MONTEZUMA WELL & MONTEZUMA CASTLE | Remains of the Southern Sinagua of Arizona
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- Опубліковано 23 лип 2024
- The Southern Sinagua Indians, meaning "without water" due to the arid climate, made use of and lived by water where found. Montezuma Castle and Montezuma Well are remnants from their time - showing a glimpse of life in pre-Columbian times.
Montezuma Well is a very intriguing geological location. What appears as a depression in the Earth is actually a natural holding tank from snowmelt and water from far away that traveled thousands of years underground. The water then exits to continue on out to Beaver Creek.
As added bonuses, one will get to see extremely well-preserved graffiti from the 19th Century written on the cliff walls and find a fantastic place to keep cool during the hot Arizona summers with water flowing through canals built by the native cultures.
Montezuma castle is what remains of a pre-Columbian "apartment complex" built by the Southern Sinagua people hundreds of years ago. Montezuma Castle is one of the best-preserved pueblo structures in the world and is an amazing sight to behold.
Montezuma Castle still contains unsolved mysteries, such as why the people who built it decided to abandon the location around 1425 AD. Some believe that drought, resource depletion, or even conflict with tribes new to the area could be behind their mysterious and abrupt departure.
VIDEO FILMED: 01/08/2023
▬▬ R E L A T E D V I D E O S ▬▬
⚪ Exploring MONTEZUMA CASTLE and Pondering Its Mysteries | 2019 - • Exploring MONTEZUMA CA...
⚪ MONTEZUMA WELL National Monument | Exploring Lost Culture & 19th Century Graffiti - • MONTEZUMA WELL Nationa...
▬▬ L O C A T I O N I N F O ▬▬
⚪ Montezuma Castle - www.nps.gov/moca/index.htm
⚪ Directions to Montezuma Castle - goo.gl/maps/covJPVkm1xLuXxS66
⚪ Montezuma Well - www.nps.gov/moca/planyourvisi...
⚪ Directions to Montezuma Well - goo.gl/maps/L5z6H8uYu6uC6Ud98
▬▬ T I M E S T A M P S ▬▬
00:00 Don't Miss the Pit House!
02:40 Montezuma Well
06:26 George Rothrock Was Here
09:22 Water Water Everywhere!
12:54 Montezuma Castle
▬▬ L I N K S ▬▬
⚪ Gear we use - www.amazon.com/shop/thecactus...
⚪ See where we've been - www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mi...
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Welcome to the Cactus Atlas! We are Glenn and Amy and invite you to join us as we visit all sorts of locations across the American West. We tour both natural and man-made attractions.
Our base of operations is in the Phoenix, AZ area. We do a lot of hiking, day trips, and campground reviews and hope that we will be a great resource if you are planning a trip to the American West. We also hope to delight you with our exciting adventures!
Places like Montezume Castle and Mesa Verde are absolutely breathtaking !
Agree! Some of our favorites! 😊
I grew up in Arizona and all the places I’ve seen and been to in Arizona, Montezuma Well is by far my favorite. I often have a difficult time explaining to people the subtle beauty of that magical place and it fills my heart with joy to hear the descriptions in this video. Thank you. Thank you so so much for telling the story of this beautiful place that is so precious to my heart.
You're so very welcome! We completely agree. There's something very special and calming about the well. Especially along the lower trail in the trees on a summer day. 🙂
I remember always being so surprised about people that just drove right by or made fun of it for not being as spectacular as the castle. I remember one time I took my kids up there, which was a very, very long time ago. Anyway, as my kids were running around and exploring, I stood by the pit house, closed my eyes and meditated and take myself back to the time of the people that lived there. I swear this one time I could actually hear the soft murmur and laughter in the air and in the wind of the spirits that are there. I know it sounds crazy and maybe it was my imagination getting away with me, but I don’t think so. I’ve been to just about every single Native American Roan in Arizona and the one thing I always do is ask their permission to be there. I tell them I will treat their home with respect and I will not take anything. Incredibly I live in Evergreen Colorado now and I miss Arizona every day. I just found your videos. I’ve also watched your videos on the Crack At Wet Beaver Creek and Lee’s Ferry. Of course as teenagers, we all giggled uncontrollably at the name, Wet Beaver Creek. I’m 68 years old now, but as a teenager in the 70s I had the entire state of Arizona as my playground. My friends and I were able to explore Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon before it was commercialized. We used to drive around Arizona and throw packs of wildflower seeds into the wind hoping we would be able to come back and see the wildflowers blooming. Anyway, thank you so much. I am so excited I found you and look forward to watching more of your beautiful videos. Maureen
So, Slide Rock before it got nuts?? 😯
@@CactusAtlas Yes! Of course, we were all over Arizona at all times of the year. But there was no admission to slide rock when we went there, and there weren't that many people going there. We also liked hiking upstream from slide rock and climb up this muddy wall to sneak into the Pendly peach orchard. We would grab a bunch of peaches for the day. Before I became a wild teenager in Arizona, I would go camping with my parents and siblings at Oak Creek Canyon at the Cave Springs Spot. I'd loved going to Oak Creek and drinking the water. I would drink the water directly out of the creek and it was so so good. I wouldn't dare do that now, but I did then. I remember the statues of The Last Supper made of just salt, sand and water in Oak Creek Canyon. They're not there anymore, but they were super cool. As teenagers, we would fill our bongs with water from Oak Creek. If we were up in Flagstaff in the winter, which we were quite a bit, we would pack our bongs with snow. I'm telling you we had so much fun and none of us got hurt and none of us worried about a crazy person shooting us. We were young and wild and free and Arizona was so so spectacular.
Great episode, Glenn and Amy! I just found an online article in the Payson Roundup called “Montezuma Well’s bizarre chemistry creates a dangerous paradise”. It states that the water flowing out of the well still contains high levels of arsenic and might have been responsible for the ‘ultimate collapse of the villages’.
Apparently, a lovely arsenic covered leech calls the well home.
😮😮 Wow! Okay, so having just read that now that really makes one ponder things in terms of that area and creek being sustainable. Fascinating! Thanks for sharing that article. Without knowing what business looked like between the well and the stream, it's hard to know what filtration (or lack therof) could be happening. Now we know! Thanks again!
I used to live about 10 miles from there. Went many times and always saw and learned more. Thanks for sharing 👍
Very cool! If I lived near the well, I could see visiting frequently just for a relaxing place to spend a moment. And even though the cliff dwellings haven't really changed in ages, they will never get old. Always an amazing thing to see. Thanks for commenting! 😄
Great video!!!
My thoughts, they were probably Mexica and nahuatl or nahua speaking.
The Mexica migration was from Utah to Mexico, along the way they would stop and set up living quarters, they would stay at one place for a few years then keep moving. People like the elderly, young, or sick ones they would leave behind and give them there belongings like food, tools or other resources.
But those mountains you were saying that were volcanoes, theres probably artifacts around there too because they would make hunting tools out of obsidian
Thank you so much! We're glad that you enjoyed our video. 😄
Not sure how long the Visitor center has been there but WAY back in the 80's, 84 when I went there it was literally a parking lot and walked up to the dwelling, never knew about the well. Thanks as now I will have to revisit the place as it looks so much more improved!
Great vlog and thanks for sharing!!
Oh wow! I'm not entirely sure when the visitor center was built. Walking through has always been how we've experienced it. It makes for a great reveal. 😄
In the 70s I used to climb up into the caves etc. I own mining rights close to there
Like you, I've always been fascinated by the Sinagua people. I can only imagine seeing these places in their heyday. Have been to Montezuma Castle a few times, but never the well. Really neat to see.
Hopefully if you're ever in the area, you have time to check out the well. It's kind of surreal when you scan the desert landscape but otherwise it is just a cool place. And I'm sure what we're seeing today it just a fraction of what these places looked like when life and activity was thriving. To step back in history and see it would be AMAZING.
My favorite places.
Ours too! We're definitely going to be doing some deeper dives into more remote and less known about Sinagua locations in the future, so if that is your jam, stick around! 😄
Very interesting
I'm 68 yo been going to both of these places for over 50 years, if you're ever going down HWY 17 in AZ stop by at both of them, you won't be disappointed
I've been to them no less than 20 times. Have fun and take a lunch, you're going to spend all day.
Sorry big thumbs, 67 years old and have been going there for 60 years
100% agree. Definitely worth checking out - especially the Well as it's usually rather quiet compared to other places. 😄
I can see why it’s popular 👍 looks like a great place to explore 😊
Totally is. 👍
Thanks for the re-visit! Those cliff dwellings are amazing!! It's very disappointing that most of them are gone or piles of rubble because it would be awesome to see one of those complete complexes in its full glory.
No problem! Some of our early videos are make me cringe - quality and just not having a sense of anything yet so we figured this one was due a second chance. Agree with you on the destruction. It would be amazing to see that second complex if it is said to be even bigger than the one high up in the cliff!
Keep making great videos!
Thanks, will do! 😄
It is obvious that the castle; along with other cliff dwellings of the same period, were built with defense in mind. The National Park Rangers don't like to talk about defense as it would take away the narrative of certain tribes being peaceful. The Zuni have talked about this and the Hopi also.
Probable. I think we might have mentioned that in our previous video or other videos on similar cliff dwellings. I imagine many of these dwellings being either up in cliffs or high on hilltops was not just for the views, but defensive as well. 👍
Quite possibly their only defense from the horrors of the man-eating Nephilim 😳🌵😳🌵
@@stevengorum2727
Dead set !?
Love your videos. So interesting and informative.
Thank you so much! So glad you like them! 😊
Lived in camp Verdi and rim rock
It always amazes me that, time after time, advanced civilizations replete with innovations in agriculture and other pursuits just disappear, leaving those of us who come later with so many questions.
What a fantastic journey this was, thank you for the vicarious experience!
You're most welcome! Thank you as well! 😊 We agree. It is quite strange how many times we read that it's just not known where people went. So many theories and so little clarity.
If have gotten real good at reflecting on the history of the places that you visit. Thanks for the sharing.
Our pleasure! We've have some time to dive in deeper reading about some of the locations we visit. Sometimes having that little bit of extra info makes such a big impact when there. 😄
This is a great place I’ve wanted to visit. The well reminds me of El Morro in New Mexico. We stopped at the castle in the 90s when we lived in Phx and we were too cheap to pay the entry fee so we looked at the dwelling from the parking lot and went on our way. I remember seeing a cardinal in the parking lot😀🦜
Oh man! I haven't seen too many cardinals out here. I remember seeing them all the time in winter in the Midwest and how striking they were. Hope you get a chance to see the castle and well in the future. They're really awesome sites. 😄
Great vlog Glenn!
Thanks 👍 Glad you enjoyed the work we both put into the video.
Thanks for all the time and research you put into your videos. I love them! I'm from Northern California Redwood Country so this terrain that is so opposite simply fascinates me. We have been to Arizona twice these past 3 years but not to these ruins. We have seen the ruins north of Flagstaff. I really look forward to seeing the Montezuma sites.
Awesome! Thank you! I think I can speak for both of us in that we feel similarly about that area of California too. Being out here where everything is open, the idea of being immersed in trees (redwoods at that!) is fascinating. Hopefully if there's more Arizona trips in your future, a trip to Montezuma fits in. Truly a fascinating place! 😊
Montezuma and the 7 cities of gold, 7 treasure sites spread across the southwest area of the US. Legend says Montezuma hid his primary treasure from the Spanish conquistadors, and the Spanish searched for a very long time, long time,,,
😎👍
What a neat place! Never even heard of it but it’s on my list now of places to explore. So impressive what this group of people did for their homes and irrigation.
I would love a video where Glen gives us a tour of gear inside the tent. Tell us about your cot and sleeping bag, anything else that you love that helps make you comfortable. Maybe you’ve already made one and I just haven’t seen it yet!
You know, I'm pretty sure Glenn did a tiny short "tour" of his tent on one trip but I cut the footage because of length. 🤐 Next time he goes camping we'll try to include something like that. Thanks for the suggestion! 👍
Hi Glenn & Amy, Thanks for the info. What are the top three things between Sedona and Phoenix to see. I'm assuming Montezuma's Castle is #1. I saw you had a Tonto Natural Bridge video that I watched as well. I've seen something similar in Virginia, so I'm wondering if there are any more notable sights? I will need to drive back to Phoenix to fly back to Massachusetts and want to see the best things as I don't expect to be able to be back. Thank you for your time.
Oh gosh... there's plenty to see depending on your time and what you're looking for. We have a map of places we've filmed if you're interested that might be able to help - you can find it in the about section of our channel. They're categorized by type of activity and SHOULD have links in the description of each location to the video. Hopefully that can help you a bit. 😊
@@CactusAtlas We have a day. Most interested in geological areas and things we can't see at home
Tuzigoot near Jerome
do you think they left close to the same time as Mesa Verde was abandoned?
From what I've looked into, I believe Mesa Verde was abandoned a short bit earlier (well, "short bit" in the long scheme of things). Looking now it appears to be about a 125 year difference.
Is that where Montezuma's Revenge comes from?
Not from these locations, no. Being curious, I looked it up and appears the theory is it stems from legend of being revenge from Montezuma's capture by Spaniards and death later.
Follow them to Chaco canyon are they connected? ☠️🌚
SMALL POX?
Min. 14-15 Sinagua in Spanish would be sin agua, sin = without, agua = water, so it has nothing to do with the word fish is “pescado” in Spanish 😂😂😂 in, sin agua does not mean “fish “ at all! 😮 I am Mexican, 63 years old the grand ma’ of my mom was a Nahuatl indigenous woman & I am proud to carry her Indian blood
?? Hmm. We didn't say anything about fish...?
These are my ancestors. They are still here. More are coming with Christ.. We are the people of the Book, the Israelites. It is coming out.
Montezuma Castle, Montezuma Well, what about Montezuma's Revenge?
Unrelated to these locations but related to who they're named after. 😅
Heck yeah! We've both been on that coaster. LOVE Knott's Berry Farm! 👍
King moctezuma of aztlan meshika(aztec)