🌵 American West | Ghost Towns, National/State Parks, Camping, Off-Roading, History
Welcome to the Cactus Atlas! We are Glenn and Amy and invite you to join us as we visit all sorts of locations across the American West. We tour both natural and man-made attractions.
Our base of operations is in the Phoenix, AZ area. We do a lot of hiking, camping, and road trips in anything from national parks to remote locations in wide-open spaces. We hope to be a great resource if you are planning a trip to the American West.
Glenn handles the filming and bulk of video planning, while Amy takes over editing, comments, and social media. Together we also hope to delight you with our exciting adventures! Don't forget to check out our website, cactusatlas.com, for blogs, photos, and more information!
What a nice and picturesque little town. Like all the views, especially the railway station!! Thanks for the invite. Hi Amy. Thanks to you guys because I get to see other places and experience adventure s. Take care n on to the next one.
I enjoyed your Ajo, AZ area tour. The town of Ajo isn't at all what I expected. It is a pretty place, with everything neat and clean, and with streets cleverly laid out. Your comment about the 1970's copper miners' strike got me to wondering. In about 1970 I saw the Bisbee pit mine in operation, and still recall that the truck loads of ore coming out of the gigantic pit looked like sugar ants in comparison to the pit width! But I now wonder if that strike shut down all of these mines to this day?
Long time tucson resident and avid hunter and off reader. I've been away several decades now, snd I'm not a lawyer, but I recall state trust land is not private but often leased. ranchers, etc. the land must be accessible and usable to the public, following hunting regs, etc. very similar to BLM, but is not leased.
I really enjoy your videos, Glenn. I live in Arizona and love traveling all through the southwest being that you didn’t know it was the Colorado river and went a more direct route to I-70, can I assume you have not yet driven highway 128 (Upper Colorado River Scenic Byway) along the Colorado to I-70? The most beautiful stretch of road and a lot of areas to explore through Castle Valley and beyond.
I fly a drone as a hobby and use an app called Air Aware which helps me know where I can fly. It doesn’t include city ordinances so it’s not perfect but it is a good starting point for me to know if I might be able to fly. I looked at the area I think that you were in for the trust land and it looks like based on the app, that the national park designation supersedes the trust and you can’t fly there. You might want to still check with the park though because it is confusing for sure.
Really enjoyed your video, well done ! So i wont miss any I subscribed to your channel and you have enough back logged to keep me busy for a some time !
If man went and mined space for the infinite supply of what we have to work so hard for here on earth, all the value of those resources on earth would lose their value, they'd be deemed worthless due to the infinite supply which would crash and collapse the trade and stock markets, companies and moguls would go broke over night and we all know they'll never let that happen
Kayaking the Glen Canyon from the dam going downstream to to lees ferry VS black canyon from hoover dam to willow beach . Can you share your experience for people planning on doing either one or both ?
I grew up in Arizona and all the places I’ve seen and been to in Arizona, Montezuma Well is by far my favorite. I often have a difficult time explaining to people the subtle beauty of that magical place and it fills my heart with joy to hear the descriptions in this video. Thank you. Thank you so so much for telling the story of this beautiful place that is so precious to my heart.
You're so very welcome! We completely agree. There's something very special and calming about the well. Especially along the lower trail in the trees on a summer day. 🙂
I remember always being so surprised about people that just drove right by or made fun of it for not being as spectacular as the castle. I remember one time I took my kids up there, which was a very, very long time ago. Anyway, as my kids were running around and exploring, I stood by the pit house, closed my eyes and meditated and take myself back to the time of the people that lived there. I swear this one time I could actually hear the soft murmur and laughter in the air and in the wind of the spirits that are there. I know it sounds crazy and maybe it was my imagination getting away with me, but I don’t think so. I’ve been to just about every single Native American Roan in Arizona and the one thing I always do is ask their permission to be there. I tell them I will treat their home with respect and I will not take anything. Incredibly I live in Evergreen Colorado now and I miss Arizona every day. I just found your videos. I’ve also watched your videos on the Crack At Wet Beaver Creek and Lee’s Ferry. Of course as teenagers, we all giggled uncontrollably at the name, Wet Beaver Creek. I’m 68 years old now, but as a teenager in the 70s I had the entire state of Arizona as my playground. My friends and I were able to explore Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon before it was commercialized. We used to drive around Arizona and throw packs of wildflower seeds into the wind hoping we would be able to come back and see the wildflowers blooming. Anyway, thank you so much. I am so excited I found you and look forward to watching more of your beautiful videos. Maureen
Everything.....EVERYTHING comes from mining and farming, period! So if anyone wants to complain about an open pit mine or whatever, just tell them to give up their car, phone, food and the clothes on their back...
The fact is very simple, most of the mining operations are owned/controlled by a handful of people. When labour strikes in one region, they close the mine and increase production in another location. I've lived in Arizona for 60 years, this is a regular tactic. The ore will be there, just shift the market from north to south America.....RF
Ajo an amazing name, with various "meanings". The way I understood what it meant was by an old Mexican. Seems before mining and all that there, there was a house of I'll repute. So when the Spanish or Mexican needed a day of R/R, they'd go there and looking for an a ho 🤔 😂. Then it turned into a big ho in the ground.😊 It is a shame with how the earth was treated there and other places around the world. Now they make you fill them back up. Before anything starts you have to get a permit. Fly over and take pictures. Carefully remove all fauna, GPS where it came from, place in a "greenhouse " in the area, and replant after you fill back in. In the exact spot. It isn't cheap anymore to mine. So when people start complaining about a new mine going in, and how they're going to rape the earth and make gobs and gobs of money, I know they haven't done there research. This is why the Bible says we've become a covetous nation. We go there and rape their land. Anyway...peace.
Spectacular as always Next time u go to West Texas near Marfa Check out Pinto Canyon Road You take a paved Ranch road south for several miles Then off road for maybe about 15 miles to Ruidosa along the Rio Grande
Well, dang! I'm guessing the water must fluctuate quite a bit. It's quite an experience to walk through when dry but knowing it's not supposed to be that way... 😔
We are new subscriber to your channel and find these broadcast not only informational but also very educational, I will be telling my friends and family to subscribe to your channel. PS My husband is a schoolteacher, and said he's learned quite a bit about the history of Arizona. Also we travel Arizona quite a bit. Keep up the good work!😀
Not to belabor the point, but when we started strip mining, we didn't know the long-term ramifications. The best we can do is learn from our mistakes and move forward-and now I'm off my soapbox. Thanks for another amazing trip around Arizona!
Excellent! Brings back memories. Been all over Az., lived 50 years there. The desert was my teacher. Thank you for sharing . Love it. Great music also.
I agree. I have a similar love/hate appreciation for mines. I don’t like them but don’t know what else can be done. I think there’s a lot in life, our society, and our planet that just have a lot of that gray area of good/bad and what the heck do you do.
100%. Our needs for the resources in our ground have changed as populations increase and technology advances. The game plan likely has to keep changing. 😑 It's hard to know what the answer is.
Thx for the video... yep ......our consumables are either grown or mined,.....when we are done mining on this planet.....lets move to the next one......our survival depends on it 😁
I may be asking before i watch the video and you may have answered a possible question but do you need to reserve before arriving or can we arrive and pay for the campsite?
It is a VERY popular campground and usually full every night so it is highly advised to reserve beforehand. I believe off-season (Nov-Feb) that it is first-come first-served.
Glenn, I thoroughly enjoyed your video presentation. Very informative and I've seen many vids and docs over the years about the wild, wild West. I grew up in San Diego and driving into Arizona to hunt or visit or passing through to go east, I never once stopped in Tuscon, Dodge City, Tombstone, or the Grand canyon! Lol I'm 71 now, living in Idaho. I don't think I'll ever get the chance, unless it's for one of my best friend's funeral in Phoenix.. ( In case he goes before me) I always loved westerns and all that. The movies, tv shows like Rawhide, Gunsmoke, and the Wild Wild West. Our favorite flick of all time hands down is "Tombstone"!!! Val Kilmer IS Doc Holliday! Anyway, sorry for ramblin on. Thank you for a well done video. Especially loved the predawn lights. Excellent.
No need to apologize. We enjoy hearing from people. 😊 Tombstone is a favorite in our house. Rarely a week goes by that we're not quoting a line from it. 😅 So glad that you enjoyed our video!
As you leave Shafter towards presidio, about a mile or so, are some deep drop- offs, as you peer down the depths you will see abandoned mines, a deteriorating wooden ladder lying on the ground. Don't miss elephant rock!!
I explored Agua Caliente in 1962 or63 with my dad and older brother. At that time rumor was that it had been abandoned in the early Fifties. We lived on a big corporate farm about 25 miles northwest of there. That farm had 15 to 20 irrigation wells, two of those discharged water at about 110 degrees. In talking with other farmers between that place and the hot springs there were a few other wells which also pumped hot water. They all played roughly on a line pointing to Agua Caliente. Not the whole aquifer, but an underground river of heated water got used up before it reached the resort.
You’re in my neighborhood 😃 We live in Panther Junction (husband works here for Big Bend in Utilities). We love watching any of your videos but this morning was super exciting to see you here in our backyard!
