Havasu Falls

If you are up for a little adventure and breathtaking beauty, add a backpacking trip to Havasupai Falls to the list! The color of the water is something out of a fairy tale, and when you add in the fun of camping, hiking, bouldering, and scaling rocks, it makes for a very memorable trip. With five gals in our group, we tapped into Matt at Pygmy Guides who was awesome! They brought in the tents and food by mules, and we backpacked in with the rest for a 3-day trip—30 miles total...and yes! I would definitely do this trip again!

Hike the 8 miles from the Hualapai Hilltop through the heat of the Grand Canyon desert and you will reach Supai Village, the home of the Havasupai tribe. Follow the aquamarine river another two miles along the sandy trail, past Little Navaho Falls to reach Havasu Falls. For those with a fear of heights, the crest of Mooney Falls may be the end of the trail, but this is only the beginning to the inspiring landscapes that lie ahead as you venture downstream as the canyon carves its way to the confluence with the Colorado River. This weekday in October rewarded us with very few other hikers. This ever-changing landscape will captivate those who wish only to bask in the warm, mineral waters as well as those whose curiosity compels them to venture farther downstream in search of what’s around the next corner.

This gem is well worth the trek in. Lower Navajo is one of 4 (ish) falls that you can enjoy when you make it past the village. This particular waterfall is perfect for a jumping jump off into the pristine waters. Once inside the canyon, this is also your drinking water for the duration of your visit. So bring some kind of a filter. There is a plethora of information available on the web as to how and when to visit Havasupai. It is truly magestic, and unlike anyplace else on earth.

After hiking 10+ miles to see beautiful Havasu Falls we camped here by the Falls. Got up the next morning to enjoy its beauty and get some swimming in to get cooled off before our hike back to the Havasupai Campground parking lot. Amazing trip!

Within 36 hours, I was as far away from civilization as possible. I had flown 500 miles, driven 220 miles, hiked 12 miles and was now standing at the rim of a gorgeous blue-green waterfall, named Navajo falls, in the heart of the Grand Canyon, in a place called Havasupai. This was my first sight of the blue-green waters of Havasupai. The original Navajo falls used to be 75 foot high! The present falls were created by the 2008 flash floods. The destructive nature of the floods is evident by how the earth’s crust has been ripped apart and the river has made its way through, forming a gentler waterfall, surrounded by a lush green oasis, in the middle of this red-rock desert-like landscape. It is a surreal but thrilling sight. The water was the color of emerald and sapphire and the temperature was surprisingly lukewarm. I did not need a second invitation and was soon in the water, gleefully swimming around in the pristine pool. The current was gentle and it was the most serene swimming spot one could wish for. The colors changed magically from shades of turquoise to verdant green until it seemed to be almost an illusion. The joy of taking a dip in such a unique, pristine spot, floating on my back watching droplets of water from above catching the last remaining rays of sunlight, being surrounded by such stunning vistas was ... absolutely magical!

Havasu Falls, Navajo Falls and Mooney Falls are located in the south rim of the Grand Canyon in Arizona on the Havasupai Indian Reservation. The 10-mile trail down to this gorgeous oasis begins at Hualapai Hilltop parking lot. You can either hike, ride a mule, or take a helicopter into the canyon. For information on how to book reservations and in-depth travel tips for this amazing experience, visit http://ordinarytraveler.com/tipsarticles/havasu-falls-travel-tips-havasupai-arizona