The second leg of spring break took Ben and me on an epic hiking adventure to Havasu Falls.
This is seriously a bucket list kind of thing to do. The hike is ten miles into the Hualapai Canyon with a 2,000 foot drop in elevation. BTW, the challenge is not getting in, it’s obviously getting out. I love hiking, it’s one of the activities that makes me feel like my best self, so I was really excited for the physical challenge. Also, this was a rehab milestone for me. I had pretty serious surgery on my ankle last summer and was completely off my feet, non weight baring, for three months and then in physical therapy for months afterwards. I was only about a month and a half out of PT when we did this trip! It was a huge accomplishment for me and I am so proud of myself!
Hualapai Canyon leads to the village of Supai, belonging to the Havasupai Tribe. It is a gorgeous part of the country where you have to be dedicated to the land as any resources not coming from it must be brought down the canyon by mule train.
Once you get past the village, you’re onto the waterfalls. The falls here are an amazing clear blue. They get their color from the reflective limestone at the bottom of the creek beds. It is mesmerizing to say the least. The first falls you past are Little Havasu Falls, then Havasu Falls, then on to Mooney followed by Beaver. We only had one night in the canyon, so we didn’t make it to Beaver Falls. That extra hike will have to wait for next time, and hopefully we’ll make it all the way to the Colorado river.
The hike down to Mooney Falls is totally precarious. I told Ben I was going to write a book about it titled How to Die a Horrible Death. I was miraculously less scared than he was as I had just recently had a snack and was grateful to not face my demise on an empty stomach. The ladder and chain system is slippery and old and definitely not for the faint of heart. It was totally worth facing the fear. What a payoff!
The campgrounds don’t have designated sites, so it’s catch as catch can with finding a good spot, and it can get very crowded. We picked a nice spot closer to Mooney Falls next to the creek. Full disclosure, I only camp if I can’t get back to indoor plumbing and a bed after a long hike. I don’t complain or anything, I just scream if I find any kind of bug in the tent. Ben works hard to treat me like a queen when we camp in order to get me to continue camping with him. I’m lucky.
We spent our morning relaxing by Havasu Falls and making new friends. The water was even warm enough to get into and wade or swim. And if you get there early enough you can beat the crowds and have a peaceful time before everyone starts their days of water play.
The hike out took about five hours, but we took our time enjoying the desert landscape of the canyon. The hike really was my favorite part. And when we finished I felt SO GOOD!!! #startedfromthebottomnowwehere #nothingcanstopmeimallthewayup. This was a great adventure!
