"If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water." ~Loren Eiseley

Elves Chasm is a magical little treat found along the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. The rock formations here are the oldest in the Grand Canyon, dating to over 1.8 billion years ago. If you make it here, you are rewarded with a lovely waterfall and pool, great for swimming and relaxing. Ferns and Redbud trees enclose the area, making this the complete feel of a true desert oasis.

Accessing this remote place from the Grand Canyon’s South Rim, a hike spanning multiple days, helps keep this magical natural wonder one of the better kept secrets in the canyon, but it is easy to enjoy if you are coming from the river, because you are on a rafting trip. A stop at Elves Chasm seems to be on every river trip checklist, so if a short and easy hike up to a picturesque waterfall appeals to you, with billions of years of rock history to view up close and personal along the way, then Elves Chasm is your hike.