Hiking the Havasupai Trail to Havasu Falls

One of my all-time favorite hiking and camping destinations is Havasu Canyon in the northern part of Arizona, United States. Located on the Havasupai Native American reservation, the park is not US Government-run (like the nearby Grand Canyon) but is operated by the Havasupai Tribe.

Many people who visit the Falls yearly are also on a Grand Canyon rafting trip. This is a great way to combine this scenic location with some adventure on your vacation. Havasu Creek is a tributary of the famous Colorado River that flows through the mighty Grand Canyon.

We planned a much anticipated three-day backpacking trip to the beautiful canyon with a few of my relatives. Hiking and staying at the campground requires getting permits and paying fees (as it is a fragile natural environment, the park authorities take precautions to limit the number of visitors per day).

We packed our supplies for the trip, mostly sleeping bags, food, and water (in the summer in Arizona, you don't need a tent because it rarely rains and it's not too cold - make sure to look at the forecast before you go).

We started the 10-mile (16-kilometer) hike to the official campground from a point known as Hualapai Hilltop. The trail wound down into the canyon, following a rocky, bone-dry trail. The beginning of the hike was not all that scenic, and it got outrageously hot as well.

Eventually, we arrived in the central part of the canyon, passed through the Supai village, and were well on our way to the waterfalls, which we were all looking forward to!

Havasupai translates to "people of the blue and green" (turquoise) waters. I knew why as soon as I came around the bend and peered over the cliff for my first glimpse of Havasu Falls.

Havasu Falls is a picturesque waterfall of magical blue-green water that hurls itself off the edge of the jagged red rocks into a sparkling pool of turquoise water below - all this in the middle of a desert. It's a spectacular view.

While trekking in Sumatra was beautiful in the jungle, the Havasupai Trail was equally incredible with its desert conditions.

Even more impressive than the first view was dumping our heavy packs at the campsite and running to take a dip in the cool water. For three days, we hiked around, swam in multiple locations, and visited several other waterfalls along the same creek.

Mooney Falls, just a short hike from the campsite, is the highest waterfall in the area, at over 190 feet. Reaching the bottom of the falls required a steep, slightly gnarly climb down ladders and rock footholds, but the view and the water below were worth it.

While Havasu Falls is blocked by a rock at the top before it falls, spanning it out and thinning the water, Mooney Falls is a straight vertical tumble. The water crashes violently into the deep blue pool at the surface.

The third waterfall I spent a lot of time exploring was Navajo Falls. It was a gentle series of rock steps and soothing pools, much less pounding than the other two waterfalls. (Note: Unfortunately, due to a flash flood in 2008, the falls no longer exist—the water has taken a new route.)

As the three days ended, we packed our belongings and began the ascent to Hualapai Hilltop, eventually returning home. Havasupai is one of the most memorable hiking and camping trips I've ever had!