We backpacked into Supai because I have such fond memories of the trip that I took down there with my family as a kid. The town is still dusty and the food at the cafe is horrible. However, the falls are magnificent and I'd still recommend it as a destination for that reason alone.
What made me so sad about the trip is the lack of management and pride that I saw from those who are responsible for protecting this spot. The falls are magnificent but there are no protections in place to make sure they will be as wonderful for future generations.
The campground is lovely because most of the sites sit right on a river and some sites even have rope swings. However, it was terribly overbooked during my stay (don't assume there will be a spot just because you made reservations six months in advance).
The campground porta potties were overflowing on our first night (literally overflowing). They did get changed the next morning - but come on people you knew how many people to expect and there are guidelines for how many porta potties you need based on the number of people using them!
With this many people there is bound to be some trash. You have to carry it all out yourself, which is reasonable. However, as things get left behind or forgotten other visitors are hesitant to pick up a piece of trash they are going to have to carry out. What about charging us all a little extra and providing some trash cans? This would help the are keep looking clean and beautiful.
This is such an amazing spot but I think it will be ruined unless we do something to preserve it for future generations. Please, please, please make some management decisions that will protect this spot.
