Supai, Arizona

In 1910 there was a flood of Supai which affected the town.[5]

In the 1960s Martin Goodfriend, a tourist, began to advocate for the Supai people, and a columnist of the Arizona Republic, Don Dedera, wrote articles about Goodfriend's findings.[6] Dedera stated that Goodfriend countered a view that Supai was a kind of "Shangri-la".[7]

Tourists and some residents were evacuated from Supai and surrounding area on August 17 and 18, 2008,[8] due to flooding of Havasu Creek complicated by the failure of the earthen Redlands Dam (subsequent to the main flooding event[9][10]) after a night of heavy rainfall. Evacuees were taken to Peach Springs, Arizona.[11] More heavy rains were expected and a flash flood warning was put into effect, necessitating the evacuation, according to the National Park Service.[12] The floods were significant enough to attract coverage from international media.[11][13]

Damage to the trails, bridges, and campground was severe enough for Havasupai to close visitor access to the village, campground, and falls until the spring of 2009.[14] Further flooding in 2010 resulted in damage to repairs made previously and closures effective until May 2011. In July 2018, flash flooding forced the helicopter evacuation of 200 visitors.[15] All tourism was suspended from March 2020 until February 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[16][17]

The Wigleeva rock formations watch over Supai

Located within the Grand Canyon, Supai is only accessible by foot, pack animal or helicopter. It is the only place in the United States where mules still carry the mail, most of which is food.[18][19]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 1.7 square miles (4.4 km²), all land. It lies 3,195 feet (974 m) above sea level.

As of the census of 2010,[2] there were 208 people and 43 households. The racial makeup of the CDP was 96.6% Native American, 0.5% White, 0.5% Other, and 2.4% of mixed race. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.3% of the population.

There were 43 households, out of which 34.9% were married families living together, 32.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 14.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 18.6% were non-families. 16.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 2.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.84.

In the CDP the population was spread out, with 30.8% under the age of 16, 10.4% from 16 to 21, 54.8% from 21 to 65, and 4.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 25.2 years. 48.6% of the population was male; 51.4% was female.

In 2023, the Associated Press reported that "about 500 of the nearly 770" members of the Havasupai tribe live in the village.[23]

Mule train in front of the convenience store and post office

There is a post office in Supai. Mules are used to ferry mail between Supai and the rest of the United States. Perishable goods are, as of 1989, stored in a refrigerator in Peach Springs, Arizona while they await being loaded onto mules.[24]

Havasupai Elementary School

There is one K–6 school in Supai, Havasupai Elementary School, run by the Bureau of Indian Education. As of 2017 it only offers mathematics and English classes.[25]

Additionally, by 1970 there was a Head Start program in Supai.[26]

Supai lacks a high school.[27] In 1988, Havasupai ES was K-8, and residents went to boarding schools after the 8th grade. The most common boarding school, that year, was Sherman Indian High School in Riverside, California.[28] In 1967, most older students (past the second grade, the upper grade at Havasupai ES at the time) attended school in Fort Apache or Phoenix.[29] In that time period some students went to boarding schools in California.[6] Some other students stayed with host families and attended school district-operated public schools.[30] Prior to its closure, the Phoenix Indian School was the closest Native American boarding high school to Supai.[31]

According to Coconino County's parcel viewer, Supai is in the "Unorganized School District #00".[32] According to Arizona law, an unorganized school district is one that does not have a high school.[33]

Parking at Hualapai Hilltop, the trailhead for the 8-mile (13 km) trail into Supai.

Supai can be reached by hiking 8 miles (13 km), descending 2,004 feet (611 m) in elevation from Hualapai Hilltop through the Hualapai Canyon.[34] Alternatively, the AirWest Helicopters service schedules flights from Hualapai Hilltop to Supai. Hualapai Hilltop is located about 70 miles (110 km) from the community of Peach Springs, along paved BIA Road 18.

By 1982 reggae music became popular in the Supai community.[35]

Mule train from Supai carrying U.S. Postal Service boxes

Supai has one small, air-conditioned lodge (Havasupai Lodge), a convenience store and a cafe.[36]

• 
  Guest rooms at Havasupai Lodge
• 
  Water tanks above the village, supplying water pressure for plumbing
• 
  Supai AZ postmark, unique for its "mule train" design

Media related to Supai, Arizona at Wikimedia Commons

• Official Havasupai Tribe site

36°14′06″N 112°41′19″W