Havasupai Lodge, Arizona

Hide and seek: Find turquoise waterfalls at the bottom of the Grand Canyon.

This stretch of towering red walls and fertile canyon floors belongs to the Havasupai, the people of the blue-green waters. In Supai Village (population 450), the post office—the last one in the country to employ mule mail carriers—is the main attraction. But the real draws here are the five waterfalls that tumble hundreds of feet down the surrounding canyon walls. Photogenic Havasu Falls is less than two miles away, while 200-foot Mooney Falls is just another mile down the trail. Wading in the 70-degree natural swimming pools, perhaps while contemplating a cannonball from a rope swing, is a blissful way to beat the Arizona heat. (Savor the refreshment, as those of the alcoholic kind are not permitted on the Havasupai reservation.) Guests can camp or stay at the Havasupai Lodge, which is serviceable, with 24 clean rooms, private baths, and air conditioning. It's more shabby than chic, but you're here for the countless stars overhead, not a five-star hotel.

Find your way: Supai Village sits eight miles from the nearest road and is reachable by foot, hoof, and chopper.

Havasupai Lodge
Supai, Arizona
Tel: 928 448 2111
Doubles $145 per night, plus a $35 entrance fee per person; open April through October

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