Day seven started early. Really early. I woke up multiple times during the night admiring the stars framed between the tight canyon walls. It’s a really fun way to take it all in because I can stay wrapped up in my cozy sleeping bag and still appreciate the view. By 5 AM or so I was up taking photos. First of the moonlight canyon walls, then of light of the rising sun as it started to filter down into our little corner of the canyon. The early start was totally worth it.
After some breakfast we hopped back on the rafts and floated through a few bends of the river to Havasu Canyon. We caught the eddy at the mouth of the canyon and tied up the rafts so we could explore the river and take in the beauty this particular creek is famous for. We spent a few minutes chatting with some backpackers that were about to float downstream on pack rafts, took their trash, and gave them some goodies that only 7 huge rafts can carry this far into the wilderness in ample supply: toilet paper and beer.
After that I grabbed my camera and tripod and started up the side canyon. Let me tell you, this place deserves it’s reputation for stunning beauty. The water is was strikingly clear and blue. Though it did not have it’s full famous milky blue color everywhere, the water was still incredible. We were also treated to a bit of a wildlife. We watched a pair of bighorn sheep climb their way up the canyon walls and then traverse up the canyon. They are comfortable with the heights and exposure in a way that I am quite sure I will never be. They are also extremely fast climbers, and ascend steep slopes in what looks to me like a run.
I slowly made my way up the creek, taking in the sights the whole way. It was a nature lover’s playground. The creek was cool and clear, and I spent quite a bit of time wading around picking out interesting angles, rocks, and ripples. I could have easily spent hours in this canyon alone, but I had to at least try to keep up with the rest of the group.
We eventually made it to a bend in the creek where the sun was able to reach down to the pools at the water’s edge and stopped to take a dip. It was hard to go under at first, but it was too tempting to get something resembling a bath in some clean water. Everyone spent some time enjoying their swim and then headed back down to the rafts to have lunch and get ready to push off again.
Havasu Canyon definitely makes my list of places I would like to get back to on this trip. Due to COVID restrictions we could not travel very far up the canyon, including any of the bigger waterfalls that are so famous here. Some day I’ll be back. Time was up for our visit on this trip though, so we got back on the rafts and continued downstream to camp for the night at Tuckup Canyon. After all the time we had spent at Havasu this one seemed a bit ordinary in comparison, but I still spent some time exploring it. I didn’t make it too far up the canyon, but still appreciated the tight narrows. After that it was back to camp to enjoy another excellent dinner.
Taken 11/2/21
