Hiking Havasupai in Northern Arizona

My son went on a hiking trip this summer to Havasupai with his scout troop.  My friend’s and I were a bit jealous of our sons’ adventures, so we decided we were going to go on the same hike.  I knew that it was going to be be hard, but I knew that it would be worth it.

Havasupai is located in Northern Arizona and is in the Cataract Canyon that is part of the Grand Canyon. The hike consists of 10 miles from the top of the hilltop to the camp ground.  On your way to the campground you pass through the village of Supai, which is home to the Havasupai Tribe.  That’s right, they live in the bottom of the canyon.  There aren’t any roads to reach the village, but their is a helicopter and plenty of mules to carry supplies into the village.

The most amazing parts of Havasupai are the waterfalls located at the bottom of the canyon.  There are 5 beautiful waterfalls located in the canyon.  The water temperature of the falls remains pretty constant throughout the year (a perfect 70 degrees) so the water is perfect for swimming.  The high mineral content of the water gives the it a gorgeous blue-green color.

We hiked in, carrying our packs (weighing from 25-50lbs) and were greeted by the most amazing canyon walls.  The beauty of the canyon often left us speechless as we contemplated vastness of the creation around us.  When we reached the village of Supai (8 miles from the top) we were greeted by friendly people and many friendly dogs.  It is preferred that you make reservations in advance to camp at the campground, so we checked in at the Tourist Office and rested while we watched people arrive via the helicopter that goes in and out of the canyon.  Another 2 miles of hiking brings you to the campground.  The entrance of the campground is marked by the amazing Havasu falls.  I couldn’t believe how blue the water was.  After a day of hiking the water looked refreshing!

Camping at the bottom of the canyon felt like hanging out with a large group of friends.  We met people from all over the world, including Australia, England and Poland.  We shared a feeling of accomplishment and friendship that only can be obtained from doing something as difficult as hiking Havasupai.  Everyone seemed to help one another, from helping eachother when climbing down the treacherous chain ladder into Mooney Falls, or bandaging the blisters of a fellow hiker.

After a day of playing in the refreshing waterfalls, we had to return to reality.  We had to hike back up to the hilltop.  We had mules carry our packs out and just carried water and food with us on the hike back to the top of the canyon.  It was long, it was difficult, but I made it out of the canyon and am now able to say that I hiked Havasupai!

Interested in visiting one of the most beautiful places on Earth?  Check out the information located here.