For our third day (day 1 being the hike in, day 2 was Mooney/Beaver Falls) we decided to head upstream from Havasupai Campground to explore the other big three — Fifty Foot Falls, Navajo Falls, and Havasu Falls. Among other things I really wanted to go swimming at the base of one of the falls and had been disappointed that Beaver Falls seemed a bit too risky for my liking. With luck one of the falls today would be amenable.
Rather than simply do the falls though, we also wanted to head into Supai Village and send postcards to grandparents. Surprisingly, this is one of the very few (maybe the only) places in the United States where mail is transported by horse/mule so we just had to do this.
We arrived in Supai Village early so we had time to kill before things opened. We needed to buy the postcards at the visitor center and then return to the Post Office (which closes sporadically) to actually mail them. We found a bench in the center of town and watched curiously as hikers arrived, formed a line, and waited anxiously to see if they got a spot on a helicopter back to Hill Top. Then we watched helicopters depart every 15 minutes or so, filled with locals, various goods, and one or two hikers per flight. We still aren’t sure how we feel about hikers using mules and/or helicopters. The hike is amazing and certainly a bit tough. But there is part of us that feel as if you should put in the training necessary to hike both ways, carrying your own bags (injuries aside). Yet, we also have to admit that mules and helicopters make the visit more accessible to a broader audience.
On to the falls…
Fifty Foot Falls
Not far from Supai Village you find the first set of restrooms. Nearby is the trail for Fifty Foot Falls. Following a narrow, winding trail, that looks rather overgrown at times, you make your way . These falls may have been more spectacular in years gone by — perhaps before the flooding of 2023 — but now this is just a trickle of water from rocks way above your head. It’s cute, but really not much to look at. No swimming here.
Navajo Falls
Further downstream from Supai Village and Fifty Foot Falls you find the trail to Navajo Falls. It’s obvious from how the trail winds that it’s been moved and rebuilt in sections after the 2023 flooding washed out part of the hillside above. These are really beautiful falls. Sort of a half moon of falls — picture Horseshoe Falls up in Niagara, Canada to get a sense though obviously much less of a vertical drop. Again, no swimming here, but the horseshoe/half moon shape of the falls with lots of trees growing up throughout make these my favorite.
Hidden Falls
As you continue downstream, just before the mule staging area and bridge crossing Havasu Creek look for a small side trail on the left heading back upstream. The trail leads to a bit of an overlook but continues steeply down to the creek where you will see a small sign pointing to Hidden Falls. As I understand it these falls are new, following the 2023 floods. There don’t seem to be a lot of people visiting these falls either but they are much better than Fifty Foot in my opinion. We probably could have gone swimming here but it’s not that big so we decided to pass.
Finally, Havasu Falls
Yes, you pass Havasu Falls on the way in to Havasupai Campground. But after 10 miles of hiking and hoping to get a decent camp site we didn’t stop on the way in. So this was the first opportunity to see them close up. Like all the other falls along Havasu Creek they are beautiful. The blue-green waters cascade somewhere between one and two hundred feet down to a pool of cold water. From there the creek runs through a large number of the terraces of travertine deposits described on the sign below. This was a perfect place to swim.
We lounged for an hour or so in the sun at the base of the falls. I’d love to say it was warm and great for lying out on a blanket but the air temperature was probably only 70 and, being in a canyon, the shade rapidly advanced on seemly any place we sat.
DJ and I waded into the terraces below the falls. None were all that deep; perhaps chest height at the deepest. I found one that was deep enough and plunged under the water. Very cold!!! After a few minutes the shock wore off and DJ and I lounged in the pool for ten or fifteen minutes. Swim done, I was happy and ready to dry off and get fry bread. 🙂
Climbing Down to Mooney Falls and Hiking to Beaver Falls
If you can stomach the climb, hiking beyond Havasupai Campground to Mooney Falls and Beaver Falls is a bit less traveled and well worth the effort.
Exploring Supai Village, Navajo, Fifty Foot, and Havasu Falls
We decided to explore the falls upstream from Havasupai Campground on our third day starting at Supai Village and working back down to Havasu Falls.
The Hike In and Out of Havasupai Campground
Hiking in and out from Havasupai Campground provides a beautiful view of the desert, cactus, cottonwood trees, canyon walls, Supai Village, and Havasu Falls.
Thank you so much for doing this when you travel. We had hoped to still be traveling but as you know we cannot. I have two veterinary friends that are posting. One is in Ireland for 3 weeks and other I’d doing parks in Utah, Colorado & Wyoming. Safe travels to Costa Ruca!