Havasupai is a beautiful oasis that is located in the Grand Canyon that has beautiful waterfalls and some beautiful rock formation. This area is one of a kind and there is no other place like it on earth. There is a small Native American tribe that lives in the area and has been doing so for the last 800 years. They are a friendly group of people and love to see all the visitors come see their village. At Havasupai you can expect some beautiful hiking deep in the Grand Canyon, some cliff diving and some of the bluest water that you will ever see in your life.
The Hike
However, getting there can be a little bit tricky and can be hard if you are not in decent shape. There is a 10-mile hike to the campgrounds and it all downhill in sand and loose gravel, then as you can figure you have to hike 10 miles up hill in the heat and steep switchbacks. If you are not in the shape to do this there are helicopters that can fly you in and out of the village for a small fee. I would start early in the morning to avoid the heat. It is a long and hard hike especially if you are not use to going down hill for 10 miles. I also would recommend using hiking shoes instead of tennis shoes. The reason is that there is so much sand there you don’t want your shoes filling up with sand (trust me tennis shoes were a terrible idea.) Bring lots of water because there is no water and little shade for at least 8 miles before getting to the village. It is also a good idea to bring some snacks like hard candy or dried fruit so you have plenty of energy to get there.
Heads Up! There are many horses and donkeys that use this trail all day to haul things to and from the village. If you have allergies make sure you bring something to treat yourself so you can finish the hike. You also should not wear headphones on this trail because they will run you over if you don’t get out of the way.
The Campground
The campgrounds are 2 miles south of the Havasupai Village and have some great locations. You want one that will be in the shade you can stay cool all day. This should be even more motivation to get down there early and claim the best spot that you can so you don’t have a spot that is in the sun all day. There are no showers at the campgrounds but there is clean spring water and outhouses that are supplied with toilet paper.
The Falls
Okay now you had a hard day of hiking it is now time for some fun! There are plenty of falls to visit and swim in all day. Please note that there were major floods in 2008 that have changed a lot of the falls and have made it more dangerous to go cliff diving. Be careful when jumping from cliffs and only do it from approved areas. The funnest falls to go see are the Mooney Falls just south of the campgrounds. This is the tallest falls that the area has to offer and empties into the Colorado River. It is a bit tricky to get to where you have to hike down a cliff using chains and very steep steps. It is not something for someone who had troubles with heights and has a fear of falling. You will be amazed by the color of the water and how blue it is, it is way fun swimming around the falls and hearing the roar of the falls.
The Village
This is not a village that has restaurants and gas stations or places to go shopping. This is just a small community with the local tribe and their schools. It is not very big and not much to do there but you can get some ice cream and a couple of items that you need for camping just in case you forgot something.
Overall this trip was amazing and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a great time. Just remember to bring lots of water, sunscreen and other camping essentials. I loved swimming around the falls and seeing how beautiful this oasis was and look forward to returning soon. This is not a campground that you can just pull up to though, you must make reservations and they are fairly difficult to find any free openings due to the high demand of visitors the area sees every day. So make note if this is something you are interested in exploring, make your reservations now!
