Supai in the Offseason

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In February of 1999, I took my Ford Econline E150 across the United States on my way to Santa Cruz, CA. The trip was filled with misadventures and mishaps, but the one destination that was far worth my while was my trip to the Supai Indian Reservation. An old college bud had spoken highly of his acid laced experiences in the area, and I had always taken interest in his exaggerations. No road leads directly to Supai, so the only way to access the canyon town is by helicopter or by trail on foot or horseback. Because of it's remote location, I was under the impression that Supai would be far removed from American Culture and I could get a better perspective of the lifestyles of Native Americans, but it happens that outside influence is more than prevalent. The teenagers at the basketball court were no different than the kids we'd hang and shoot hoops with in Denver. They'd cop attitudes, listen to gangsta' hip-hop, and smoke urb.

The road to the trailhead is far off of a remote section of Highway 66. I filled up on gas outside Flagstaff and risked an empty tank before making it to Needles on my way to the West Coast..... so beware. I ventured down the canyon during the off-season, therefore I was hiking with locals and pack mules, not tourists. The helicopters were in and out all day, and I assumed they were servicing wealthy visitors, but I didn't see many tourists during my stay, so maybe the tribal folks use the helicopters.

The hike to Supai is all downhill but it's still grueling. When I arrived to town that afternoon I was exhausted, so I chilled and figured I'd get a drink at the local store. Shopping at the general store was like walking into someone's house and buying stuff off their shelves and from their cupboards. Anyway, it appears the locals don't dispose of their trash properly, so lots of garbage (wrappers, cans, etc.) was floating in the street. I surrounded myself with a couple of guys who were napping on the benches outside the store, and I realized how laid back everyone in town was, and I thought it might be worth having litter floating around if it's one less thing to worry about. I also noticed the fee station, but I decided to avoid it because it seemed closed, and I didn't want to pay $20 a night considering the unpredictable state of my finances.

When I got to the camping area, there was no one else around. I had the place to myself. The waterfalls were amazing. The blue water was enchanting. The grass surrounding the area was bright green because of the lime deposits in the water. It was a small hidden paradise. Upon voyaging up the cliff walls in the surrounding canyon, I found caves filled with crystals. Everything was so surreal that I was surprised to find that I hadn't even smoked anything illegal.

An interesting thing to note about the campground is the method used for waste treatment. They dug holes in the ground and placed a porta-potty shell around the hole. When the hole filled up, they would move the porta-potty shell over a few feet and place it on top of a new hole. Just beware of where you set up camp. It might be over last weeks hole!!! Anyway, the next day I spent making my way toward the Colorado River. The trail crosses the Supai River about 50 times, so I recommend shorts and Tevas for the walk. It also has you climb up very steep cliffs with safety ropes and engraved footings. I never made it to the Colorado River, but it can easily be done in a day, I just didn't want to rush. The walk to the parking area out of the canyon is all uphill which can be especially painful, so take a few aspirin or something better and everything should be all good.

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Comments

[Vaheesan]

Great Info on Supai
Thanks for sharing your trip to Supai, good to know, esp. the washroom situation as I will be heading there myself.