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Hualapai Hilltop to Colorado River

Posted on July 23, 2008 by: Traveler

  • The final drop to the campground passes Havasu Fall along it's right side (as you are looking up at it from the base).
  • I thought we were hiking in the desert!
  • Soon enough, the snow, rain and trees disappeared.
  • At the parking lot of Hualapai Hilltop looking back at where we had just driven from.
  • Jeff and Ryan posing at the top with Mutly checking out the drop into the canyon.
  • Completely cut off from vehicular traffic, the Havasupai Indians in the village of Supai still get supplies and mail by mule train.
  • Walking down the initial drop into the canyon, knew that would be rough on the way out!
  • After the initial drop into the canyon, the trail veers right and follows a wide sandy bottom.
  • Jeff couldn't resist climbing up.
  • This rock overhang didn't go back too far, but it could have been enough to keep dry.
  • Rest break near the first sighting of Havasu Creek in a dense stand of Cottonwood Trees.
  • Nice campsites are all along Havasu Creek Below the fall. Don't forget to check in at the village of Supai for your camp permits.
  • Small terraces of Havasu Creek at our campsite.
  • Base of Havasu Falls.
  • Ryan below Havasu Falls.
  • On morning two, we had to climb down the chains set into the cliff to get to the base of Mooney Falls and onto the Colorado River eight more miles away.
  • Chains down to the base of Mooney Fall.
  • Jeff and Ryan holding their boots so we wouldn't get them wet from all the creek crossings... that didn't last too long! Bring water shoes; like Keens to make life simple.
  • So much for snow at the top. Good thing too because the canyon only occasionally opens up like this. The rest of the time we were in the shadow of the canyon; and wishing for some direct sun.
  • Too many swimming holes to choose from on this hike.
  • Unfortunately, our objective was to reach the Colorado River and not stop at every point along the way. That's why we want to spend more nights inside the canyon on our next trip here.
  • I believe this was the only other obstacle below Mooney Fall that required any amount of strength to negotiate.
  • Ryan's silhouette against the canyon backdrop.
  • More terraced swimming holes.
  • Another semi-open area, but already in the shade from the movement of the sun.
  • Small hole through cliff. Almost there!
  • Final creek crossing before the small rise onto the ledge overlooking the merging of Havasu Creek with the Mighty Colorado.
  • River expedition.
  • Looking down river from the ledge above the Colorado.
  • Looking upriver from the ledge above the Colorado.
  • Lunchtime. MRE (Meal Ready to Eat) delight.
  • Buster shot to prove we were there.
  • River Dory taking off.
  • Bye-bye One Eyed Jack.
  • Now it was a race to see if we could reach the base of Mooney Fall before the sun passed by. We were just a little too late as it turned out.
  • At some points along the canyon, the vegetation was full and green. That probably meant it was an invasive species.
  • We realized we wouldn't be able to make the base of Mooney Fall in time, so the next open spot we decided to take a dip. Here's Ryan jumping in.
  • Walking out of Havasu Canyon on Day 3.
  • After five hours and over 200 miles, we finally reach the Grand Canyon's South Rim.
  • The points along the East Drive were very nice (especially with the storm lifting), but it just wasn't the same looking down as it was being at the bottom looking up.
  • Oh well, there is always next time; or the Bright Angel Trail... Hmmm!

Closest City: Seligman
State: Arizona
Country: United States

WARNING: This trail is currently closed due to flash flooding. Check with the NPS and Havasupai websites (below) for current weather updates and trail conditions.

Without even knowing it, most people have seen a picture of Havasu Falls. This twin fall is located on the Havasupai Indian Reservation, which is located inside of Grand Canyon National Park. Jeff (My Poor Feet), Ryan and I decided to check things out during Spring Break (I know...I'm sure Lake Havasu and Sandbar would have been a more appropriate trip for three guys). The drive to the trailhead on Hualapai Hilltop took a bit longer than we had anticipated and we got an unwelcome surprise on the final rise through that ponderosa pine forest. The sky was letting loose with six inches of fresh snow on the ground...and it was still going like we were in the Teton Mountains! Luckily, as the road dropped in altitude, the snow gave way to rain and the trees gave way to shrubs. Still freezing at the Hualapai Hilltop parking lot, we started shoving all of our warm weather gear into the packs. I even hiked in pants! The parking lot was not that crowded with other hikers, just some mangy dogs to keep all occupied. As the three of us started down, one mutt tagged along until he finally turned around with a mule train going to back up top.

There are three ways into Havasu Canyon; by helicopter (landing in Supai), mule or on foot. We didn't want to spend the money for a helicopter (Not even appealing either, as I had been on enough rides on CH-46 and CH-53's to last a lifetime). So that left the donkeys or hoofing it ourselves. Since we didn't want to smell donkey poo for eight miles, that meant we were hiking in (turned out we still smelled the poo because the trail is the same for the pack trains). Some may hike to Havasu Falls in one day. I think that is just shortchanging yourself to the beauty that surrounds Havasu Canyon. The walk down is decent, dropping over 2000 ft to the Village of Supai. My suggestion would be to call ahead and make a reservation to sleep at the campground just below Havasu Falls and about two miles past Supai. Awesome swimming hole to say the least and just below the campsites is an even better swimming area at the base of Mooney Fall. After a long day of driving and a ten mile hike, we ate and called it a night.

Morning two was what we came for, to see the Mighty Colorado thundering through the Grand Canyon. It is approximately eight more miles for a sixteen mile day. Turns out that extra clothing we stuffed into the bags was for nothing, because there wasn't a cloud in the sky. The trail follows Havasu Creek down the whole way. We attempted to take boots and socks off for the first couple crossings (I now have Keen Newports with wide sturdy platforms), but gave up after about 30 minutes of changing in and out. Good thing too, because the trail crosses Havasu Creek too many times to count. Make sure your're wearing Keens or some other water shoes to make life simple! All along the way are spots to stop and swim. If we were staying in the canyon for three nights, we definitely would have come back to some of the closer swimming holes. The sight of the Colorado River did not disappoint!!! Just so happens there was a river expedition stopping for lunch. We were up above on a rock shelf eating MRE's as the river guides down below broke out the grills :(

Day three meant we were hiking out. I have been guilty of wanting to pack too much "adventure" into one trip, especially when I have never been to the destination. This trip is the one that comes to mind when thinking TOO MUCH! See, I also wanted to stop along the points at the Grand Canyon's South Rim. No problem right? We were already inside the park, so the South Rim was just a hop, skip away? NOPE! I think by car, traveling to the South Rim from Hualapai Hilltop took five hours and over two hundred miles. And it started to snow again! We hastily got a hotel room (can't remember which, just that it cost too much) and slept off the day's hiking and two hundred mile drive. The next morning we set out for the East Drive of the South Rim. Although it was nice, we couldn't help but think we'd rather be inside the canyon (looking up at the walls) instead of visiting points along the rim (looking down through storm clouds which hadn't quite passed yet) would have been much better planning! Sorry guys :)

I'm glad we got to see all the sights of the East Drive, but the point is that Jeff, Ryan and I do not plan on returning to the South Rim anytime soon. While I have read some interesting things about the Havasupai Indians and the confrontations with tourists traveling down onto their lands (some not returning), Havasu Canyon is always brought up as our next quick trip. The campground was nice, the waterfalls were cold and refreshing, and the canyon...beautiful.

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Havasu Falls, Mooney Falls, Grand Canyon National Park, South Rim, Hualapai Hilltop, Havasupai Indians, Colorado River, swimming, hiking, backpacking, camping, river expedition, waterfalls

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Member Comments:

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    Traveler Said...
    Flash flooding washed out the trail from Hualapai Hilltop to the village of Supai and an earthen wall created to hold back a pond for livestock collapsed stranding hikers. Massive T-storms August 16, 17 and 18th dropped about 8 inches of rain.

     

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