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Hiking Granite Gorge and Supai

Program Number: 7704RJ
Start and End Dates:
10/21/2013 - 10/27/2013; 10/27/2013 - 11/2/2013; 11/2/2013 - 11/8/2013;
Duration: 6 nights
Location: Peach Springs, Arizona
Price starting at: $1,049.00 - Price may vary based on date, departure city
Program Type: Walking/Hiking; National Parks Activity Level: n (see description)
Meals: 17; 6 Breakfasts, 5 Lunches, 6 Dinners    
Meal Options: Vegetarian    

Explore the Grand Canyon on foot, from Havasu Canyon to Granite Gorge on the Hualapai Reservation, and experience beautiful and inaccessible locales. While exploring the canyon’s depth and breadth on foot, field-based and evening discussions focus on geology, ecology, regional prehistory and Native American heritage.




Highlights

Spend two days exploring the remote village of Supai, an isolated community on the Havasupai Reservation.
Drive to the Colorado River at the bottom of the Grand Canyon for slot canyon hiking and a picnic on a beach.
Meet Hualapai and Havasupai tribal members who will share their knowledge and culture.



Activity Particulars

Hike 5-8 miles on- and off-trail, uneven terrain, high steps, desert vegetation, rocks, elevation changes up to 2,000 feet. Max elevation 5,200 feet. Ankle-deep creek crossings.



Itinerary Summary

Peach Springs, 3 nights; van and hike to Supai, 2 nights; van and hike to Peach Springs, 1 night.



Coordinated by Northern Arizona University.




Peach Springs

Home of the Hualapai Nation, or "People of the Tall Pine," Peach Springs is the reservation’s tribal capital, which comprises 1 million acres along the Colorado River and Grand Canyon region.



Supai

In the heart of desert country, Supai is an oasis of spectacular waterfalls and geological wonders. Located on the Havasupai Nation Reservation at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, it is accessible only by hiking, mule or helicopter and offers unique and breathtaking vistas of the canyon region.
Accommodations
Peach Springs: Modern tribal lodge with exercise facility. Supai: Comfortable lodge.

Road Scholar Instructors
These instructors are participating on at least one date of this program. Please note that changes may occur.
Bruce Banker
Bruce Banker is a graduate of Northern Arizona University, where he studied natural sciences and geology. He lives in Flagstaff and has worked for the National Park Service as a naturalist on the north rim of the Grand Canyon, Chaco Canyon National Historic Park and Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. Bruce also serves as an outdoor educator for the Grand Canyon Field Institute. Bruce has taken students to many of the far-flung corners of the Southwest and has a few good stories to share.
 
Richard Stephens
Rich has been director of Northern Arizona University’s highly popular Road Scholar programs since 2001. He previously spent many years in the field as a program coordinator and group leader, where he honed his skills and learned the importance of detailed, pre-trip planning. Before making his home in Arizona’s spectacular red-rock country, Rich spent 10 years in Yosemite National Park and the Santa Cruz mountains as an environmental educator.
 
Stewart Lasseter
After completing studies in geo-science, natural history and Spanish at the University of Arizona, Stewart Lasseter studied as the protege of a Native American healer, learning from her practices of wholeness, kinesiology, mind-body medicine and dyslexia correction. He has years of experience bringing groups in touch with the natural world, and is currently pursuing post-graduate studies in health sciences at Prescott College.
 
Mike Masek
Mike Masek is a wilderness skills instructor, herbalist and ethnobotanist living in Flagstaff, Ariz. In addition to his current work with Road Scholar, he is adjunct faculty at Northern Arizona University where he teaches traditional uses of native plants and outdoor survival skills. He also teaches programs at the National Parks and Coconino Community College. He has spent a lifetime exploring the canyons and deserts of the American Southwest and loves to share these treasures with others.
 
Jeff Strang
Jeff Strang's knowledge of the environment stems from over 35 years of hiking, paddling, and photography in the outdoors, his extensive experience as a naturalist, as well as from his education at the University of Oregon and Lewis and Clark Law School. In 1987, Jeff filed a precedent-setting lawsuit against Oregon polluters under the Clean Water Act. Jeff has been leading Road Scholar programs since 2002. In his free time, Jeff enjoys biking to work, hiking, kayaking, outdoor photography and studying geology.
 
Meals and Lodgings
   Hualapai Lodge
  Hualapai Lodge 3 nights
   Havasupai Lodge
  Supai (Havasupai Indian Reservation) 2 nights
   Hualapai Lodge
  Hualapai Lodge 1 night
 Hualapai Lodge
Type: Hotel
  Description: Tribal artwork displayed; some traditional Hualapai cuisine served in restaurant.
  Contact info: Route 66 and Diamond Creek Road
Peach Springs, AZ 86434 USA
phone: 928-769-2230
web: www.grandcanyonresort.com
  Room amenities: Cable TV and telephone; air-conditioning; hair-dryers; coffee-makers
  Facility amenities: Exercise room; private courtyard with heated outdoor pool (state-of-the-art non-chlorinated purification system) and spa.
  Smoking allowed: Yes
  Elevators available: Yes
  Additional nights prior: Seasonal - call for rates Stayovers or early arrivals not recommended for participants traveling via shuttle due to extremely limited shuttle schedule.
  Check in time: 3:00 PM
  Additional nights after: Seasonal - call for rates Stayovers or early arrivals not recommended for participants traveling via shuttle due to extremely limited shuttle schedule.
  Check out time: 11:00 AM

 Havasupai Lodge
Type: Motel
  Description: Beautiful and secluded canyon-bottom setting.
  Contact info: Center of town
Supai, AZ 86435 USA
phone: 928-448-2111
web: www.havasupaitribe.com/lodge.html
  Facility amenities: Given the location (8 miles from the nearest road) this is a very basic accommodation with no frills.
  Smoking allowed: No


Travel Details
  Start of Program:
Check into hotel after 3:00 PM. On-site program registration between 4:30 - 5:15 PM in the hotel meeting room on second floor above lobby. You will be staying at Hualapai Lodge that night.
  End of Program:
Departures after breakfast. Van Go Shuttle departs for Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport by 8:00 AM. You will be staying at Hualapai Lodge the night before.
  Required documents:
The Road Scholar Health & Safety Form is required.
  Parking availability:
Parking is free for duration of program.
Transportation
To Start of Program
  Location:  Hualapai Lodge
  Nearest city or town:  Peach Springs
  Nearest highway: I-40
  Nearest airport:  Flagstaff
  From End of Program
  Location:  Departures
Travel Details
 

Hualapai Lodge to/from Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport

 

From Airport

 
 

Service:

 

Commercial Van/Shuttle
Van Go
phone: 866-448-2646
Advanced Reservations Required

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

estimated $85.00 one way
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

3.5 hours 
 

Distance:

 

210 miles
   

Van Go works exclusively with Road Scholar programs and times shuttles to arrive in conjunction with program start/end times. Best to arrive into Phoenix airport by 10:30 AM and book departures after 5:00 PM. If you have questions, call shuttle company PRIOR to booking flights to aid in travel transfers. Van Go picks up from all terminals at Phoenix airport and drops off at program hotel. Note: There is no shuttle service available from Peach Springs to Las Vegas.
 
Driving Directions
  Hualapai Lodge from Phoenix From Phoenix, take I-17 North for approximately 65 miles until AZ-69 N via (EXIT 262) toward Prescott. Stay on AZ-69 for 34 miles and merge onto AZ-89 N toward Chino Valley/Ash Fork.Stay on AZ 89 N for 47 miles until you hit I-40. Take a left onto I-40 (heading west), for 25 miles until EXIT 121, toward AZ-66/Seligman/Peach Springs. Once on Route 66, continue west and the Hualapai Lodge is 37 miles on your left in the town of Peach Springs.
  Peach Springs Hualapai Lodge from California, via I-40 Eastbound From the I-40 East take exit 53 in Kingman and turn left onto Route 66/Andy Devine Drive. Travel about 50 miles northeast to the town of Peach Springs and junction with Diamond Creek Road. Hualapai Lodge is clearly visible on the right at the far side of the junction.
  Peach Springs Hualapai Lodge from I-40 Westbound From the I-40 West take exit 121 at Seligman, turning right on the exit road and crossing over a railroad and Route 66. Exit road turns half circle back to Route 66. Turn right and travel about 38 miles west to the town of Peach Springs. Hualapai Lodge is clearly visible on the left at the junction with Diamond Creek Road.
Elevation Note: Lodging elevation: Peach Springs 5,400 feet. Supai 3,200 feet.

Equipment Requirements: Day pack large enough to carry water, lunch and personal gear and outer wear.
The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.


Daily Schedule

Day 1: Hotel Check in / Program Orientation and Introductions
(Monday, October 21)
   
 Afternoon: Arrive and check in to Hualapai Lodge after 3:00 PM. Northern Arizona University Road Scholar program registration in hotel meeting room on second floor above the lobby from 4:30 PM to 5:15 PM.
 Dinner: Dinner at the Hualapai Lodge restaurant will be served buffet style with salad and a different entree each night. Vegetarian options will be available.
 Evening: After dinner, your Northern Arizona University Road Scholar coordinator will lead an orientation session. With your fellow participants, you will review the week's itinerary and there will be a question and answer session afterward. The orientation will conclude with participant introductions.
   
Accommodations: Hualapai Lodge
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2: Hualapai / Western Grand Canyon Hike/Evening Program
(Tuesday, October 22)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast at the Hualapai Lodge restaurant. Meals are served buffet style and include typical entree selections such as scrambled eggs, bacon or sausage, oatmeal, cereals, muffins, yogurt, etc.
 Morning: Depart after breakfast for an all-day hike in Grand Canyon (5 - 7 miles) on Hualapai Indian Nation lands. Hikes will be located in the western Grand Canyon in the Peach Springs / Diamond Creek area. Hikes will be in rocky canyon bottoms and open plateaus. Our hike will take us away from the masses in a wilderness location. Intimate inner Grand Canyon experiences and distant rim views will delight and challenge both the moderate and seasoned hiker. Expect uneven footing and varied terrain throughout the week. Maximum of 500 feet elevation gain. DIAMOND CREEK HIKE: Note: On this day we will hike up Diamond Creek Canyon (5 miles round trip). You WILL be walking in ankle deep water on this hike.You will want to wear your hiking boots due to the rocky nature of the stream bed. We will cross the creek dozens of times. The reward is some of the most spectacular inner canyon views imaginable. Don’t worry – your boots will dry out quickly in the low humidity desert air. This hike will continue to the Diamond Creek beach and the mighty Colorado River!
 Lunch: Sack lunches along the trail.
 Afternoon: Continue hike and return to Hualapai Lodge in late afternoon.
 Dinner: Dinner at the Hualapai Lodge restaurant will be served buffet style with salad and a different entree each night. Vegetarian options will be available.
 Evening: Evening program on Hualapai Indian culture and traditions (presented by a Hualapai tribal member) or a presentation on Arizona Ranching Life.
   
Accommodations: Hualapai Lodge
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: Hualapai / Peach Springs Canyon Hike/Havasupai Hike Prep
(Wednesday, October 23)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast at the Hualapai Lodge restaurant. Meals are served buffet style and include typical entree selections such as scrambled eggs, bacon or sausage, oatmeal, cereals, muffins, yogurt, etc.
 Morning: Depart after breakfast for an all-day hike in Grand Canyon (5-7 miles) on Hualapai Indian Nation lands. The hike will be located in the Peach Springs / Diamond Creek area. Today's hike will either be along the Tonto Rim or in Rincon Canyon. Hikes will be in rocky canyon bottoms and open plateaus with uneven footing. Maximum of 500 feet elevation gain.
 Lunch: Sack lunches along the trail.
 Afternoon: Continue hike and return to Hualapai Lodge in late afternoon.
 Dinner: Dinner at the Hualapai Lodge restaurant will be served buffet style with salad and a different entree each night. Vegetarian options will be available.
 Evening: The group will gather for an orientation and prep talk on hiking down to the village of Supai in the morning. A complete review of packing strategies, hiking tips, distances, clothing and personal gear needed will be discussed. See the "Carrying Your Luggage" below for more information.
   
Accommodations: Hualapai Lodge
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4: Hike to Supai Village / Havasupai Lodge
(Thursday, October 24)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast at the Hualapai Lodge restaurant. Meals are served buffet style and include typical entree selections such as scrambled eggs, bacon or sausage, oatmeal, cereals, muffins, yogurt, etc.
 Morning: Check out of the Lodge after breakfast and depart for Hualapai Hilltop (75 mile drive). Overnight luggage will be carried to the Havasupai Lodge by pack horse. The hike, starting at Hualapai Hilltop Trailhead, is eight miles to the Havasupai Indian village of Supai. The first two miles consists of a switch back trail and the greatest loss of elevation (1,200 feet). The trail continues and follows a normally dry wash for 4 miles at stream gradient. For the last 2 miles into the village of Supai the trail is on a relatively level dirt path. The entire hike offers world class scenery and allows you to experience the Grand Canyon without the masses of people you might find in the National Park.
 Lunch: Sack lunches along the trail.
 Afternoon: Arrive in the village of Supai and check into Havasupai Lodge. The lodge provides a simple, yet comfortable place to explore the waterfalls and features of Havasupai Canyon.
 Dinner: Dinner at Havasupai Cafe. The cafe will offer up and introduce you to the famous "Indian Taco" - a light, crispy fry bread loaded with traditional taco toppings. It's a memorable experience! A vegetarian version of this dish will also be available.
 Evening: After dinner, the group will gather for an informal meeting in the lodge courtyard to recap the days events and prepare for tomorrow's outing to Havasu and Mooney Falls.
   
Accommodations: Havasupai Lodge
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5: Hike to Havasupai Waterfalls / Evening Presentation
(Friday, October 25)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast prepared and served in the Havasupai Lodge courtyard by the Road Scholar staff.
 Morning: Depart after breakfast for an all-day hiking trip along Havasu Creek to the world famous, photogenic Havasupai waterfalls. This is the reward for all our effort! Revel in the deep blue green water of Havasu Falls as it drops 100 feet to sculpted travertine pools below. Mooney Falls, the highest at nearly 200 feet is equally stunning and dramatic. Your coordinator, well versed in the local flora and fauna and natural history of the area will share valuable information with the group. Side trips to other area features and free time to explore the village of Supai will be offered.
 Lunch: Sack lunches along the trail.
 Afternoon: Return to Havasupai Lodge in late afternoon.
 Dinner: Dinner at Havasupai Cafe.
 Evening: After dinner a select evening program about the Havasupai people presented by a tribal member will be offered at the Lodge.
   
Accommodations: Havasupai Lodge
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6: Havasupai Hike Out Day / Program Wrap up
(Saturday, October 26)

Note: AIRWEST Helicopter service information (from the Village of Supai to Hualapai Hilltop Trailhead) listed above.
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast prepared and served in the Havasupai Lodge courtyard by the Road Scholar staff.
 Morning: Check out of Havasupai Lodge and depart for Hualapai Hilltop. We will retrace our steps and hike 8 miles (with a cumulative elevation gain of 2500 feet) to the trailhead. Hiking out of the canyon on your own two feet will be the best and most rewarding option – so continue to get into good physical shape and be prepared for the hike out. NOTE: Check the seasonal helicopter schedule below to see if flight service out of the canyon is available and an option on your trip. Helicopter flights (approx. $85) are on a first come first serve basis (hikers fly after tribal members and employees of the tribe though). Reservations are not taken. Havasupai horseback rides are also available for hire and can be arranged in the Supai Village if necessary. AIRWEST HELICOPTER SCHEDULE: (Summer Operation: March 15 - October 15) Sunday, Monday, Thursday, and Friday. (Winter Operation: October 16 - March 14) Sunday and Friday
 Lunch: Sack lunches along the trail.
 Afternoon: Arrive at Hualapai Hilltop trailhead and travel back to Hualapai Lodge, arriving in late afternoon for check-in.
 Dinner: Dinner at the Hualapai Lodge restaurant will be served buffet style with salad and a different entree each night. Vegetarian options will be available.
 Evening: A final evening for reflections and progran wrap up will be offered. Time to celebrate our exploring in exploring off the beaten path Grand Canyon,
   
Accommodations: Hualapai Lodge
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 7: Departure Day
(Sunday, October 27)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast at the Hualapai Lodge restaurant. Meals are served buffet style and include typical entree selections such as scrambled eggs, bacon or sausage, oatmeal, cereals, muffins, yogurt, etc.
 Morning: Departures after breakfast. Van Go shuttle riders depart for Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport by 8:00 AM.
   
Meals Included: Breakfast
Important information about your itinerary: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information featured on this website. Itineraries are based on our best information at this time. Circumstances beyond our control may require us to adjust itineraries or other details. We regret any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding. Information will be sent to you from your Program Provider approximately three weeks prior to the program start date. The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.

Suggested Reading List


I Am the Grand Canyon: The Story of the Havasupai People


Author: Hirst, Stephen


Description: I Am the Grand Canyon is the story of the Havasupai people. From their origins among the first group of Indians to arrive in North America some 20,000 years ago to their epic struggle to regain traditional lands taken from them in the nineteenth century, the Havasupai have a long and colorful history. The story of this tiny tribe once confined to a too small reservation depicts a people with deep cultural ties to the land, both on their former reservation below the rim of the Grand Canyon and on the surrounding plateaus. 276pp



An Introduction to Grand Canyon Prehistory


Author: Coder, Christopher M.


Description: People have inhabited Grand Canyon for the past twelve thousand years. Evidence of their lives exists throughout the canyon; but it is up to their ancestors and archaeologists to interpret those remains for us. This book provides a popular look at the architecture, art, and tools of prehistoric Puebloan peoples, as well as information about modern-day Native American tribes. With illustrations and color photographs.



We are an Indian Nation: A History of the Hualapai People (First Peoples: New Directions in Indigenous Studies)


Author: Shepherd, Jeffrey P.


Description: This book focuses on the historical construction of the Hualapai Nation in the face of modern American colonialism. Shepherd shows that Hualapai nation-building was a complex process shaped by band identities, competing visions of the past, creative reactions to modernity, and resistance to state power. He analyzes how the Hualapais transformed an externally imposed tribal identity through nationalist discourses of protecting aboriginal territory; and he examines how that discourse strengthened the Hualapais’ claim to land and water while simultaneously reifying a politicized version of their own history. Drawing on recent work in American Indian history and Native American studies, Shepherd shows how the Hualapai have strived to reclaim a distinct identity and culture in the face of ongoing colonialism.



Introduction to Grand Canyon Geology


Author: Price, L Greer


Description: This overview of Grand Canyon geology is perfect for the first-time visitor or the seasoned Grand Canyon traveler. Chapters cover the basic priciples of geology, the history of geological exploration at Grand Canyon, the canyon's structural features, and the Colorado River. Includes over 70 photos and illustrations, an index, and glossary. 63pp



Living at the Edge: Explorers, Exploiters, and Settlers of the Grand Canyon Region


Author: Anderson, Michael F


Description: A comprehensive look at the pioneer history of the Grand Canyon Region, from its earliest residents to the creation of the national park at the end of the pioneer era (circa 1920). Included are close to two hundred historic photographs, many never published before, and 12 custom maps of the region. 184pp



The Exploration of the Colorado River and Its Canyons


Author: Powell, John Wesley


Description: Full text of Powell's 1,000-mile expedition down the fabled Colorado in 1869. Superb account of terrain, geology, vegetation, Indians, famine, mutiny, treacherous rapids, mighty canyons. 240 illustrations. 432pp



The Man Who Walked Through Time: The Story of the First Trip Afoot Through the Grand Canyon


Author: Fletcher, Colin


Description: The remarkable classic of nature writing by the first man ever to have walked the entire length of the Grand Canyon. 256pp





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