“I’ve been everywhere, man / Crossed the deserts bare, man / I’ve breathed the mountain air, man / Travel, I’ve had my share, man” – Johnny Cash
Today was a day that seemed to go on forever (in a good way). We woke up in Tuscon, visited Montezuma Castle, Montezuma Well, Tuzigoot, and ended up in Sedona, AZ. It was a lot to take in in one day! Each place has its own unique character and although we did our best to learn their stories there’s no way we could begin to do them justice here, but I’ll give it my best shot.
After filling up on coffee at the Palomar in Phoenix we headed North and a couple hours later pulled into the fullest parking lot we’ve seen at a National Park so far this trip. Montezuma Castle National Monument was crawling with people, there was even a tour bus at one point. This came as a bit of a shock since every other site we’ve visited this trip has been nearly abandoned. It must have been the convenient location midway between Phoenix and Flagstaff just a couple miles off I-17 that brought in the crowds. The “castle” itself was impressive in how well it was maintained. According to the signage the structure had not been rebuilt like most of the other cliff dwellings and pueblos we’ve seen. It was rediscovered, nearly intact, by settlers in the area and since then only preventative maintenance has been completed to allow the structure to maintain its integrity. Nearby, another dwelling known as Castle A lies mostly in ruins due to a fire roughly 500 years ago. However, it is clear from the markings in the cliff that this structure was originally even larger than the park’s namesake dwelling.
Our next stop was the Montezuma Well Unit of the Monument. Although the two parts share a name and governance there are some major differences is what they protect. There are some ruins near the well, but to me the geology of the area was what I found most impressive. Over a million gallons of water per day enter the well from an underground spring that is fed by water that last fell as rain thousands of years ago. The well itself has seen little change over the last 1,000+ years is still a valuable source of water for irrigation of the surrounding area. The well is also home to 5 animal species that are not found anywhere else in the world.
Before heading on to the next stop I prepared some PB&J’s (no C’s today 😞). A quick half hour or so later we pulled into Tuzigoot National Monument. We walked into the Visitor’s Center and Ellie displayed her 4th grade pass. Brian, the volunteer on duty welcomed us all and presented her with a scorpion postcard and Tuzigoot pin. The girls picked up junior ranger packets and we made our way around the museum admiring the quantity and variety of everyday items on display that had been excavated from the mesa top pueblo. We saw and read about pottery of all types produced locally and across the Southwest, clothing fragments, drill bits, needles, materials for making wool, and dozens of others.
As we prepared to head outside to see the pueblo Brian offered to take us on a tour of the site. Of course, we jumped at the opportunity to have someone along who could answer our questions and interpret what we were seeing. To me the most impactful part was the one room of the pueblo that had been reconstructed with a ceiling in place. Although we’ve visited many similar pueblos I hadn’t been able to really visualize what it would have been like to live in one of these places until I had this roof over my head. It was surprisingly houselike and comfortable, I think that with the addition of electricity and running water I’d be just fine living there.
Our final destination for the day was Sedona. Although we haven’t seen much of the town yet we’ll get more of a chance to tomorrow. We’ll be heading out for a longer like first thing in the morning. We did manage to squeeze in Kimpton wine hour #3 of the trip along with a large contingent of computer programmers. We also had a great dinner at The Hudson where we were given the option of waiting an hour or being seated around a large and cozy area. I think it was the first burger I’ve had this trip and it was worth waiting for. The girls and I also got in a little nightswimming and star gazing this evening. We’re off to bed now and anxious to see what adventure tomorrow will bring.
