Montezuma’s Well

I traveled to Montezuma's Well on March 25, 2009. It was my first time visiting the well, even though I have lived in Arizona since 1995. The Well is a magical place. It's a sinkhole, that was created when a limestone cavern collapsed and filled with water. Over one million gallons of water flow through the well and the source of that water is still unclear. The water is a consistent 76 degrees fahrenheit, year-round. The well supports plants and animals found only there. There are leeches, amphipods (tiny, shrimp-like creatures), water scorpions, turtles and ducks living in this unique ecosystem. Due to the very high concentration of carbon-dioxide in the water, there are no fish in the well. They can't get enough oxygen.

Here's a photo of the Well. Note the ancient dwellings on the left.

The Well was habitated by the Hohokam and Sinagua peoples, respectively. Can you imagine finding this strange place for the first time? Must have been wondrous. The Well drains into Beaver Creek and the walk by the creek and the canal built by the Sinagua is beautiful. A few huge Arizona Sycamore trees hang over the creek.

On the drive back, we decided to travel through Jerome. Unfortunately, it was a little late in the afternoon and the town had pretty much closed down. On the drive back down, we saw a herd of pronghorn antelope. I used to see them often when traveling up north of Phoenix but I don't think I had seen any for at least 10 years. It was a cool sight.

Here's a photo of a pronghorn, courtesy of National Geographic.