Besh-Ba-Gowah | Apache Trail | Tonto

Monday | 23 October 2000 | Tempe, Arizona: We had a VERY exciting day and I am afraid this journal entry will be quite long and will happily include many beautiful and interesting (to me) photographs... I hope you enjoy it, and never forget it is, after all, MY CAMPING JOURNAL!
 
Though it was a bit cloudy this morning, the day was warm and promising as we started our drive to Globe, Theodore Roosevelt Dam, Tonto National Monument and then back to Phoenix via the Apache Trail. We loaded the BC2 with cameras, binoculars, water and snacks in full knowledge we were setting out for a full-day adventure. We headed east on Highway 60 to Globe. Globe is a bit worse for wear, but started as a booming gold and silver mining town, before settling down to mining its real mother-lode: copper. But 800 years ago, the Hohokam, and later the Salado Indians, built a huge (1,400 people) village here called (later by the Apache) Besh-Ba-Gowah, or "city of metal". The site was a popular settlement area for years because of a steady water supply, the diversity of natural food resources and a climate which provided a long growing season for crops.

DT in the remains of the once-covered central corridor

The only entry to Besh-Ba-Gowah was through a central corridor. It was once a narrow, windowless passage - and completely covered - leading into the large open-air plaza that was the center of activity within the pueblo. The pueblo was built in several stories. Many of the ground floor rooms were used for storage as upper stories were added for living areas. The roofs were also used as food-drying areas and living spaces. A few rooms were dug several stories below the ground, and probably used as ceremonial rooms, as they were lined with rows of benches to hold many people. Several of these rooms have been almost completely "restored/recreated" and contain the types of tools and pottery, which were excavated at the site. Most of the site remains unexcavated. The adobe which once covered the stone walls making them smooth-sided, has eroded away.

A re-created room


The ruins - these walls were once smooth-sided and covered by adobe clay

After a spin through the gift shop and a viewing of the short film in a room warmed by a nice fireplace, we headed back to Globe for lunch. The volunteer at Besh-Ba-Gowah recommend we have lunch at La Casita and to be sure to try the jalapeno poppers. So we did. The poppers were homemade! I think this is the first time I have had stuffed jalapenos that were home made - the fiery pepper is stuffed with cheese, battered and deep-fried. I am sure the calorie content was off-the-charts. (I could never actually LIVE in Arizona - I would weigh 300 pounds.)
 
Sufficiently satisfied with a nice meal and cheered by the friendly and very pretty waitresses at La Casita, we headed to Highway 88 and to the Tonto National Monument. The landscape in this area is very beautiful - very mountainous with the mountainsides covered in huge rocks, saguaro, agave and prickly pear cactus, mesquite trees, and hundreds of just-bloomed yucca. The guidebook says to stop at about 25 miles from Globe and look up to the cliff-side to the left. We did and below is what we found:

Upper Dwellings, Tonto National Monument

This may not be the greatest photo in the world, but considering it is taken from TWO MILES away, you must appreciate the effort. The Tonto National Monument holds two cliff dwellings. The Upper Dwelling, pictured above is only accessible a few months of the year and you must be accompanied by a ranger for a special tour... but the LOWER dwelling is open to anyone willing to hike straight uphill for half a mile. We were happy the day was not too warm, it made the "little jaunt" very pleasant, and it was wonderful to be able to be surrounded by the towering saguaro!

The Lower Dwellings at Tonto National Monument


The Lower Dwelling close-up. Notice the black cave ceiling from eons of smoke

There is a self-guided tour through the 13th century Salado Indian cliff dwellings. The Salado were not as skilled as building cliff dwellings as the Pueblo Indians from the Colorado area, according to the literature, but they looked pretty good to me. Because they were built into a cave which receives virtually no direct sun, combined with the dry Arizona weather, the site is incredibly well preserved. Even woven cotton fabrics were found intact. (The Salado grew/traded cotton and wove it into thread.) There was also only one entry, up a long ladder. There was a room at the top of the ladder for a guard to rest while he watched for intruders. In times of trouble, the ladder would simply be pulled up and no one could enter. Much of the adobe still is in place and fingerprints can be seen in the dried clay. The roof of the cave is still black from smoky fires. Here, you almost have the feeling you are snooping around someone's house while they have stepped out.

A beautiful view to the Salt River Valley with ocotillo, cholla and saguaro cactus


Another vista from the lower dwelling, east to the Salt River Valley

Some time around 1400 the dwellings were abandoned - the same time the Hohokam people abandoned Casa Grande. Scientists are not sure what happened to the Salado and Hohokam peoples. It was once believed they were forced to leave because of the invading Apache, but it was then discovered the Apache did not arrive in this area until much later. So now the possibilities range from saline in the water table to climatic changes. I think maybe they decided it was just too damned hot.

Another cruise through another gift shop - National Parks Service gift shops always have the most interesting collection of books! The ranger was friendly, talkative and very informative. We had him to ourselves and he showed us photos of all the animals seen around the parking area of the monument: Javalinas, snakes, gila monsters, deer, skunk, ringtails, bats, bobcat, and cougar are a few I remember. It was an incredible collection of photos! He said the most-often asked question is one I posed: Where did these cliff-living people go to the bathroom?  They think the Indians used a "communal area" at the base of the cliff for several years at a time, away from cooking and living areas.
 
It was getting late and we still had to visit the Theodore Roosevelt Dam and Reservoir, and drive the famed Apache Trail. Flanked by the Mazatzal and Sierra Anchas mountain ranges, the reservoir is a favorite for bass anglers, water-skiers, campers and boaters. We drove through the campground and were impressed to see that each campsite had its own covered cabana, complete with picnic table. Desert camping!

Theodore Roosevelt Dam

Theodore Roosevelt Dam is the largest masonry dam on the planet. Teddy Roosevelt hisownself visited the dam and drove the Apache Trail. He proclaimed the Trail "the most awe-inspiring and most sublimely beautiful panorama nature ever created" - and this from a guy who had visited many scenic places including Yosemite, The Grand Canyon and Yellowstone. I really have to agree with Teddy - the Apache Trail IS awe-inspiring. It is also unpaved and I would not recommend you drive this route in a RV. (I am serious.) The Trail basically follows a native-people's route through the mountains, which later became a stagecoach route and then, in 1906 was further developed to move construction supplies to build the dam. We were surprised the road was not paved, but as we traveled the unpaved 21-mile portion we realized it would have all washed-out every time it rained anyway... so why bother. Here is the most dramatic photo of the day - it shows the vista and the trail:

The Apache Trail

Now you understand why it was the most wonderful of unpaved roads!  With every turn and twist of the road we were rewarded with another fabulous scene. Several times, because of the rains of the past days, we had to drive through rushing washes - the BC2 has all-wheel drive - which was quite a little adventure!  We passed many signs proclaiming, "Watch for Animals", but we only saw a few head of cattle, a crow and a heron.

 
Views from the Apache Trail

As we drove into the old, famed stagecoach stop at Tortilla Flat, the now-paved road was completely covered with a running river over the road! It was also getting dark, so we did not stop (though a beer did sound good) but continued through the town of Apache Junction (winter RV town and home base of RVing Women) and back to Tempe. We had an unmemorable meal at a chain restaurant near campus, Ruby Tuesday.  But... they were having a special on Ice Tea of the Long Island variety.  $2.75 for a pint of "tea". Ahhh. Just what this cowgirl needed to get the trail dust out of her throat.