Since arriving in Arizona nearly a month ago, we hadn’t seen a single cloud… much less RAIN!! But that all changed Saturday as we headed out on an early morning hike to visit Montezuma Well National Monument.
Actually, our initial hike was to an overlook of the Well via National Forest land… not the Well itself! Which meant our trailhead was in a remote and isolated area accessible only by dirt roads. Or should I say, mud pit roads. Initially, the dirt roads looked as if they were firmly packed and “dry” despite the downpour… and then we drove on it and realized that yet again, our Saturday adventure was starting out with a BANG!
When we initially started this RV life adventure, we told ourselves we would always have a 4 wheel drive truck “just in case”… This isn’t the first time we’ve been grateful for our over-preparedness!
Now, if only I had 4 leg drive like Watson, the hike would have been a lot easier!!
The truck wasn’t the only thing sinking in this mud, every step we took was a balancing act to stay upright as Chris and I slid our way down the trail! They say, “leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but photos”… well, I took about 10lbs of mud/clay dirt home with me after this hike!
But, to my surprise, everyone stayed upright the entire 4 mile slog-fest!
Once we reached the overlook, the view was something else!!
Looking down into the valley, we didn’t know what we were suppose to be looking for… until we finally found it! In my mind, I imagined we would be looking down into the well, but the Well was actually across the valley and you could just barely see the outline of the sinkhole! Yes, Montezuma Well is actually a giant spring fed sinkhole!!
Once we saw it off in the distance, we knew we had to get a closer look to truly appreciate its size… so, we headed back to the truck so we could DRIVE to Montezuma Well National Monument.
I hadn’t actually planned on visiting the National Monument because I thought the hike would give us a good “Overview” of the Well… and, lets be honest, a hole in the ground is not particularly interesting and we were actually only there for the 4 mile hike… which was interesting enough due to the wet rainy weather and thick caking clay mud trail.
BUT, Montezuma Well is SO MUCH MORE than just a hole in the ground!!!!! and although the overlook was interesting and gave you a perspective of how large it is and its location in this vast desert mountain landscape, the Well itself hides a secret!
Ancient cliff dwellings reside inside the sinkhole and gives this landmark a deeper and richer history than I could have imagined!
I’m not sure why, but my planning of this initial hike never led me to believe that the well was anything more than just that, a well.
But there are secrets here worth discovering!!
The spring fed water drains out of the well through a tiny crack in the wall. The native inhabitants of this area built an aqueduct that collects the water and routes it downstream to neighboring farms.
It is a very impressive place and I am so glad we took the time to add this National Monument to our adventure!
After visiting Montezuma Well, it was time to head over to the more popular and recognizable Montezuma Castle!
Montezuma Castle is about 11 miles south of Montezuma Well and it is just as intriguing as the well!
Seeing Cliff Dwellings is not new for me! I have visited many cliff dwelling sites during my travels including those we discovered during a hike in Canyon of the Ancients National Monument… But, this dwelling is on a completely different level… literally!
The size is absolutely massive and is the most “intact” cliff dwelling I have ever seen!
It resides 100ft above the valley floor, is 5 stories tall, and hosts 20 rooms!
But the high-rise structure isn’t the only structure here… there are signs of what was a whole village built all along this limestone cliff!
Both of these very small but mighty National Monuments are worth a stop when visiting central Arizona!!
Over the last 5 years, it’s adventures like these that keep my love for discovery alive! It is the easily overlooked treasures that make me want to share the importance of getting off the beaten path! With Sedona less than an hour away, I can not even fathom the number of people who visit this area and have no idea this is here. My Sedona “instagram worthy” hike holds nothing compared to these two monuments!! How honored I am to have stepped foot on this land and to be a witness to the people who came before me.
This month is Native American Heritage Month and there was no better time to visit landmarks that honor their heritage by preserving their past!
This coming week is Thanksgiving and like always, I will be hitting the trail in lieu of black Friday shopping!! I have one more National Monument I want to visit before we head home on December 1st!! Keep following along, there is never a dull moment in this crazy amazing RV Life adventure!
