The Apache Death Cave, Walnut Canyon National Monument, Sunset Crater & Wupatki National Monument

The Apache Death Cave, Walnut Canyon National Monument, Sunset Crater & Wupatki National Monument

OK. This was quite a trip. And I made it up the morning I went, piecing together a bunch of places I had wanted to visit for a while now. I packed the truck with camping gear, and hit the road.

First up was Two Guns, Arizona. Two Guns is an interesting location. It's filled with abandonded stone buildings and lots and lots of graffiti. But the history is there, if you know where to look. Just outside the abandoned gas station in Two Guns is a rather nondescript stone building. And just outside that building is a hole in the ground. It doesn't look like much, but this hole in the ground has a terrifying history. This is the Apache Death Cave. The Apache Death Cave is exactly what it sounds like. An Apache raiding party used the Apache Death Cave as a hideout. From this hidden encampment, they launched raids on nearby Navajo encampments. The Navajo eventually found the cave and started a fire, blocking the Apache in the cave and ultimately killing them. All 42 of them. I tried not to think about this when I was in the Apache Death Cave. I'll let the video speak for itself on the cave itself.

After the Apache Death Cave, I headed to Walnut Canyon National Monument. Walnut Canyon showcases the most Native American riuns that I have ever seen in one location. The canyon is dotted with these ruins. Walnut Canyon National Monument is a short stop, but definitely worth it.

Next up it was Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument. I saw Sunset Crater on the drive in, but messed up and drove past the path leading to Sunset Crater itself. That's fine, because I still got to take a short hike through the lava fields and look at the surrounding volcanic landscape. Parts are like walking on the moon.

If you continue on the main road inside Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, you come across several Pueblos. The first was the Wukoki Pueblo. The Wukoki Pueblo is amazing. It reminded me of the Desert View Watchtower at the Grand Canyon, only the Wukoki Pueblo is an actual ruin and not a modern structure.

Shortly past the Wukoki Pueblo was Wupatki National Monument. Wupatki National Monument is a enormous ancient pueblo. It features a ball court, kiva and even a blow hole. The Wupatki National Monument is yet another site worth the drive.

On the way back to the highway, there were two more pueblos you can visit, as well as a few trails and a picnic area. But by then, it was starting to get late and I had to get going.

All of these sites were easily completed in a single day. An amazing day, to be sure.

Music by Epidemic Sound:

Drop Dead - Van Psyke
Misty Land - Headlund
Got No More Time - Red Revision
Don't You Wanna Know - Staffan Carlen
I Won't Be Turned - Sylvia Peyton

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Filmed on:

GoPro Hero 9 Black:

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Canon EOS R:

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Weebil S gimbal for your DSLR:

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