I had long heard of the beauty of Havasu Canyon in northern Arizona, west of the highly public South Rim area of Grand Canyon. Before my wife Joyce and I visited the area, we had heard that there had been a flash flood about four years earlier, but we were not aware of the extent of the damage or recovery.

Because Havasu Canyon is within the Havasupai Indian Reservation, access to it is controlled. From the parking lot at Hualapai Hilltop, it's an eight-mile hike down to the small town of Supai, which is only accessible on foot, on horseback, or by helicopter. From there, it is another couple of miles down past the campground to Havasu Falls and Mooney Falls. While damage from the flood was still quite evident in the canyon below Supai, the falls and the canyon above Supai were spectacular.

It was in the canyon above Supai that we came upon the tree in this image. Aside from a variety of small bushes and wildflowers, the canyon was rather barren. But as we rounded a bend, this improbable tree sprang vividly into view: a perfectly lush green tree, striking in contrast to the parched ground and red canyon walls surrounding it. By itself, this tree would be nothing extraordinary; by contrast, it amazes the eye and piques the imagination.

Other images of Havasu Canyon are #9420, #9423, #9416, #9417 and #9425.