At Deer Creek, a 100-foot-high waterfall tumbles out of a sinuous Tapeats sandstone tributary, creating a welcome oasis on the lower river at mile 136.

River runners often stop at Deer Creek Falls to frolic in the water hike around the falls to the high slot canyon of Deer Creek Narrows. The route is not for acrophobes, as it requires carefully stepping along a trail barely wider than a boot and suspended high above the rushing creek waters.

From the falls, it’s possible to hike to Thunder River or all the way to the rim. It’s a strenuous 15 miles from Deer Creek Falls to the Thunder River trailhead, located west of park boundaries in Kaibab National Forest along the North Rim.

Matkatamiba Canyon, at mile 148, is another sinuously carved side canyon and a favorite with photographers and hikers. Its walls, ledges, and pools are formed from Muav limestone, shaped into linear ridges that make scrambling and climbing relatively easy.

Havasu Canyon

Havasu Creek enters the Colorado River at mile 157. From the mouth of Havasu Canyon (formerly known as Cataract Canyon), it’s 5.5 miles to Mooney Falls, one of several waterfalls in the Havasu Canyon area. Supai Village is approximately halfway between the rim and river, about eight miles. The Havasupai people lived at Grand Canyon for centuries, widely roaming the rims and tributaries in search of game and plants until the government established their small reservation in 1882.

Today, the Havasupai support themselves with tourism. People come from all over the world to see the waters of Havasu Creek, spilling into travertine-lined pools that reflect the sky. Sadly, two major floods in 2008 and 2010 seriously damaged village residences and destroyed one of the canyon’s most-photographed waterfalls. The tribe has requested disaster funding to help rebuild. Havasu Canyon’s campground and trails may reopen sometime in 2011.