The Havasu Baaja tribe is made up of approximately 650 tribal members with around 450 living in the Supai village. The native language is Havasupai which is the preferred method of communication. The language has only been written for around two decades. The Havasu Baaja tribe lived in the area of Supai for centuries before the Grand Canyon was designated as a national park. Prior to this time the Havasu moved freely around the upper plateaus, in the fall and winter the plateau regions are where the tribe would hunt and eat what the land provided them, during spring and summer the Havasu would go to canyon and plant gardens to survive.
In 1882 the federal government designated 518 acres as the Havasupai Indian Reservation causing a loss of nearly ninety percent of the original tribal land. The tribe had to rely on work outside the canyon and farming for survival then became increasingly dependent on tourism. Congress returned 185,000 acres of the tribe's original land during 1975.
Today the Havasupai Indian Reservation found in a remote area in the western portion of the Grand Canyon but outside of Grand Canyon National Park relies on tourism to survive and offers visitors numbers activities and natural sites to enjoy. The reservation is provided law enforcement services by the Bureau of Indian Affairs meaning that it is illegal to have firearms, drugs or alcohol on the property.
There are only three ways to get to the Supai Village on the Havasupai Indian Reservation; helicopter, horseback or on foot. Helicopter rides vary with tickets being on a first come first serve basis and a cost of $40 to land with other fees varying on Monday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday from 10am until 1pm. The charge for a horse of a mule to Supai campground from the Hualapai Hilltop is $75 one way or a round trip for $150.
There is an entry fee of $35 with a tax of ten percent for everyone to enter or cross the reservation; the receipt should be kept as proof of payment while on the reservation. The options for staying on the Havasupai Indian Reservation are camping or in the Havasupai Lodge. It is $17 plus tax per night to use the campground on Havasu Creek, and $145 a night plus tax for four people to stay the night at Havasupai Lodge. Reservations for the lodge must be made in advance.
Three meals a day are available from the Havasupai Cafy that can be found near the lodge on the Havasupai Indian Reservation. The village also has a general store, picnic tables and a post office for the convenience of the tourists. There are also a number of waterfalls and hiking trails for the visitors to the reservation to enjoy.
The facilities of Havasupai Indian Reservation do not take personal checks or travelers checks. You must use a money order, MasterCard, Visa or cash when paying at the reservation. It is recommended that you call to make reservations in advance to stay on the reservation.
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