What will become of Havasu Falls?

I'm stunned.

I heard a news story in passing last weekend about flooding in the Grand Canyon, but I didn't pay it much attention. Come to find out today, it happened in Havasu Canyon, a place where I hiked and camped for several days in 2001. (You can read my account of that trip here.)

The signature natural feature that brings people there is Havasu Falls, one of the most beautiful sights in Arizona. The graceful arc of the cataract, and the aquamarine pool below it, look like they belong in the Hawaiian Islands, not sandwiched between a couple of red rock desert buttes.

Apparently last weekend's flooding not only wreaked havoc for the tourists camping out and the Native Americans living in the nearby village of Supai, but also caused untold damage to the waterfall itself and its surroundings. I can only hope that the damage is not permanent—but the pictures below tell a pretty sad story.

Havasu Falls when I visited in 2001:



Havasu Falls last weekend: