Havasu Falls in Grand Canyon Closes due to Flooding

On August 16th, flash floods tore through the popular Havasu Falls area of the Grand Canyon, causing a great deal of damage to the access trail and campground areas.

Most tourists/campers made it up to the village of Supai, which sits well above the Colorado River, before being flown out by helicopter.

The Havasupai tribe had planned on re-opening the campgrounds within a few weeks, but now says the area will have to remain closed for the next six months in order to repair parts of the 8-mile trail and damaged campgrounds. This area of the canyon is only reachable by foot or helicopter.

The flood waters caused a lot of damage to waterfalls that attract thousands of tourists to the area every year. The popular blue-green travertine pool below the falls has even dried out.

The closure of the area is a blow to the village, which relies heavily on tourism.