Mules from Supai carrying U.S. Mail containers. Photo taken by Elf for Wikipedia.

SUPAI — This small village may be one of the few places left on Earth where time actually has stood still. It is the home of the Havasupai Tribe and it looks much the same today as it probably did more than 700 years ago. Located in a side canyon off the Grand Canyon, the streets are nothing but dirt, and it’s hard to reach because several years ago, tribal elders voted against allowing road construction in their portion of the great gorge. So the only way in or out is by foot, horse or helicopter.

And there’s a 250-pound limit on the horse option. Despite the fact that it’s an eight-mile hike from the canyon rim to the village, many make the trek because the scenery is spectacular.

On the trail into Supai from Hualapai Hilltop, the first signs of the village are extensive paddocks for horses, mules, cattle and the Wigleeva, the sacred rock formations looking over the village. Photo taken by Elf for Wikipedia.

Supai is the only place in the United States where the post office is served by a mule. The postmark says “Mule Train Mail — Havasupai Indian Reservation.” The tribe has a membership of about 600, about 450 of whom live in Supai. Some of them claim they have never been to the top of the canyon to see what the rest of the world looks like.