Hiking the Grand Canyon can really be a fun filled adventure with family and friends. If you are interested in hiking then this would be the perfect place for you. While on a hiking trip you can also indulge in various other activities like camping, trekking, river rafting and admiring the gorgeous view of the Grand Canyon basin.

So, now let me tell you some thing that can make your hiking trip more enjoyable in this area.

1. You can explore this place while hiking Bright Angel or Kaibab Trail from the South Rim to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. From such a height you would surely be bale to see and admire the wonderful and gorgeous landscapes of the Canyon.
2. You should stay at this place for at least two nights if you really want to explore the whole Canyon area. You should be healthy and fit before coming to this place. Try to hike on our own. The altitude of the Canyon is 5,000 feet and the trail is smooth at some pints and rocky at others.
3. You should always choose the right time for your trekking trips. As far as I know October, November, April and May are perfect for hiking.
4. Choose the right trail. The Bright Angel Trail is about 10 miles to the bottom and is known as the “superhighway” of trails. The South Kaibab is less heavily traveled trail and you will not find much shade in along the trail. Water facility is available at the Indian Gardens Mule Trains.
5. The Phantom Ranch is always crowded, so you must always make your reservations in advance. There are also campsites available which you can also book. The ranch offers hearty, ranch-style breakfasts, dinners, packed lunches and dormitory type accommodations.
6. You should pack clothes very carefully. Try to wear many layers of clothing as the temperature is hot from morning till mid day all around the Canyon. You should carry several pairs of socks, hiking boots, warm jackets and sunscreen. You should also have insect repellents, hiking poles and flashlights with your self.
7. Always try to leave for the hiking trip early in the morning. Try to bring enough food and water with your self. Should also carry your camera with which you can click amazing photographs of wonderful waterfalls, green Colorado River, rocky formations and many colored rock.

So, enjoy this place and indulge in various activities that you can get your hands on.

The Grand Canyon largely comes under the Grand Canyon national park one of the many parks of United States of America. The Grand Canyon is a steep gorge carved out of the Colorado River and it is situated in the state of Arizona. The Grand Canyon west is located wholly in the Hualapai Indian Reservation. This Reservation is situated at the west Grand Canyon corridor about 72 miles northwest of Kingman, Arizona and 120 miles east of Las Vegas.

In the Grand Canyon west you can also experience the wonderful and mesmerizing Havasu Falls. The Grand Canyon West is one of the Seven Wonders of the World that is why thousands of tourists come to this place every year.

The amazing Havasu falls are located in the Havasupai Indian Reservation. If you want to visit this pleasant location in you can to make reservations with the tribal authorities in advance. Here you will also get camping facilities and a lodge is also situated nearby where you can even book rooms.

You can reach this reservation only by three ways. You can either hike on foot, take a horse or you can even hire a helicopter. You have to hike 8 miles to reach the Supai village and 10 miles to get to the Havasu Falls. No outside vehicle can reach this reservation. There are mules available which can carry your entire luggage but you have to make the arrangements in advance.

When you reach the Havasupai tribe you can book the lodge for your self. The place is very clean with electricity and hot water, although you get no cable or telephone facilities here. There is also a small grocery store at this place where you can buy all the things that you require daily. A special café is also there for the visitors where they can relax and eat.

The campgrounds are surrounded by beautiful wooded trees and they are very beautiful. The camp sites are available on first come first serve basis.  The spring provides drinking water and there are a few outhouses where you can relax after the journey.

There are many activities that you can indulge in this reservation. You can swim in the waterfall, climb mountains, hike around the reservation or can even play many games. There are mainly four water falls in this area, Havasu, Mooney, Beaver and Navajo Falls.

Reaching the Havasu falls can be very hectic and challenging, but once you reach here you will forger all your problems and pains because it is one of the most amazing places in North America.

Havasupai is a Native American tribe located in the northwestern part of the American state of Arizona. The tribe is well-known for being the only permanent inhabitants in the Grand Canyon, where they have lived for over 800 years. There are some excellent hiking trails in Havasupai which can be used by the tourists to have a wonderful hiking trip.

If you are also interested in hiking, using the Havasupai trail then here are some excellent tips for you.

1. Plan your visit
Before actually going to the Havasupai Indian reservation you should first plan your trip. Give your trip a minimum of three days. Four to five days is recommended because of the spectacular waterfalls you are able to explore.

2. Make reservations for your trip
Try to make reservations for your trip in advance. Since the Havasupai Tribe provides access to hike this section of the Grand Canyon, they control the number of people able to access it at any one time.  There tribe has set a limit on the number of people undertaking hiking at a time so it is very essential for you to get registered from before.

3. Under go a training session
This hike is a minimum of 10 miles, from the hilltop parking area to the campground. If you plan on exploring the waterfalls beyond the campground area, add another 3-5 miles. Be sure to train prior to embarking on this adventure. Hike as often as possible, with the approximate amount of weight you will be carrying into Havasupai.

4. Start hiking early in the morning
Start hiking early in the morning to avoid the intense heat. Hiking when the sun is just rising in the morning can provide a pleasant experience, since temperatures are cooler. However, you should not start when it is still dark outside, as this makes you more susceptible to getting lost.

5. Pack all the essential items
The essentials for your Havasupai trip are sun block, mosquito repellant, a swimsuit, camera, meals and a cooking stove with propane, snacks and water shoes. A hammock is a very nice treat after hiking all day. The sunscreen should be at least 30 SPF and sweat-proof.

6. Carry enough water with you
Take enough water to stay properly hydrated. This is especially true during the summer months when the heat can be unbearable. The Havasupai Tribe recommends that each person brings at least 2 liters of water with them when they hike the trail.

These are some things that you must remember while hiking in the Havasupai Indian Reservation.

The Havasu falls which is the natural heritage of the Havasupai Tribe, is one of the most mesmerizing and amazing falls in the world. From the Hualapai Hilltop one can start their hike to the Supai village which is at the base of the Havasu Canyon.

At the Havasu falls near the Havasu Canyon you can discover beauty at its best. There is so much peace and tranquility at this place that who ever comes here does not wish to go back. Here you will find various trees of pine and canyon oak. Between the Havasu and Moneey falls you can come across various campgrounds and hiking trails which are there for campers and visitors.

There are three main cascades at Havasu Creek which create a landscape that is very stunning and pleasurable. At the base of these three falls, including the Havasu Falls there is a travertine pool filled with cool blue green water. The names of the Havasu Falls, the nearby lake, and even the city of Supai all come from the water’s attractive color.

The serenity of the canyon is so pleasing and relaxing that one wants to spend the whole day here. The Grand Canyon National Park is situated in the Havasupai Indian Reservation and the Havasu Falls which stands 120 high is located within the Reservation. Near this fall in one of America’s most beautiful campgrounds and backpacking area. The mesmerizing sounds of the waterfall together with the surrounding area of cotton wood create some sought of a heaven for the campers.

Getting to the Havasu Falls in not an easy task, the trip is adventurous, risky as well as difficult. One of the most common routes to this place begins in Seligman. Here campers can take I-40 to exit 123. After taking this route guests have to drive 33 miles west on Highway 66 to Indian Road 18. Here comes the turning point where the drivers need to turn right and drive almost 60 miles to a parking area at Hualapai Hilltop.

The campers can  also travel through an alternate route of the Indian Road 18 via Kingman by driving 50 miles east on Highway 66 that is around 6 miles from the Peach Springs. The Journey to the Havasu creeks really begins when one reaches the Hualapai Hilltop. The visitors need to hike at least 6.5 miles to the Hualapai village, followed by 2 more miles to the campground.

The Havasu falls is on of the most beautiful places on this earth. Every one should at visit it at least once in their life time.

Group packing tours are very popular among adventure lovers and nature lovers. Nothing is better than taking a group backpacking tour with family and friends, surrounded by the nature. One can easily rediscover the wonders of life by exploring the great out of doors and scenic landscapes that the nature has to offer to us.

Nothing in this world is more refreshing than taking a family or group backpacking tour into the Grand Canyon. Outdoor adventures and holidays are liked by everyone and they are great experiences for families to share. On outdoor vacations and holidays families get the opportunity to spend quality time with each other. One of America’s most finest campgrounds are in the Havasupai tribe where many families and groups go each year to enjoy and have and wonderful time.

Some backpacking tours are very easy while others are difficult. For some vacations groups and families also need to hire special guides and trainers to help them explore the beautiful heritage of the earth. Havasupai India reservation area is a great place for back packing tours. Here you will get hiking trails, Campgrounds and opportunity to learn new skill for camping and hiking. This is very beautiful and mesmerizing place visit every once should visit at least once in their whole life time.

Near the Havasupai Campgrounds is the Havasu creek and water fall, here the visitors can really spend an enjoyable day or weekend with family and friends. You can enjoy fishing, swimming and other water activities. Even the children can enjoy this place to the fullest as this place provides thousands of recreational activities for their benefit.

Today there are lots of options available to you for choosing the tour of your choice. Some people would opt for a place which has a calm and serene ambiance while other would love to take a tour that is filled with adventures and thrills.

The trips that are mainly based on family enjoyment would let you enjoy camping and hiking without any gear. Sometimes cabins are also available on the trips which are very well maintained and luxuries when compared to the wild places they are situated at. At these places you are free to roam around in the wild and can enjoy the delicacies of the nature freely without any interference. The night time ambiance in these places is even more mesmerizing. You can spend the whole night jus looking at the sparkling stars overhead.

So, take a backpacking tour in order to have a fun filled vacation with family and friends.

The Hualapai Reservation is located at the western edge of the Grand Canyon. Archeological evidences trace Hualapai presence in area back at least a thousand years. The Hualapai lands offer travel experiences one might not think of when thinking about the Grand Canyon.

Hualapai Indian Reservation is in Mohave County, in the Lake Havasu City-Kingman metro area. The Hualapai (also spelled Walapai) are a tribe of Native Americans who live in the mountains of northwestern Arizona, United States. The name is derived from “hwal,” the Yuman word for pine, “Hualapai” meaning “people of the tall pine”. Their traditional territory is a 100 mile (160 km) stretch along the pine-clad southern side of the Grand Canyon with the tribal capital located at Peach Springs.

Inhabitation
The Hualapai are a native people of the Southwest. Traditionally they inhabited an area of more than five million acres. Their homeland stretched from the Grand Canyon Southward to the Bill Williams and Santa Maria rivers and from the Black Mountains eastward to the pine forests of the San Francisco Peaks. Primarily nomadic hunter-gatherers, the Hualapai were organized in bands. Each band occupied a defined territory in pursuit of seasonally-available wild plants and animals. Farming was also practiced in locations where adequate water was available.

Reservation
The community is governed by the Hualapai Tribal Council which includes a chairperson, vice-chairperson, and seven other council members. Law enforcement is provided by the Hualapai Nation Tribal Police Department which came into existence in 2002. The department consists of a Chief of Police, Deputy Chief, Criminal Investigator and 11 sworn, Arizona State certified Patrol Officers. Alcoholism and obesity are major problems among many Native American people, so there are community-wide anti-drug and anti-alcohol efforts.

Trade and Occupation
Skillful traders, the Hualapai engaged in commerce with groups far and wide. They exchanged meat for corn, pumpkins, and squash grown by Mojave Indians along the Colorado River. They traded hides to the Havasupai of the Grand Canyon for cultivated crops. They even exchanged specialized products-dried mescal, red hematite, and exquisite basketry-to the native people as far away as the Pacific Coast and the Rio Grand Valley.

Culture
The material culture of the Hualapai reflected their nomadic lifestyle. Moving on foot - the Hualapai carried few belongings. They used stone tools, ground their food on stones found at each resting point, and cooked in pottery vessels. The people ate wild foods such as cactus, yucca fruits, pinon nuts, agave hearts and mesquite beans. They also indulged in small mammals, prong-horn, deer and mountain sheep. Hualapai Folk Arts also offers a variety of traditional and modern art for sale.

Shelter
As needed, the Hualapai assembled shelters from readily-available materials including brush and earth. The Hualapai built simple thatched brush and bark dome houses at each camp for shade in summer and sturdier mud-plastered huts in winter. Men used sweat lodges both for curing and as clubhouses; women entered them less frequently, primarily for healing.

Attractions
The Hualapai Reservation area offers hunting, fishing, hiking and camping facilities. Hualapai Wildlife Conservation sells big-game hunting permits for Desert Bighorn sheep, trophy elk, antelope and mountain lion. The Colorado River bounds the northern edge of the Reservation. The Hualapai River Runners offer one and two day trips. Offering an alternative to the congested National Park, Grand Canyon West attracts more than 3,000 guests each month. Lake Mead National Recreation area lies to the west of the reservation.

The Grand Canyon always provided important food sources for eating, for medicinal uses, and for utilitarian purposes. The major wild foods are derived from cactus fruit and from the seeds of various grasses and with the use of metates and mano stones.

The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided gorge carved by the Colorado River in the United States in the state of Arizona. It is largely contained within the Grand Canyon National Park, one of the first national parks in the United States.

Geology
The geology of the Grand Canyon area exposes one of the most complete sequences of rock anywhere, representing a period of nearly 2 billion years of the Earth’s History in the part of North America. The major sedimentary rock layers exposed in the Grand Canyon and the Grand Canyon National Park area range in age from 200 million to nearly 2 billion years old. Most were deposited in warm, shallow seas and near ancient, long-gone sea shores. Both marine and terrestrial sediments are represented, including fossilized sand dunes from an extinct desert.

Geological Past
The Grand Canyon’s greatest significance lies in the geologic record that is so beautifully preserved and exposed in its walls. What is unique about the canyon’s geology is the great variety of rocks present, the clarity with which they are exposed, and the complex geologic story they tell. There are really two separate geologic stories at Grand Canyon. The older story is the one revealed in the thick sequence of rocks exposed in the walls of the canyon. These rocks provide an amazing, but incomplete record of the Paleozoic Era of 550-250 million years ago, and scattered remnants of Precambrian rocks as old as 2 billion years.

Geography
The Grand Canyon is a massive rift in the Colorado Plateau that exposes uplifted Proterozoic and Paleozoic strata, and is also one of the six distinct physiographic sections of the Colorado Plateau province. The Grand Canyon is unmatched throughout the world for the vistas it offers to visitors on the rim. Grand Canyon is known for its overwhelming size and its intricate and colorful landscape. Geologically it is significant because of the thick sequence of ancient rocks that are beautifully preserved and exposed in the walls of the canyon.

Rock Layers

1. The Inner Gorge has dark black schist and gneiss, and light pink granites. Schist and gneiss are metamorphic rocks, formed under intense heat and pressure, and literally changed from their original makeup.
2. Lying above the inner gorge are flat-lying or tilted layers of sedimentary rocks, sandstones, shales, limestones and conglomerates formed in environments like those we see on the surface of the earth today: rivers, floodplains, deserts, oceans, and beaches.
3. Superposition states that the oldest rocks in a stack of rocks are at the bottom, the youngest at the top.
4. Lateral Continuity states that layers will extend in all directions laterally until something causes that layer to disappear.
5. Original Horizontality states that sedimentary layers are laid down horizontal, or flat, and that if they are not flat, that must have happened after the layers were laid down.

This is all about the geology of Grand Canyon Area.

Supai is an oasis in the middle of desert country on the Havasupai Nation reservation in Arizona.  Home to a small village and fantastic waterfalls, Supai is a geological wonder and one of the most special and unique areas in the Grand Canyon region. Supai is a census-designated place (CDP) in Coconino County, Arizona, United States.

Situated deep within an inner gorge of the Grand Canyon, Supai has been home to the Havasupai Indians for many centuries. The village has a small cafe, lodge, post office, school, church, clinic, police station, and a general store.

Natural Attractions

Seasonal rainfall, melting snow and percolating water are drained by Cataract Creek which rises on Bill Williams Mountain and crosses the Coconino Plateau. The creek wanders across the high plains for about 50 miles before dipping down into the steep sided Cataract Canyon. Except for flash floods, Cataract Creek is usually a mere trickle until it reaches Havasu Springs where an underground river gushes forth to form Havasu Creek.

The waters plunge over Navajo Falls, Havasu Falls (100ft.), Mooney Falls (200ft.) on the way to the Colorado River about ten miles away from Supai Village. Water is especially precious in a dry and arid land and the Havasupai consider the source of this river to be a sacred place that is intimately associated with the legend of their origin.

Best Seasons to visit

April to May and September to November are best for a visit to Havasu Canyon because the climate is moderate on the rim as well as on the canyon floor. These months also avoid the heat and crowds of summer.

Access

There are no roads to Supai Village so visitors arrive by horse or on foot. The trail begins at Hualapai Hilltop which is a parking area with no facilities. Some hikers overnight at Hualapai Hilltop because it is more comfortable to start the trek in the cool, early morning hours. The nearest towns are Peach Springs and Seligman which are both located on Highway 66 about 68 and 90 miles respectively from Hualapai Hilltop. From Highway 66, take Route 18 north for approximately 60 miles to the trailhead.

Vegetation

The sparse vegetation and dry, rocky soil at the trailhead give no hint of the lush canyon home of the Havasupai at the bottom of Havasu Canyon, 10 miles away. The trail drops steeply by a series of switchbacks into Hualapai Canyon for the first mile and then descends more gradually for a half mile to the bottom of the canyon. Its sheer, massive walls become narrow, blocking the sunlight and distorting the size of giant boulders along the path. Eventually the canyon widens and cottonwoods, willows, box elders, hackberry trees and wild grape vines diffuse the harsh sunlight of a mid-morning sun.

These are some important aspects of Supai village, which should be visited by all tourists interested in natural beauty and heritage.

Peach Springs is a census-designated place (CDP) in Mohave County, Arizona, United States. Peach Springs serves as the administrative headquarters of the Hualapai (meaning People of the Tall Pine) people, and is located on the Hualapai Reservation.

History
The Hualapai tribal capital is located in the town of Peach Springs, 50 miles east of Kingman. The towns recorded history goes all the way back to 1775 when a gray-robed friar named Fransisco Garces visited the spot and called it Saint Basil’s Wells. Next was Lieutenant “Ned” Beale’s famous camel-mounted expedition in 1858. Following Beale, Mormon missionaries entered the area and, according to legend, sowed the peach trees that the town later adopted as part of its name.

Hualapai Reservation
Hualapai means “People of the Tall Pine.” In the 1860s, the Hualapai fought a series of fierce battles with troops based at Fort Mohave before being allowed to settle on reservation lands. Grand Canyon West is the reservation’s main attraction. Located about 150 miles west of the South Rim, the area is situated in unspoiled wilderness and includes some 108 miles of scenic frontage along the Colorado River. Peach Springs is about a 2-hour drive from Flagstaff and Grand Canyon West is about 20 miles north of the town.

Diamond Creek
Diamond Creek is a small tributary of the Grand Canyon that flows year-round, joining the Colorado River 16 miles north of the dusty Hualapai Indian tribal town of Peach Springs, which is situated at the head of the southern end of Peach Springs Canyon. This is one of the larger of the many hundreds of branches of the main canyon.  It deepens gradually but steadily from an elevation of 4,950 feet at the town to 1,550 feet at the river.

Access
The track down to the Colorado starts from the end of a residential street at the northeast edge of town; for the first few miles, the road passes along a dry, dusty stream bed in a small canyon, past clumps of trees and bushes, and then crosses more open land with scattered cacti - close to the springs after which canyon and town are named.

Vegetation
The canyon proper starts 6 miles from town, the road through it is quite straight and the surface is fine for normal cars although a bit uneven in places. As the canyon deepens, the types of cacti and other plants change noticeably, especially in early summer when they are in flower. There are distinct bands of large white lilies, clusters of purple echinocacti, various colors of opuntia, and finally ocotillo and large ferocacti at the lowest elevations near the river.

Rafting
Each morning, the Hualapai Indians drive down from Peach Springs with rafts and passengers, for accompanied trips down river - the boats emerge at Pearce Ferry in late afternoon. A few other people make the journey for day trips, but this remote corner of the Grand Canyon is usually serene and less visited.

You can visit Peach Spring to enjoy a fabulous vacation with family and friends.

Grand Canyon is a very majestic place and it is visited by a large number of tourists from all around the world. It has some world class resorts and hotels to make the stay of visitors comfortable and enjoyable.

So, now let us discuss about some of the most well known hotels and resorts in Grand Canyon.

1. Western Grand Canyon Squire Inn
Moments away from the South Rim entrance to Grand Canyon National Park, this place offers all the amenities you expect and deserve from a fine hotel. The warm, relaxed ambiance is the perfect end to a day in the magnificent American Southwest. With a variety of dining and entertainment choices on the expansive grounds, this hotel is sure to please guests of all ages.

2. Canyon Plaza Quality Inn & Suites
This place provides traditional Home style Hospitality. This is a full service resort hotel at the Grand Canyon for groups or individuals. Sparkling fountains, polished marble floors, and a warm adobe fireplace welcomes the guests. Guests can relax amid lush greenery in the beautiful spa.

3. Canyon Grand Hotel El Tovar
The historic El Tovar Hotel opened in 1905, with a design that was fashioned after European hunting lodges. The hotel has separate sitting rooms for men and women. There’s a men’s grotto, a rooftop garden, a darkroom with photography studio, wine room and billiards parlor.

4. Maswik Lodge
Located in the remarkable Grand Canyon Village and minutes walking distance from the canyon rim, Maswik Lodge is the perfect place to meet your travel needs. Maswik Lodge features 288 rooms over 2 stories and several cabins. All rooms are non-smoking. Hotel amenities include a cafeteria, cocktail lounge, and nursery.

5. The Grand Hotel
The Grand Hotel is a very stylish hotel. Rustic timber, western ironwork, immense log beams, and a towering stone fireplace in the central lobby welcome world travelers to the ultimate Grand Canyon experience. The lodge, built in 1998, features the classic architecture and decor of America’s great lodges.

6. Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites
Come home to the Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites, one of the newest hotels at the Grand Canyon. Located just outside the South Rim entrance, you can walk to local restaurants and the IMAX Theater. Save money and have an Express Start breakfast. You can enjoy the informal atmosphere that allows you to choose your own selection on your own schedule.

7. Bright Angel Lodge
Rustic 1930s lodge, sits on the rim and blends in beautifully. This place has 24 rooms with private bath, 6 rooms with shared bath, 42 cabins, bar, coffee shop and restaurant. Book ahead your vacation to get the best room in this lodge.

These are some of the best hotels, lodges and resorts in Grand Canyon.