please help me identify a cliff dwelling/historic site (Prescott: live, horse)

[HappyinAustin]

Howdy from Texas,

Years ago, I visited a historic Indian site that I think was around Prescott (but maybe not).

I call it a cliff dwelling, but I remember it wasn't in the side of a cliff (like Montezuma's Castle), but rather on sort of a land island. As I recall, the ruins were atop an extremely tall (hundreds of feet) column of land surrounded on all four sides by valleys, or one connected valley, I suppose.

I was just driving randomly out west, and I must have been directed to this place by a sign. So it must have been a state or national park/memorial what have you.

You viewed the ruins from flat land even with the top of the column. I remember thinking how dizzying even the view was.

I can't remember where this place was, or what it was called. It's driving me nuts!

Any suggestions? Thank you!

[AZDesertBrat]

Originally Posted by HappyinAustin

Howdy from Texas,

Years ago, I visited a historic Indian site that I think was around Prescott (but maybe not).

I call it a cliff dwelling, but I remember it wasn't in the side of a cliff (like Montezuma's Castle), but rather on sort of a land island. As I recall, the ruins were atop an extremely tall (hundreds of feet) column of land surrounded on all four sides by valleys, or one connected valley, I suppose.

I was just driving randomly out west, and I must have been directed to this place by a sign. So it must have been a state or national park/memorial what have you.

You viewed the ruins from flat land even with the top of the column. I remember thinking how dizzying even the view was.

I can't remember where this place was, or what it was called. It's driving me nuts!

Any suggestions? Thank you!

It sounds like you are thinking of Tuzigoot Nat'l Monument in Clarkdale which is on the other side of Mingus Mtn. from Prescott. I could be wrong but can't think of any other ruins from that description. You CAN wander among the ruins at Tuzigoot though, not just view from below.

[TheresaINaz]

I was thinking that they might mean Tuzigoot also! If you are up on the ruins, you can look down along the valley and see the fields and irrigation systems the natives used along the river.
Tuzigoot National Monument - Photos & Multimedia (U.S. National Park Service)

[AZDesertBrat]

Originally Posted by TheresaINaz

I was thinking that they might mean Tuzigoot also! If you are up on the ruins, you can look down along the valley and see the fields and irrigation systems the natives used along the river.
Tuzigoot National Monument - Photos & Multimedia (U.S. National Park Service)

Thanks for posting the website. I was too lazy, I guess.

[TheresaINaz]

Originally Posted by AZDesertBrat

Thanks for posting the website. I was too lazy, I guess.

Ha.....no problem! Tuzigoot is a pretty neat place to visit. Very rare when you can walk right around the ruins anymore.

[HappyinAustin]

You guys are sweet but I don't think that's it! Which is weird, because I looked at Google maps and I camped at Dead Horse State Park and visited Jerome on that trip....

Could it be the pictures aren't doing it justice? As I remember, you couldn't get top these ruins without climbing waay down and waayy up onto a tower of stone...

Thank you for your help!

[AZDesertBrat]

Originally Posted by TheresaINaz

Ha.....no problem! Tuzigoot is a pretty neat place to visit. Very rare when you can walk right around the ruins anymore.

I didn't know that. I live just a couple of miles from there but haven't visited in years. I guess I figured, seen in once seen it all? But then I've lived here off and on my whole life so I've seen about all there is to see here, more than once!

[AZDesertBrat]

Originally Posted by HappyinAustin

You guys are sweet but I don't think that's it! Which is weird, because I looked at Google maps and I camped at Dead Horse State Park and visited Jerome on that trip....

Could it be the pictures aren't doing it justice? As I remember, you couldn't get top these ruins without climbing waay down and waayy up onto a tower of stone...

Thank you for your help!

Other than Montezuma's Castle, Tuzigoot is the only ruin like that in the area. There ARE ruins in many many of the cliffs around the Valley but nothing like those two. It's between Jerome and Dead Horse Park so that HAS to be the one you're talking about. Can't think of any other.

[Esenjay]

There are some ruins off the highway out between Jerome and Cottonwood, I think--can't remember the name, but they may be what you're thinking of?

[HappyinAustin]

I looked at Google satellite images between Jerome and Cottonwood and nothing rang a bell (but I remember driving that road up to Jerome!)

I sure appreciate everyone weighing in.

This place was stunning. Imagine a tin can with the top off. In the middle of the tin can is a vertical piece of pipe about an inch in diameter and the same height as the can. That's how I remember the shape of this place, with the pipe the tower of stone and the ruins atop it. The rimrock of the canyon is the top edge of the canyon.

I wish I could describe it better. I drove from Austin out to Cali and all over Arizona and New Mexico, and so it may just not near y'all--

But if you could please keep thinking! Thank you!