Mooney Falls, Waterfall in Coconino County, US
Mooney Falls is a waterfall in the Arizona canyon country where spring water drops roughly 190 feet into a mineral-rich pool below. The canyon walls show travertine formations that have built up over time as water flowed and deposited minerals.
The waterfall takes its name from D.W. James Mooney, a prospector who died in 1883 attempting to reach the base with inadequate rope. This tragic event marked a turning point in how people began accessing the location.
The waterfall sits within Havasupai tribal lands, where the Indigenous community has shaped how the place is visited and cared for over many generations. Their stewardship remains visible in how access is managed and the natural features are protected.
Reach this location by obtaining permission from the Havasupai Tribe, then hiking about 11 miles from the upper parking area down into the canyon system. The final descent involves chains and wooden ladders secured to the rocks, requiring care and comfort with steep terrain.
Two passages were blasted through the travertine walls in 1883 to create a route to the base, an impressive early engineering effort that remains part of the descent path today. Visitors walk through these hand-made tunnels as part of their approach to the waterfall.
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