OUT PICK: Havasu

Spring is officially only days away, but snow is likely to continue to fly in Colorado for weeks to come. So where in the world can you go to get an early dose of spring flowers? As unlikely as it sounds, head to the Grand Canyon.

Joy Harper, The GazetteAlthough the Grand Canyon is known worldwide for its unsurpassed beauty and magnitude, not many people know that nestled deep in an offshoot of the Grand Canyon is a hidden jewel - an oasis of cascading waterfalls, spring-fed travertine pools, and lush, verdant vegetation. It's called Havasu, but those who have experienced its treasures commonly refer to it as the "Shrangri-la of the Desert."Carol Austin of the Austin-Lehman Adventures family notes that "Havasu in the Grand Canyon is a must for spring flower seekers. From late March to early May, all of the desert flowers are in bloom, and up against the backdrop of red rocks and blue skies, the colors are amazing."Get details and book your trip by visiting www .austinlehman.com, or by calling 1-800-575-1540.Tour participants are guests on the reservation. Leave your liquor, drugs, weapons and pets at home.Relax in the mineral-rich waters of a natural whirlpool before feasting on grilled lemon-pepper chicken and wallowing in the quiet comfort of your deluxe base camp. Sleep under the stars or retire to your spacious tent. Wake up beneath towering cottonwood trees to the sound of rushing water and hit the trail as you hike to Navajo, Havasu or Mooney Falls.Book a trip with Austin-Lehman Adventures and explore the narrow canyons, thundering waterfalls, turquoise pools, lush spring-fed fern gardens, underwater grottoes and awe-inspiring overlooks of Grand Canyon National Park. Relax your mind, energize your body and awaken the adventurer within.Explore an old galena mine and hunt for fossils in Carbonate Canyon. Send a postcard from the Native American village of Supai, the most remote village in the country, where food, mail and supplies are delivered by packhorse.It took thousands of millennia of pounding by summer tempests, of prying by winter cold and of battering by the chocolate-colored torrents of seasonal flash floods to create it. It's been the home of the Havasupai Indians for many centuries; they are known as "the people of the blue-green waters."Embark on one of the most exciting and beautiful hikes in North America, wading across blue streams and through lush meadows of wild grapevines on your way to Beaver Falls, choose the "wet route" for the opportunity to swim to the "green room" (an underwater air pocket accessed by swimming beneath the first tier of the waterfall), or jump off the 18-foot main fall into the frothy pool below.Starting at 5,400 feet on Hualapai Hilltop, you'll trek through narrow side canyons, past the 80-foot Navajo Falls and 100-foot Havasu Falls, as you make your way to Havasu base camp, accessible only by foot. Because you lose nearly 2,000 feet in elevation, you can forget the winter jacket and break out the shorts and swimwear. Cool off in the turquoise waters at the base of thundering Havasu Falls, adorned with travertine columns, shelves and skirts. Hike through underwater grottoes and gardens of grapevines, pausing to soak up awe-inspiring views of the 200-foot Mooney Falls.The Austin-Lehman Adventures' Havasu tour begins in Scottsdale, Ariz. The five-day, four-night trips are available from March 20 to Oct. 23. Trip price is $1,698 for adults, and $1,598 for children, which includes all accommodations, meals, professional guides, equipment, vehicle support and land transportation, and incidental expenses such as taxes, gratuities and national park entrance and permit fees.

Joy Harper, The Gazette