Supai - Havasu Falls (buying, camping, live)

[warm heatherette]

My husband & I are planning a road trip vacation to Arizona in April. One of the adventures we wanted to do was hiking to Supai and spending a couple of days visiting Havasu, Mooney & Beaver Falls. Then we read about the devastating flooding that happened there in August, and the area being closed to tourists until refurbishment is complete. We've been trying to get updated information over the last couple of months from the Havasupai website, but there is no response to our e-mails, and other websites don't seem to have progress reports.

We've read that the trajectory of some of the falls has completely changed, and the picture postcard aspect of this eden may be permanently damaged. How tragic for the people who live there, and for all of Arizona as well. Having never been to Arizona, most of the travel guides and books feature this canyon and the falls as a predominant example of the natural beauty of one of Arizona's few, all season, watercourses.

Does anyone have any updates or news on what is happening in Supai, and how the restoration process is going, or whether it will be possible to make the hike as early as April.

[kdog]

I'm curious too. Why not call one of the many tour companies that sell Havasupai guided camping, mule, and helicopter trips and ask them. I'm sure they're as up to date as anyone at this point. Please let us know what you find out.

[rambrush]

I do business with the locksmith and Air Conditioning folks that service them. They get helicoptered in and out. I will see if I can get some more info but what I was told was the village was not touched and is good to go. Now as for the falls I am not sure but maybe I will have more by this time tommorow.

[kdog]

Originally Posted by haohaoaiziji

I am thinking about buying some wholesale water pipes from this company in China Wholesale smoking - Tobacciana Items With FREE Shipping (http://www.liangdianup.com/tobacciana_z.htm - broken link)
but I am not sure if they are legal to bring in to the states? What are the laws on water pipes, bongs, and pipes?

I'm pretty sure you just violated a law by posting stoned.

[warm heatherette]

Too funny, kdog.

I've tried e-mailing a couple other Supai 'wilderness tour' sites. No response yet. I'll pass along any info I might get, and appreciate anything anyone here may find out.

Last I read, either Havasu or Navajo Falls no longer 'falls' as it did. A new channel opened up at the side, diverting the water in a far less dramatic direction. The travertine pools are apparently filled with silt, and the aquamarine waters have turned to muddy brown I can't imagine how any of this could be 'fixed', or even if it should - Mother Nature must take it's own course, I guess.

[warm heatherette]

Heard back from a wilderness tour company today. They say Supai will be opening to tourists again in March/09. They also say that if you have visited the falls in Havasupai before, you will notice a difference, but that first time visitors shouldn't notice anything amiss. Of course they would say this, as they want to sell tours.

I think we'll make the trip ourselves anyway, 'cause this sounds like a 'must see' part of Arizona.

[kdog]

Thanks for the update! I agree with your assessment, but will probably make the trip myself at some point during the spring or summer as well.

[warm heatherette]

I'm not sure how to neatly embed links in these posts (I'm a bit computer illiterate. The water bong guy knew how to do it - damn it ). Anyway, here's a link that was sent to me on another site. It's an October/08 update on the flooding restoration. Apparently Navajo Falls is gone!

Havasupai Tribe Launches Flood-Recovery Plan « Nuclear and Indigenous Items of Interest

kdog, have you been there before?

[kdog]

Stoned or no, you succeeded in posting that link. Sad though, very sad.

No, I haven't been to the falls yet. I've only been in AZ for two years now and it was certainly on my list. I could just cry now.

I did make it to the parking area where they stage the trips there on a day drive with the family. Hey, don't laugh, it's a 60 mile drive up a dead-end road into the indian reservation. Here's a snapshot from that outing.

[warm heatherette]

Wow, awesome pic. We have to hike down there!?! I can hear my husband groaning now . Just curious - why would you drive 60 miles on a dead-end (dirt?) road just to look over the edge?