Arizona's Remote Desert Oasis

Havasupai Falls: The Turquoise Oasis Hidden Deep in the Grand Canyon

Supai, Arizona, United States

By the Wicked Cool Places editors · Published Wed, Mar 18, 2026 · Updated Fri, Aug 28, 2026

Why it’s cool

This secluded desert sanctuary features vibrant aquamarine waterfalls and travertine pools maintained by the Havasupai people. Reaching these stunning turquoise cascades requires a strenuous trek or a helicopter ride into a remote side canyon.

Southwest Scenic

A tall waterfall flows down red rock cliffs into a bright turquoise pool surrounded by green trees and sandy banks.

Deep within the sun-scorched labyrinth of Arizona’s red rock country, a startling splash of liquid turquoise defies the desert heat. These are the ancestral lands of the Havasupai, the "people of the blue-green water," who have served as the dedicated guardians of this canyon floor for generations.

While millions peer over the rim of the nearby National Park, only a fortunate few descend into this hidden paradise where spring-fed creeks create a series of surreal, mineral-rich cascades.

Why It Stands Out

The striking color of Havasu Creek isn't an optical illusion; it is the result of high concentrations of calcium carbonate. This mineral content does more than just tint the water a brilliant aquamarine; it also builds up over time to create natural travertine dams.

These formations result in a series of tiered, 70-degree pools that offer a refreshing reprieve from the Arizona sun. The centerpiece is the 100-foot Havasu Falls, a thunderous curtain of water that drops into a wide turquoise basin.

For those who explore further, the canyon reveals four other distinct falls: Mooney, Navajo, Supai, and Beaver Falls. Each offers its own character, from sheer vertical drops to wide, terraced flows.

Another unique cascade to explore is Proxy Falls. The journey to reach them is a visual feast of towering red sandstone walls, hardy desert cacti, and ancient pictograms that whisper of the canyon's long human history.

Vibrant geological formations can also be found at Paint Mines Interpretive Park.

Before You Go

Accessing this sanctuary requires significant planning and physical effort. The Havasupai Tribe strictly regulates entry through a permit system, and day hiking is prohibited; visitors must secure an overnight reservation at the campground or lodge in the village of Supai.

The trek to the falls is a strenuous 10-mile journey each way through dry, rugged terrain. For those unable to make the hike, alternative transport includes mules, horses, or a helicopter flight.

Interestingly, the helicopter landing zone is located near the final active Pony Express stop in the United States. Because of the extreme environment and the sacred nature of the land, visitors are expected to respect tribal regulations and prepare for a primitive backcountry experience.

Questions worth answering

What's the process for visiting the falls for a few hours?

You can't just drop in for the day. The tribe requires an overnight reservation for the lodge or campground, and you'll need a permit before you arrive.

How do we actually get down to the water?

It's a ten-mile trek through rough, dry territory if you're on foot. If you aren't hiking, your options are limited to horses, mules, or catching a helicopter flight.

Why does the water look like that?

The creek has high levels of calcium carbonate. That mineral content creates the blue-green tint and builds the travertine dams that form the swimming pools.

Is there anything else to see besides the main 100-foot drop?

The canyon holds four other falls including Mooney and Beaver. You'll also pass red sandstone walls and old pictograms along the trail.

Visit Snapshot

Permits are mandatory and must be reserved in advance through the official Havasupai Tribe website; day trips are not allowed. The journey involves a 10-mile hike each way, or you can opt for a helicopter, horse, or mule ride.

Note that the helicopter pad is situated near the last working Pony Express stop in the country.

Location

Supai, Arizona

Know before you go

You can either hike or take a mule, horse, or helicopter ride down into the canyon. (The helicopter launch pad is next to the last working Pony Express stop in America.) To visit the falls you must first obtain a permit and reservation to stay at the Havasupai Campground overnight, as day trips to the falls are not permitted.

Reservations can be made at the official Havasupai Tribe website .

Editorial source

Havasupai Falls

The Grand Canyon draws in over five million tourists each year and is hailed as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. But hidden deep within a side canyon, on the reservation of the local Havasupai tribe, completely surrounded by Grand Canyon National Park and so not really in a National Park, lies something lesser-known to tourists yet unparalleled in beauty: Havasupai Falls.

The Havasupai people, which literally translates to “people of the blue-green water,” are native to a region of northern Arizona that’s home to Havasupai Falls, a group of aquamarine waterfalls tucked within the Havasu Canyon. The most famous is Havasu Falls, a stunning cascade that almost looks like it flows with liquid turquoise.

Yet despite the inescapable crowds of the Grand Canyon, these beautiful falls are relatively secluded, a long-guarded secret of the Havasupai tribe and a small handful of outsiders. This secrecy is largely a result of the tribe’s understandable reluctance to fully open the gates of their homeland to tourists.

Of the tribal nations affiliated with the Grand Canyon area, the Havasupai are the only ones who continue to live deep within the canyon. The Havasupai consider themselves the keepers and guardians of the Grand Canyon.

They’ve set up a system of camping permits that only lets a small portion of applicants into the village of Supai, where the falls are located. Even if you’re lucky enough to get the permit, you have to be able to shell out for the helicopter ride, horse ride, or mule ride to assist you in getting there.

Otherwise, you’ll have to hike 10 miles there and 10 miles back. It’s a hot, dry, strenuous although beautiful hike, passing red rocks, cacti, and ancient pictograms along the way.

Once there, the views from the 100-foot Havasu Falls are priceless. It’s also a daredevil’s dream; visitors have the opportunity to attempt high cliff jumps and swim to a rocky shelter behind the falls, both of which are extremely risky.

And as if one aquamarine waterfall wasn’t enough, there are four more in the area. Near Havasu Falls lie Mooney, Navajo, Supai, and Beaver Falls, each beautiful and awe-inspiring in its own way.

The reason for the picturesque turquoise color is the high levels of calcium carbonate in the spring-fed waters of Havasu Creek, the source of the five waterfalls. These high levels also create 70-degree travertine pools at the base of some of the falls, making them the perfect swimming holes.

Havasupai Falls: The Turquoise Oasis Hidden Deep in the Grand Canyon

Why it’s cool

Why It Stands Out

Before You Go

Questions worth answering

What's the process for visiting the falls for a few hours?

How do we actually get down to the water?

Why does the water look like that?

Is there anything else to see besides the main 100-foot drop?

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