Falls looked completely different. Back then the water tumbled over the cliff in a 200-foot wide curtain of water, and it was called Bridal Veil Falls. In 1910 a flash flood roared through Havasu Canyon and knocked out a large notch in the cliff. Suddenly, the water was channeled into a much narrower—and much more spectacular—waterfall. Other flash floods have been far less kind. In 1993 a flash flood destroyed several beautiful travertine terraces at the base of the waterfall that formed a series of cascading pools. Then, during the flood of 2008, the beautiful “apron” that defined the falls for decades was destroyed. The flood knocked out a small notch in the apron, creating a narrow chute that forms a far less dramatic waterfall. Take a look at the numerous travertine formations on either side of the falls. These are the prehistoric remnants of older versions of Havasu Falls—a potent reminder that the waterfall has been naturally changing shape for thousands of years.
At 196 feet, Mooney Falls is the tallest waterfall in Havasu Canyon. To get there, follow the main trail one mile past Havasu Falls to a stunning overlook at the end of the campground. The path to the base of the falls is an Indiana Jones-style adventure that involves scrambling through a tunnel carved by 19th century miners, followed by a slippery descent down a rickety ladder.
The Havasupai call this waterfall “Mother of the Waters,” and they consider it their most sacred waterfall. The name Mooney Falls comes from a tragic accident that occurred in 1880, when a group of American prospectors entered Havasu Canyon looking for gold. Their progress was halted when they reached the sheer cliffs surrounding the waterfall. A man named Daniel Mooney volunteered to be lowered down by rope, but on the way down his rope became stuck in a jagged crevice. As his friends struggled with the rope, it began to fray. Suddenly, the rope snapped, and Mooney fell to his death. Unable to reach Mooney’s body, the prospectors abandoned their search and went home. Ten months later they returned and built a ladder to the base of the falls. By that point Mooney’s body had been encrusted in a fresh layer of travertine.
A few decades later, Mooney Falls was taken from the Havasupai by the federal government, and a private company attempted to build a hydro-electric plant here. Before the power plant was completed, however, a flash flood tore through the canyon, destroying the machinery and bankrupting the company. In 1975 the government returned the waterfall to the Havasupai tribe.
Below Mooney Falls a rugged trail continues down Havasu Canyon all the way to the Colorado River. Along the way it passes through some of Havasu Canyon’s most beautiful scenery. The water gets bluer. The vegetation gets lusher. Cascading pools are scattered between leafy expanses of wild grapes. As you hike further downstream the crowds thin out, and it will soon feel like you have Havasu Canyon all to yourself.
It’s eight rugged miles from Mooney Falls to the Colorado River, which is well beyond the limits of most day hikers. The most popular destination is Beaver Falls, located roughly four miles beyond the base of Mooney Falls at the conflux of Havasu Canyon and Beaver Canyon. A series of cascading pools, Beaver Falls offers amazing scenery and divine swimming opportunities. In my opinion, it’s one of the highlights of Havasu Canyon. But there’s a catch. The trail below Mooney Falls is gorgeous, but it becomes harder to follow the further downstream you go. A trip to Beaver Falls involves multiple river crossings and steep scrambles involving wobbly ladders and ropes. Experienced hikers with good trail finding skills can probably figure it out, but out-of-shape hikers uncomfortable with heights and river crossings should definitely avoid the long hike to Beaver Falls. That said, if you’ve made it to the base of Mooney Falls, it’s definitely worth following the trail for as long as you feel comfortable. There’s plenty of gorgeous scenery to be enjoyed along the way.
Even without its colorful, spring-fed creek, Havasu Canyon would be a remarkable destination. But the vibrant blue water, contrasted with striking red rocks, gives the canyon an otherworldly beauty. What makes the water so blue? The answer is chemistry. Specifically, dissolved calcium carbonate and magnesium that naturally occur in Havasu Creek.
The process starts when rain falls on the surrounding plateaus and water seeps into the ground. Over thousands of years, the water slowly trickles through Grand Canyon’s rock layers, dissolving rocks and picking up minerals along the way. Eventually the water reaches the deep underground aquifers that feed Havasu Springs. (Carbon dating indicates that the water flowing from Havasu Springs is over 11,000 years old). The water in Havasu Springs is saturated with calcium and bicarbonate (dissolved from limestone) and magnesium (which gives the water its brilliant blue tint). As the water enters the canyon, the sudden drop in pressure and increase in temperature causes solid calcium carbonate to precipitate out of the water. The calcium carbonate ultimately forms shiny layers of travertine along the creekbed, which further reflect the blue-tinted water. As the creek flows down the canyon, massive quantities of travertine are deposited—by some measures up to 70,000 pounds each day. This, in turn, leads to another fascinating phenomenon: as calcium bicarbonate precipitates out of the water, the relative saturation of magnesium increases. Thus the water in Havasu Creek gets bluer and bluer the farther downstream it flows!
This 2,448-mile highway, completed in 1926, was the first major route between Chicago and Los Angeles. In the 1930s Route 66 served as the primary path for Dust Bowl migrants heading west. Later it was made famous by the Bobby Troup song “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66,” which was covered by Nat King Cole, Perry Como and Chuck Berry. Before long Route 66 had become a romantic symbol of freedom on the road. But following construction of the Interstate Highway System, Route 66 fell on hard times. As motorists abandoned the old two-lane highway for the speedier Interstate, thousands of roadside mom-and-pop businesses closed down. By 1985 Route 66 was officially removed from the U.S. Highway System.
But nostalgia dies hard, and in recent years Route 66 has experienced something of a revival. Although much of the original highway was swallowed up by Interstate 40 near Grand Canyon, classic stretches of Route 66 remain. Downtown Williams celebrates its Route 66 heritage through retro diners and coffee shops, but if you’re looking for the “authentic” experience head 43 miles west to the town of Seligman. The real-life inspiration for the town of Radiator Springs in the Pixar movie Cars, Seligman is a shadow of its former self, yet still retains a faded 50s-era charm. Its most famous roadside restaurant, Delgadillo’s Snow Cap Drive-In, has been serving burgers, fries and practical jokes since 1953. From Seligman, Route 66 arcs north through the desert for 85 miles before rejoining with Interstate 40 at Kingman.
Owned and operated by the Hualapai, Grand Canyon West encompasses 108 miles along Grand Canyon’s southwest rim. Although not part of the national park, its views are breathtaking. Grand Canyon West is located 250 miles (5 hours driving) from Grand Canyon National Park’s South Rim. From Las Vegas it’s just 125 miles (2.5 hours driving), making it a popular destination for day-tripping tourists. In addition to scenic viewpoints, Grand Canyon West offers horseback rides, helicopter tours and rafting day trips along the Colorado River. Its most famous attraction, however, is the Grand Canyon Skywalk (above). This semi-circular bridge, which juts out 70 feet from the Canyon’s edge, features a glass floor that offers visitors dramatic views 3,600 feet down to the Colorado River. When the Skywalk opened in 2007, astronaut Buzz Aldrin was the first person to walk across it publicly. He was followed by John Bennet Harrington, the first Native American in space.
To enter Grand Canyon West, you’ll need to purchase the “Hualapai Legacy Package” ($40 per person), which provides basic entry plus access to viewpoints, cultural activities, live performances and a wagon ride. Horseback tours, helicopter rides and rafting trips all require an additional fee. To walk on the Skywalk, you’ll need to purchase the “Legacy Gold Package” ($75 per person), which is essentially a Legacy Package with the Skywalk plus a meal. Overnight accommodations are also available. (888-868-9378, grandcanyonwest.com)