Havasu Falls

halmester's picture

Location

Grand Canyon
United States
36° 15' 18.6696" N, 112° 41' 52.5372" W
US
General info: 

The Havasu Falls plunge nearly 100 feet (27m) into a natural pool of blue-green waters in the Havasupai tribal lands in Grand Canyon. These are one of the most striking waterfalls in the Grand Canyon.

The minerals in the water form natural pools below the falls and creates perfect setting for swimming in the turquoise water. Next to the pools, there are plenty of cottonwood trees to relax by.

Due to the high mineral content of the water, the configuration of the falls and pools is ever-changing. The falls sometimes breaks into two separate chutes of water and the pools can be damaged or destroyed by large floods that wash through the area.

Getting there: 

The trailhead to Havasupai Falls begins at Hualapai Hilltop. The Hilltop can be reached at the end of Indian Road 18 which is 65 miles north of Route 66.

Once you get to the hilltop (by car) you can start the 10 mile hike along the Havasupai Trail to the Havasu Falls. Better to take enough water and protection from sun for this leg.

If you don’t feel like hiking, there is helicopter service or horses available for a fee. You may also pay for the helicopter or mules to take your backpacking gear.

It is IMPORTANT to know that only a limited number of visitors are given permits to enter. Thus, reservations for camping and hotels are booked even 6 months in advance. You can find info about the reservations and camping permits at the Grand Canyon National Park website.

Driving times to Hualapai Hilltop,
from Flagstaff: 3-4 hour drive
from Phoenix: 5-6 hour drive
from Las Vegas: 3-4 hour drive
from Kingman: 2-3 hour drive

Costs: 

Entrance Fee Permit: $35.00 per person
Campground Fee: $17.00* per person / per night
Environmental Care Fee: $5.00* per person

There are also guided hiking and camping tours into Havasupai provided by private adventure tour companies, for example http://www.wildlandtrekking.com/adventurehikes/havasufalls.html
Also rafting tours are organiced in the area, for example http://www.westernriver.com/trips/grandcanyon/

You might be interested in

The Trango Towers is a group of tall granite spikes located in northern Pakistan. The Towers offer some of the largest cliffs and most challenging rock climbing in the world.

It is amazing to think that there are still trees that existed way before the pyramids were built. The Methuselah tree is a 4850year-old Great Basin bristlecone pine tree growing high in the White Mountains, California.

Hyperion is the world's tallest known living tree. It was discovered in 2006, by naturalists Chris Atkins and Michael Taylor and was measured at 379.3 feet (115.61 m).

The General Sherman is the largest tree in the world. It is not the tallest, oldest or widest but it is the largest tree by volume.

El Árbol del Tule is a cypress tree that has the stoutest trunk of any tree in the world. In 2005, its trunk had a circumference of 42.0 m (137.8 ft), equating to a diameter of 14.05 m (46.1 ft).

On the other side of the Fjord from Preikestolen is another breathtaking cliff, Kjerag. Its highest point is 1110 m above sea level, but it is the northern drop to Lysefjorden that attracts most visitors.

Interesting places nearby

The ultimate travel destination in America and one of the most famous natural wonders in the world. The magnitude of Grand Canyon compels even the most jaded traveler to pause and draw breath.

Wolf Mountain Resort, located in Eden, UT, are renowned for their well groomed slopes that are great for learning how to ski or snowboard. Wolf Mountain also has night skiing, and their entire mountain is lit up in the evening.

Wolf Creek is a high alpine ski resort, 10,300 feet at the base and 11,900 feet at the summit, located in southern Colorado on scenic U.S. Highway 160.

Perfectly positioned next to the Continental Divide, Winter Park has the distinct advantage of being able to catch winter storms from nearly every direction. Western and southern storms get private://trappedprivate:// by the Divide.

BASE: 8400ft
SUMMIT: 9500ft
VERTICAL DROP: 1100ft

NO. OF. LIFTS: 3
Gondolas: 0
Chairs: 2
Surface: 0

Vail offers virtually everything a die hard powder junkie could crave, from the Lionshead cruisers to the famous Back Bowls.