Hey Steemers,
I'd like to share my recent venture to Havasupai, Arizona! It is the most crazy, beautiful, awe- inspiring place on Earth. It evokes the Garden of Eden... a place you want to linger and let the hours roll by. My boyfriend and I backpacked the trail, and our one regret was spending only one night.
The whole experience is a wild ride. Beginning with getting to the trailhead ;) The last sixty miles of the approach are spent on a winding two lane highway. Its speed limit ranges from 25- 55 MPH, with very little warning between the two. There are zero street lights, so they advise traveling during the day to avoid hitting the plentiful wildlife that inhabits the surrounding desert. One solo traveler we met crashed into an elk and lost both headlights in the process. We did not heed this warning, and drove the road in the pitch black. We arrived at the trail head at midnight, and camped out next to our car.
The full trail is 12 miles long. There is no potable water until 10 miles in, so make sure to pack enough to get you through. They recommend starting early to allow enough time to hike and marvel at the red rocks and startling waterfalls. As we headed out in the dewy morning light, a double rainbow stretched the length of the canyon. The first mile drops 1500 feet towards the valley floor, but the rest of the trail is very approachable. You enter Supai about 6 miles into the hike, which is home to about 200 Native American individuals. It is considered the most remote town in the contiguous US. It is around mile 8 that you begin to encounter the waterfalls.
The pure turquoise color of the water is due to its high concentration of limestone. Your first sight will take your breath away. Each of the falls- Havasu, Mooney, Beaver- are unique in appearance. Reaching Mooney requires a mildly treacherous descent via chains and ladders. Havasu resembles a prehistoric paradise. Havasupai as a whole has a spiritual atmosphere. It moves people; it moved us.
Camping is permitted anywhere between the Ranger Station (mile 8) and Mooney Falls (mile 10). You can set up camp right along the riverbank. The sun vacates the canyon early, and the stars come out to play.
Getting permits is extremely challenging. It used to be that you had to call the one phone in Supai village, but as of Feb. 2018 they accept online reservations. Start looking early, as they often sell out for the year within seconds. It is my favorite place I have ever been, absolutely worth the effort. I will cherish the vivid memories until my return.
Havasupai is one of the most amazing places on Earth! Here is my video from it. Busted my tooth jumping cliffs there!
@danigirl so perfect the creation of god, very very beautiful, it must be maintained and cared for so no evil hands destroy the beauty of the creation of god
such an awesome place
i would love to go there
Full of nature, the rainbow is what I loved the most, and climbing via the stairs on the rocks really adventurous
wow very amazing travel and adventure
I live so ridiculously close to this place and still have never been! It looks so beautiful! I have friends that camp near there a couple of times a year, and their pics always make me envious! Haha. These pics are stellar though! You have really captured its beauty! Ugh I just need to take a weekend and go! Until then I will live vicariously through your post!
I cannot recommend it more :) I'm jealous that you live in close proximity!
Have you ever been to Sedona? It is a lot of the same Red Rock formation, but much more condensed, and just jaw droppingly beautiful. It's only about an hour drive for me so I go there a few times a year to just kind of reset. They say that Sedona has powerful and energetic vortexes, and people come from around the world to take some of the rock with them. I can't necessarily vouch for that, but I do know that I feel a lot better after going there. (Although any kind of break into nature can usually do that!)
wow it really is a very nice and extraordinary place, the nature is very beautiful to be enjoyed, where is it located @danigirl
it is in Arizona, part of the same body of land as the Grand Canyon!
very very beautiful waterfall... i like it @danigirl