Our trip to Havasu Falls was fantastic. We left Phoenix, meandered through Sedona, cut through Flagstaff, until we reached Seligman, which is approximately 100 miles from Hualapai Hilltop, the jumping off point (literally!) into Havasu Canyon.
We put on our hiking gear in the Hualapai Hilltop parking lot, took in the open canyon, and began our descent down a switchback trail, which flattened out when we reached Havasu Wash. The hiking trail down is a little more than a mile. The flat walk to Havasu Creek is about 6 miles. The trek to Supai Village, a permanent town of 600 plus Havasu Indians, is one mile.
Havasu Falls PicturesHavasu Falls Videos
The trail along Havasu Creek is nice. It’s your first exposure to the blue green waters that make up Supai Falls, Navajo Falls, Havasu Falls, Mooney Falls, and Beaver Falls.
I found the village of Supai interesting. It’s definitely not been upgraded for tourists. Lots of ramshackle homes and mini paddocks. The natives are friendly, but initially stand offish. The center of Supai Village consists of the Supai Café, the post office, a health clinic, the public school, a church, and a general store, among other things.
We stayed at Havasupai Lodge. The price for accommodation was rather high, but it’s the only show in town. The hotel rooms were comfortable and the heat and water worked. Packhorses were hitched in the front.
The next day we hiked along a road to find Havasu Falls. There’s plenty to see along the way, including homes and life on the fringes, the town cemetery, erosion, Supai Falls, and Navajo Falls.
You now begin to hear the crash of the falls. You approach a rock outcropping, walk forward, take in a breathtaking view of the canyon, see the rushing Havasu Creek, and there it is…Havasu Falls spilling nearly 80+ feet to the bottom.
You hike down from the top of the falls to a beach at the foot of Havasu Falls. The mist is refreshing. The foliage is thick and alive. The waters, the color of turquoise, beckon. It’s like this all the way down to Beaver Falls.
Havasu Falls Pictures
Havasu Falls Videos
Continuing hiking down the trail from Havasu Falls you meet up with Havasu Campground, which is deceptively small. Enter it and you’ll find that it goes on for what appeared to be a half-mile. We were told that campers, backpackers, tour companies, and locals fill it up during early summer and fall.
We returned to Havasupai Lodge later that day and slept like rocks. That morning we had breakfast at the Café, then loaded up our hiking gear and hiked out of the village. The weather at Havasu that day was perfect.
We made good time hiking back through Havasu Wash, pulling aside as trains of packhorses hauling mail and dry goods made there way to and fro.
We rested at the base of the canyon wall. Then put on our packs, got out our hiking poles, and made our way up a mile of switchbacks. The trek up was arduous, but not overly so. Regardless, you get a sense of accomplishment once you arrive at Hualapai Hilltop. There, changed into clean clothing, chucked our packs into the trunk, and made a leisurely drive back to Seligman.
Havasu Falls
