Tag Archives: National Park Service

My husband and son at the trail’s entrance

Water partially fills the well

There is something wonderful about exploring your own backyard. We took a Sunday drive from our home in Peoria, Arizona to visit the Verde Valley. In less than two hours, we had escaped the Valley heat and travelled to an elevation of 3560 feet to visit Montezuma’s Well,  a detached unit of Montezuma’s Castle National Monument. Montezuma’s Well is a collapsed travertine dome that partially fills with water rising deep from the ground and exits through a swallet or channel in the travertine. An estimated 1.6 million gallons of water flows daily through four vents at the bottom of the well,  eventually emptying out into an irrigation ditch on the other side. The National Park Service reports that some parts of the ditch are believed to be 1000 years old. To visit Montezuma’s Well is to walk in the footsteps of history. The legacy of the Sinaguan Indians can be seen in the cliff dwellings that are carved into the limestone walls of the well. The land is still considered sacred and you can feel the energy of the people who once called this area home. It is a beautiful hike and definitely worth the trip.  For more information about Montezuma’s Well, visit the website of the National Park Service, https://www.nps.gov/moca/planyourvisit/exploring-montezuma-well.htm

Looking out over Montezuma’s Well

Ruins of cliff dwellings in the limestone rock

There is a lot to be said for exploring your own backyard. A day trip can offer a simple, but enjoyable retreat from your everyday routine.  No matter where your travels may take you in the days and weeks ahead, I pray that you are safe and that the memories you create are filled with joy

Happy Travels!

Sheryl Brooks