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The Rim country
above Supai Village.
adjusts his pack and manages to catch a
second wind. Now the canyon walls narrow
as the trail moves into a rocky
watercourse. Here the footing must be
sure for it is easy to slip. Gradually the
canyon opens into a broad gorge. Just
ahead is the village of Supai. Here he
picks up a yellow tag for his pack that
will guarantee his reservation in the
campground ahead.
Leaving the village his anticipation
grows. He knows that there will be falls
ahead, but it is difficult to form a picture
of them. The creek bed has begun to
change to a lovely crystalline blue. The
canyon has taken on the aspect of a tropical
garden. Its walls seem to hold the
scene fixed in another worldly setting.
Then he abruptly comes to Navajo Falls.
At first he hears the sound of rushing
water to the left of the trail. Routed in
several converging streams, the water
tumbles 75 feet to the canyon floor below.
There is another series of switchbacks
as it winds its way to the rim of Havasu
Falls which cuts through the next step of
the canyon and pounds 125 feet to the
lovely lagoon below. Thrashing over the
precipitous drop the water throws its
brilliantine into the morning air. Several
rows of limestone steps back it up into a
natural lagoon. The bottom of the pool
varies from a deep azure to a soft bluegreen.
Nature has been bountiful in her
use of color. From here on the creek is
coated with travertine — a crystal of
calcium carbonate — which takes on
many shades of blue. The campground
lies just ahead. Set in a wooded area next
to the creek it affords a perfect place of
rest after a long hike.
From here to the last falls the canyon
is a primeval garden untouched by man.
A virgin spring seeps from the canyon
walls. Tropical fauna is in abundance.
Flowers can be seen with long, fluted
bells that resemble the trumpet of the
old Victor Talking Machine. The traveler
now has but to secure his camp and
make the last half-mile trek to Mooney
Falls. Because of their great depth, he
hesitates even to look down. With a
thunderous roar the water billows and
funnels its way into the large lagoon
below. To reach their base a trail has
been cut in the side of the canyon wall.
In places tunnels have been hewn right
through the rock. The descent at times
becomes almost perpendicular. Finally
— on reaching the bottom — one can
look up 200 feet to the crest of water
pummeling over the canyon wall and be
awe-struck. It is the end of a journey to
an enchanted land that cannot help but
cause men to wonder at the magnificence
of Nature's handiwork.
For this is the land of the Havasupai.
It is their offering to their fellow man,
and the irredeemable service they daily
perform in administering the campground,
keeping the canyon clean, and
maintaining its trails. A loose piece of
paper is not to be found for hikers are
asked to pack out their trash and their
waste paper. Nor are fires permitted.
The traveler is asked to leave things as
he finds them and to respect the untouched
quality of the reservation.
These are the people who must pack
everything down by eight miles of rugged
trail. It is not uncommon to see Havasupai
packmen on the trail to the village.
Supai is the only town in the Unit-
18 Desert/May 1977