Photo Journey Through Arizona Ep.2: Montezuma Well (TONS OF PICS)

Just a short drive from Montezuma Castle there is a really awesome place called Montezuma Well. This is another ancient native American site that is important to the local tribes. Also this is one of the places you can visit for free if you happen to be in the area.

There is a short trail leading up to the rim of the well...

The surrounding area is sparse shrub land with hard sandy soil. Very little water falls in this area as you can probably imagine.

The actual depth of the well is unknown since there is a false bottom created by swirling sands. Estimates range from 55 to the sandy bottom down 120 feet deep if you want to reach the vents. Water is forced up daily through the bottom of this natural phenomenon.

There are even 4 unique species that only exist in this well.

As I approached the rim I noticed some pueblo houses perched right under the edge. They are created in the same Sinagua building style that I saw at the Montezuma Castle site- they are clearly culturally related.

I imagine that the walls would have been covered with fresh mud in order to insulate and decorate the exterior while in use. These settlements have been abandoned for 600+ years.

Next door there was at least one smaller room.

Looking over the rim the view was quite spectacular. There is some algae growth on top as well as some ducks.

The rim is about a 30 foot drop down to the water. The rocks that surround the crater are very crumbly looking.

Don't worry though, there are plenty of railings to keep you from getting too close to the edge.

700-1000 years ago this valley was thriving with different tribal groups that established settlements and trade routes.

The natives used the materials that were around them to create shelters. This area had plenty of rocks, trees and mud to construct these houses.

Plenty of cactus around :)

There is a path down to the bottom of the well. I decided to check it out and see what was down at the bottom.

On the way down I saw this cactus growing out of a rock. I though that was pretty interesting, you don't see that very often.

There is another dwelling and a cave at the bottom! The temperatures are much cooler down here.

The cave is pretty rocky but seems to extend back quite a ways. I was really curious to know how it looked in there, but you aren't allowed to enter for obvious reasons.

There is a series of other rooms that are in pretty bad shape and only a few outlining walls left. The "doorway" between two of these rooms is extremely small- approximately 20 inches tall.

This sign gives more information about the cave and the houses that surrounded it.

At the opposite side from where I entered, at the bottom of the well there is the overflow point. The extra water that fills the well daily ends up flowing into a creek behind the rocks. I'll have to climb back up to the rim to see where it goes.

The water originates from the north where rain, snow and ice melts contribute to the watershed. This flows down to here where it runs into a large stone wall underground that forces it to the surface. About 10% of the water volume is replaced daily by some estimates.

The view from across the well at the bottom. You can see the houses under the rim from this vantage point.

Once I get back to the top I noticed that there were even more ruins of what look to be Sinagua style buildings. This area had quite an elaborate floor plan with plenty of space to spread out.

More than a dozen individual rooms or buildings comprised this space. This area was at the center of a major crossroads for travel and trade.

The walls were formed from large stones found nearby that were most likely excavated from the well itself. They used rough stones that were stuck together with mud mortar and probably sealed with mud on the exterior.

We must remember to preserve and appreciate ancient sites like this because they are an important part of our American history.

Just below the hill there is a creek that forms from the runoff water from the well. This area is very lush and shady compared to the surrounding harsh desert heat.

Stone steps were build for the park that lead down to the creek. Plenty of plants grow in this area due to the extra water and this allowed natives to forage local plants or hunt animals that frequented the watering holes.

The water that flows out is cool and clear after being filtered by the rocks and sand. Although it is not fit for human consumption scientists later learned because of its high arsenic content. Fish also do not live in the well because of its unnaturally high CO2 concentration.

Down at the creek it looks like a completely different landscape. Tall grasses and cattails are growing by the edge alongside massive trees.

If you are ever in Arizona you should check out some of the local native American sites. It is amazing what you will discover when you go out and look :)

Episode 1, Part 1- Montezuma Castle

Episode 1, Part 2- Montezuma Castle