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Unless you have seen the Grand Canyon, you have missed not only one of the "wonders" of the Western United States, but of the world. As many times as I have visited Grand Canyon National Park, I am still awed. The Havasu Canyon is "down stream" of the Park on the Havasupi Indian Reservation. The village of Supi, down in that canyon, is the last U.S. Post Office still serviced only by mule train. Reservations were required to spend night(s) at the village or in the neighboring campgrounds. |
| The gang at the Havasu Trail Head ready(?) to go. The instigator of all this was son Chris next to his wife Jodi on the left, Carolyn and I, and last but FAR from least, Lora and Rick on the right. There also, but not showing, was Adam as Lora was about 4 months pregnant. |
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There was a lot of this went on both going down and, especially coming up...resting. Here Carolyn, Chris and Jodi share a water break on a handy rock. There was no problem noticing that this is desert until you reach the valley floor. |
| Rick and Lora had to show off in front of the first of the three falls in the valley, the Navajo Falls. |  |
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The "jewel" of the trip was the Havasu Falls. First to strike you is how unbelievably blue the water appears. The reason for the color, we are told, is the high mineral content. This in turn leads to the formation of the pools at the falls bottom. The big pool and the many small ones were perfect for wading, swimming or just admiring. Notice the HUGE crowds we faced everywhere we went in this scenic wonderland. It is rumored that I stretched out on a rock by the pool and slept while the young folks hiked off to the Mooney falls. This is a story being spread by my wife in retaliation for being left to explore the Havasu basin on her own while I...rested. |
| The last of the three falls
in the valley is the Mooney Falls. These falls are named for an early explorer of the
valley who it is rumored, had dropped a rope to climb down and when the rope ended up MUCH
too short, plunged to his death. Maybe not the best planning I have ever heard of, but it
could also just be a good story.
We can only thank the Arizona family contigents for an adventure which will be remembered always, told about often and...treasured. |
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