Havasupai Falls

These pictures are from my September 2005 trip to Havasupai Falls. Surprisingly, this little piece of heaven is located at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. I was absolutely astounded by the beauty. You start in the hot desert in Arizona and end up in tropical oasis that could be anywhere in the world. The deep reds of the rock, pristine blue water, and the lush jungle that encompasses this treasure trove overwhelm the senses leaving one in a state of euphoria. There are three ways to get to the falls. 1) Hike. 2) By mule train (lazy). 3) Helicopter (rich and lazy). It is a difficult 10 mile hike down the canyon to the Supai Indian Reservation. The village is my type of place. To say the least it is remote and the inhabitants are wonderful. From the village there is a 3 mile hike to the first falls, which are stunning. This area is packed because it is easier to get to. The hardest part is getting down to the second set of falls where one must go through a cave that lets out in the middle of a cliff side. Then you climb down the side of the cliff using existing metal spikes and chains in the rock. Most of the spikes are secure =) Take note, there is a massive waterfall adjacent to the cliff spraying the climbers and the rock constantly which makes the climb extremely slippery. If you fall off, that's it. At the bottom there are miles of hiking trails through a canyon laced with what appears to be grape vines. Although this is an extremely strenuous trip, I highly recommend it. The rewards of being in such an awe inspiring habitat are worth all the risk.

F.Y.I. Reservations are not easy to get and they can be gotten only once per year. The water is warmest in September. I do recommend the short and expensive experience of taking a helicopter out of the canyon.

Here is a link with more information about Havasupai Falls, like how to get there and other useful information that you need to know.

http://waterfallswest.com/az-havasu-falls.html

Peace,

~Erik