I Found This On Google Earth and Don't Have Any Idea On What It is

#googleearth #exploring #thetrekplanner #ruins #ancienthistory #explore
Note: you may have noticed that I had the premier of this video set for Saturday. After doing a little bit more searching, I found some new things I wanted to add to the video before posting it :-)
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I found this rectangular object on Google Earth then we hiked to it. What is it? If I had to guess, I would say that this thing is very old. Who made it? This appears to be older than a hundred years and I doubt a rancher would go to the trouble of creating a 6ft. thick rock wall fortress to just hold their cattle or some horses on top of a remote mountain. This thing seems to be defensive. A possible fort or fortress, perhaps?
It is still in excellent condition. The walls are still standing, except in two spots. I've never seen anything like this before.
I hope you enjoyed this adventure. Thank you for being part of The Trek Planner! I have lots more to come!
Music by Slip.stream - civva "Journey" - slip.stream/tr...

[@hansenaz53]

This site is known as "Fort below Aztec Pass" as named by Fewkes in 1912. The reference can be found on-line. I've been there too, and it's impressive that the walls show so little change in over 100 years (since it's "modern discovery"). There are several other notable ruins in the vicinity.

[@mongo4utube]

I couldn't find it online. How about a link?

[@hansenaz53]

@@mongo4utube Google search the name I gave. PDF is first listing...

[@ross798]

@@mongo4utube uair.library.arizona.edu/system/files/usain/download/azu_si_21_a_ar_47_w.pdf

[@deadredeyes]

@@mongo4utube It's on page 47 on the PDF that Steve talked about: uair.library.arizona.edu/system/files/usain/download/azu_si_21_a_ar_47_w.pdf

[@KimberlyCachanilla]

@@deadredeyes thanks for sharing the link it’s so Inter

[@danielrobbins349]

My father used to take me hunting and hiking thru the mountains here in Idaho. They are my most treasured memories. That boy will never forget that you took your time to spend it with him. 😊

[@TheTrekPlanner]

It was the best part! 🙂

[@danielrobbins349]

@@TheTrekPlanner I think it's awesome. He clearly loved it. ☺️

[@Cykyn]

I still have distant memories, 49 years ago, of horse back riding with my dad in the mountains when i was 4. 😢😊

[@SilentKnight43]

I used to take my young daughters on urbex to several abandoned factories and industrial places for photography. They loved it and still speak fondly of it these days as adults. Your young guy will remember these outings. Cool video, too.

[@mikewilliams1993]

You take care of that boy

[@thekarmafarmer608]

We have many of these in Scotland with the same construction and in similar placements. They were used for putting sheep into for processing such as shearing, dosing or other. This may explain the small dip near the door for a pool. Encampments or fortresses commonly were built more ergonomically so as not to attract attention from below. Straight lines breaking the horizon are a bit of a no no for fortresses. However, it could also have been a shieling. If the floor appears built up it could be roofing materials having collapsed. What a fantastic experience you and your lad had! Great job. And, a beautiful area.

[@lisapetersburg3497]

It made me think of the wall construction of the brochs in Scotland. Stacked stone outer layers with a midden fill.

[@smallhelmonabigship3524]

But why build it on top of a high hill that would be difficult to drive sheep into? If it was for sheep, it would make sense to put it lower down with easier access near a water source where you can fill the dip pool. How are you going to fill the pool on top of a mountain in the middle of a desert? Where I live, sheep shearing and cleaning is always done near where you can load them into trucks.

[@thekarmafarmer608]

@@smallhelmonabigship3524 Hi. Well, I can only speak for Scotland but the sheep are as easy to round up a hill as they are down, when they are hill sheep. There may have been a spring source there at one time that has since dried up. Or perhaps in comes in the spring with the rain. A long time ago the processing was done wherever the sheep grazed. It wouldn`t make any sense to round them into a corral to be loaded onto anything. They were simply processed where they were confined for a short period, and then released again. It also would be used by them in the event of severe weather. If you were loading then of course you would round them straight into a truck and there were no trucks back then anyway.

[@paulpaxtop1580]

6ft thick walls for sheep? Unlikely

[@smallhelmonabigship3524]

@@thekarmafarmer608 If you shear them on top of a mountain, then you have to carry all the wool down the mountain. I don't see purpose of it. If there were no trucks, then all the more reason to shear them where it is convenient instead of on a mountain top. In the desert, even during the monsoon season, there is unlikely to be enough rain fall on the top of a mountain to fill a basin to dip sheep. If that were the purpose, then you would locate your holding pen near a wash where you could collect enough rain fall to fill a basin. Springs don't appear on top of a mountain as they are gravity fed.

[@theeddorian]

The wall has what I have heard described as a rubble core construction where two parallel walls are built, and the interior is packed with rubble of smaller stone. That type of construction is known from ancient Puebloan structures. It is common in many regions around the world.

[@bostonrailfan2427]

it’s also incredibly difficult to breach because of the dirt/sand filling the spaces between the rocks absorbing blows and can be built easily and fairly quickly compared with multiple other methods…

[@pizzafrenzyman]

tis possible

[@dougs7367]

Yep even the Incas with the their incredible precisely joined "jigsaw puzzle" stone walls used this technique

[@relaxingnature2617]

@@dougs7367 the incas claim they didn't build the fancy walls , they built the more basic walls

[@LionAndALamb]

There are hundreds of structures like this in varying degrees of decay in the northern hills of Arizona and New Mexico. They usually sit at the top of a hill, creating a small stronghold for a family to sleep.

[@notflanders4967]

Im fascinated with old structures like this. To imagine the people that used it, their way of life, and reasoning behind being there, and where they went... It's all so much fun to ponder, yet kind of depressing in a way. I just wish we knew more, but that's the fun of it I suppose.. Thanks for sharing! New fan here

[@lawrencewillard6370]

As a stonemason, I see something that required lots of time and help. A rubble filled wall is prone to 'belling' out and collapsing, so it needs to be thick. Not a quick build for animal protection, but a fortification. A roof would be needed to make it work. Did see cut 'logs' on your way up, so that place is known.

[@iguanaamphibioustruck7352]

I have seen those type of walls before around Moab and around 6000 feet above sea level. Again, on top or Cummings Mesa near Navajo mountain. It would be interesting to see how your area relates to an overlay of Lake Bonneville (around 10 thousand years ago.)

[@adriaanboogaard8571]

I think it's great that you take your young Man exploring with you. There's a guy on You Tube that goes looking for WWII History and he takes his Daughter and son mostly his son who he nicknamed Eagle eyes because he finds things the rest don't. My Dad called me his big helper. Enjoy the time while you can . They grow up so fast.

[@daveh893]

Great video. You come across so many ruins, it's amazing. Thanks for sharing this "structure"

[@lawsonstone-jazzandstuff134]

It is a standard technique in drystone masonry to construct the wall with two outside layers of larger stone that are then filled in with smaller stones. This allows the wall to shift if the ground under it should shift. Any textbook on drystone masonry will explain this. It isn't the mark of a particular period, but is a kind of intuition that people everywhere developed in trying to work with this kind of stone.

[@k1j2f30]

It's really a brilliant method of constructing walls using the type, or shape of stone, available in that area, it makes for very strong and stable walls! Such a simplistic design also allows for fairly quick builds, compared to other more complex designs. I think, if were building a wall in that same area and had no experience in building structures, had no help from books, internet or an experienced person to help me....I would probably build many failed walls before I figured out this design, with the slanted rocks on the inside and outside faces of these walls. If the walls are pushed on from either side, the slanted rocks are forced down into the center gravel/dirt fill. This action resists wall failure and to some extent, will make the walls even stronger! It's BRILLIANT!!

[@ashemgold]

I'm sure it would kill any wind intrusion as well.

[@nufosmatic]

I'm thinking a US Army signal station. During the Apache war the Apache's kept cutting down the telegraph lines that the Army used to communicate between posts. General Pershing took a page from Greek and Persian history and resurrected the Heliostat, a signal mirror, placed on hilltops around the region, to signal using sunlight during the day and fires at night. The bulge in the center of the fortification would allow the Heliostat full view while providing some protection from direct attack. I couldn't find a reference to the specifics of this technique. Pershing was working out of Fort Huachuca, Arizona.

[@380Scania]

Its called dry stone walling lots of this style here in the UK. Some were used by farming communities for animals to be secured in.

[@TheArtistOfKuroo]

It is interesting to see that the technique of using larger face stones and smaller stones for "hearting" is common to the two cultures

[@Materialworld4]

Wow, thank you Dad, and Crew, that was an amazing fortress. This is just my opinion, but whoever built that went to an incredible amount of work to gather the material, and then construct it. From what I know of the American Southwest there were periods of incursions by ouside tribes into an established tribes territory. When that would occur the existing tribe would have to get into defensive positions to protect themselves and their families. With the built up area in the center of the structure it definitely appears they were looking down below to see if anyone was approaching. Truly, that structure, be it a fortress or something else was extremely impressive, and difficult to build. I Thank You Both for an amazing trip.

[@michigangeezer3950]

I didn't see evidence in the video of a platform having been present to elevate a shooter's line of sight over the edge of the walls which would indicate that this had a military purpose. Anyone inside would be left blind to approaching enemies. Further investigation may show it was a fort, but the video didn't lead me to that conclusion. That stream is also fatally far from the fort. Anyone making a mad dash to fill a few canteens would never come back.

[@yellowcat1310]

the enemy could just bypass the folks on the mountain top and let them die of thirst, and move in around them. forts seem to only be good as a base. anyway, whatevr they were, they are very interesting.

[@seeharvester]

It's an old corral. Sheep, cows, horse, whatever.

[@fergalohearga9594]

@@seeharvester Pretty thick walls for a corral, and no obvious opening ... also, the top of a steep hill, away from water, seems an odd choice for a corral. That being said, the construction looks relatively recent, like a lot of the thick 300-400 year old walls we have here in Ireland.

[@rhiconic]

You will see this type wall in the UK in most of the countryside areas we call it dry stone walling and they can last a very long time without maintenance so used a lot in areas like the Lake District , it takes great skill to build one.

[@martkbanjoboy8853]

That would explain the lack of wooden parts of the structure that someone snidely commented 'there's no wooden bits' as though that was proof of anything. The structure could be hundreds of years old.

[@k1j2f30]

Once you learn the secret to the design (slanted rocks on the inside and outside of each course, and a center gravel/dirt fill) I don't believe it would necessarily require "great skill." It's a simplistic, yet brilliant design, using the shape and size of the available rocks in this area! I'm not sure what type of rocks used in these walls are, but many appear to be flat like, and made from shale or chert.

[@garlandremingtoniii1338]

This is the the 3rd video of yours that I’ve watched. Starting with Gunlock Reservoir is overflowing. All 3 of them so far, have been absolutely outstanding!!

[@newvanmed2832]

Jeff. This ruin has the greatest number of foot print rocks I've seen in any of your videos. They are so common as to be completely overlooked! They appear to be casts made in mud molds using native cement. They are prominent in this video. AZ and NM have a layer of these footprints, rarely bare feet- mostly like a leather sandal or shoe print.

[@pure_awareness]

Well its drystone walling typical for walls here in England a method used for farmers land owners for 400 or more years

[@prospectorsoils1240]

yes very european

[@lisagoldberg5178]

What a great adventure the two of you had! What an amazing strucure. I think you are right about it being a defensive structure. Now, the question is, who built it?

[@denekin9]

the construction, large stones on the outside and inside with small stone filler in between , is how medieval castle were built.

[@TheTrekPlanner]

It did have that kind of feel to it

[@dalegray934]

In my work, I tell the new hires, "If you can't identify, describe." You did a great job of that.

[@michaelbaker3841]

Some hints: Chaco Canyon, NM has three different types of stone walls built during different periods. Likewise, Montezuma's Castle and other stone work in AZ, shows extensive walls built into a cliff face crevices. Casa Grande Ruins National Monument AZ has three story adobe ruins obviously built as a fortification. Best bet in this case is that it was built for observation, and if that's the case, check out adjacent hilltops. (A thousand years ago, Chaco was like Chicago is today, a center of commerce from New England to South America.)

[@wanaraz]

Looks like it could have been just a pen for animals.

[@wisecoconut5]

​@@wanaraz The build is overbuilt for a livestock pen. The effort to build it would not have been a prudent use of time or energy.

[@wanaraz]

@@wisecoconut5 I understand but maybe they did not have the funds or means to build anything else.

[@jimmyjambon9206]

@@wanaraz Location. Stockyards are never constructed at the top of such a hill.

[@wanaraz]

@@jimmyjambon9206 You could be right but a stockyard and a pen are a little bit different right?

[@Kloburste88]

Just curious, have you ever been contacted by any kind of academic groups for the purpose of studying any of the sites you've visited?

[@stankygeorge]

Academia does not want structures like these to be studied, they are a can of worms which has been avoided for centuries.

[@richarddaigle8777]

They aren't interested because it ruins the mainstream narrative. The "natives" did not build permanent structures as they migrated following the wild animals.

[@AlanDayley]

@stankygeorge What kind of worms would make academia avoid studying such structures?

[@stankygeorge]

@@AlanDayley Truth Worms, humans only know what they have been told to know! We know nothing about the true history of our past, try to trace your ancestry back past two generations, I cannot do it, on either sides of my family nor my spouses family.

[@chompers11]

@@AlanDayley ancient civs

[@SummerfallWinterspring]

I laughed at the 48-second Mark when you said there doesn't appear to be a trail as you are walking on a road. 🙃

[@littleoldmanrunning105]

This looks like a stock pen. These are very common in the hills where I live - Crete. The stone construction is pretty much the same as a lot of buildings, both for stock and for people, here. In fact, the wall of the building below my apartment (the apartment is concrete, the wall below is original stone) is exactly like that. The walls are built that way - wide, with larger stones on the outside, for stability. As you can see, it has withstood the weather really well for a long time. It seems like a lot of work to put in just for sheep, but this would also protect the shepherds and provide a base for looking after the stock - like hoof trimming, dagging, etc. As a fortification against an attacking enemy, the shape and size of the structure doesn't make a lot of sense. The length of the walls, and relative low height would require a large number of defenders. The narrowness of the structure means that the defenders would have very little room withing the structure to maneuver. A relatively small force could quite easily force the wall, and once the wall is breached, the defenders are now trapped. So the most likely use for this, I think, is for holding stock. ;-)

[@moreed7505]

But on top of a very large hill? Maybe goats?

[@theterminaldave]

@@moreed7505 I think goat like jumping and you'd think that a 6 foot wall with lots of texture to climb wouldn't be an issue, but I don't have any better ideas.

[@PaulaZF]

That’s why it looks familiar. I think I’ve seen similar in the ‘wilds’ of Greece.

[@1ACL]

Sheep

[@WJV9]

@@moreed7505 - sheep are all over the mountains in Ireland, Spain, Greece. Their cousins are called Mountain Sheep and they live in the tallest mountains in Alaska, Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Canada.

[@carlwest859]

Enjoyed the explore, and please consider taking drinking water, first aid kit and something to persuade the wildlife to behave when in remote areas. Waiting for the next one, take care.

[@TheTrekPlanner]

Thanks Carl!

[@alpineflier9961]

Truly good advice. Whenever I walk away from my car for a hike I will ask myself, "Do I have enough gear to spend the night in an emergency?" Regarding wildlife, the one close call I have had that truly frightened me was a feral cow that charged me from the brush while I was quail hunting. Luckily I had a tree nearby to duck behind. I backhanded her with my shotgun barrel as she ran by on the first charge. I spent the next five minutes trying to talk her into leaving me alone. Surprises tend to happen by surprise.

[@edhaynes4107]

@@alpineflier9961 I have never seen a quail hunting cow before. But seriously, aggressive cows/bulls do put my guard up. Unlike bear and mountain lions, the cows do not run away when they first notice me.

[@merk9569]

@@edhaynes4107. I have never heard of a cow charging a human before. Bulls, yes but never a cow! Gives me greater respect for the cowboys who rounded up the near feral cows!

[@leapinlizard9487]

@@merk9569 I had a Charolais cow charge my friend and me when we were in high school. We were trying to take pictures of her young calf and she came running out of a mesquite thicket, luckily we were close enough to my friend's truck to jump into the cab. This was on a large desert ranch in southern Arizona in the late '60's. Nothing more dangerous than a mother animal protecting her young, cows included.

[@random22026]

10/10 hike! 💯💯💯💯💯💯💯Go back! Great 'hiking along 'with you! Until the next one, 👋👋👋👋👋😊from England!

[@TravisJ-je6ub]

It could be an old sheep corral. Back in the days when they ranged sheep, sometimes they would need to corral them up due to inclement weather or some other reason.

[@JonJaeden]

I was thinking the same, but the walls look overbuilt for that ... 6-ft high and 6-ft wide.

[@Inlinetodie]

Never used for Corral or Grazing, you would be able to tell by the imprints, there is Zero Evidence this held animals, would see Fecal, Hooves and Rest area imprints...

[@davegrenier1160]

As Jon says, overbuilt. Also doesn't seem to have a gate. The openings in the wall appear to be due to the wall's collapse at those points. A corral would have had an intentionally-constructed gap, with a moveable gate to allow the passage of animals. Having to crawl over the wall isn't convenient for those using the structure, but it certainly also makes things difficult for an attacker, so the defenders/builders probably thought it was a good trade-off.

[@jonothandoeser]

That would be a LOT of work just for sheep.

[@kencochrane8795]

Tjat was my initial thought. But why 6’ tall in places and 6’ thick?

[@mcraw4d]

You should check to see if the doorway or walls align with any celestial events/objects. Also, there are SW sites/ruins that if you draw a line out from the walls they end up intersecting with other structures Mike’s away.

[@miloslavjungmann6836]

I hypothesize the roof was also stone held up by logs which later collapsed, giving the impression of a raised floor. Indian tribes used to raid each other for supplies over the winter, so I suspect specific tribes kept a cache of provisions and overwintered there, the thick walls kept them warm too. The nearby similar structure shows it was a 'thing' in the local area.

[@whiteprivilegedenier7459]

Any wrongdoing, aggression, attacks... Needs to be blamed on ethnic Europeans, or you are racist in modern times by suggesting that "Indians" committed violent attacks. We're taught in our schools that Indians were pure of heart, walking on water and living without flaw. Any other thought is hateful and racist.

[@OffGridBackcountryAdventures]

Right on, this is my backyard. I was just at that ruin yesterday! Visited a few more on the way back to my place. I have a few acres about 20 miles north of that location where I'm building out my homestead.

[@musiknbooks]

I'm so glad you brought some help with you this time. You and Crew make a good team! Enjoy your videos so much!

[@AveryChristy]

This isn't a fortress. It's a corral. We have these all over the place in New Mexico, but lower walls 'cause they were for sheep. This was probably for cattle. The ones for sheep were built by the Spaniard shepherds. The ones for cattle by the range hands. Then barbed wire fence came along and there was no longer need for these structures, or for people to live on the range and corral their herds for the night or against storms. If you look around that area, there's a good chance you'll find others some miles distance from this place. But, they still were used for sheltering the herd against bad blizzards.

[@ronharrison8978]

I was thinking the same thing. Also, the structure seems too well preserved to be old enough to have been built by native Americans. On the other hand, why would a rancher build a corral on top of a hill?

[@AveryChristy]

@@ronharrison8978 As I said, these things are all over the place in New Mexico. They are on the sides of hills, down by watering holes, up on hills, out in the middle of flat territory... It may also have served as a property marker back before fences -- that tree looks old enough. These were commonly used back during the days of the Open Range, when cattlemen and shepherds wandered with the herds over large areas, often intruding into land claimed by their neighbors. Fights over grazing and water often got ugly, hence the term "Range Wars". It could be this hill marked the boundary, and someone built it to keep the herds at night and to stake their claim.

[@Smytjf11]

That is super cool! Thank you so much for sharing! My dad and I did stuff like this when I was a kid. In hindsight, I wouldn't have had it any other way.

[@jlkelly2300bc]

Jeff, just wanted to take a minute to say thanks. My sweetheart and I have traveled extensively throughout Utah and the four corners area. We discovered your Trek Planner series quite by accident and we really enjoy your pictures, your comments and particularly your admonition to preserve each site. Again, thanks for your efforts, your obvious love of what you are doing. Almost makes me want to move back to an utah just to explore. Don’t think it’s gonna happen. I’ll be 80 years old next May. Think my wandering days are over, so I’ll just enjoy your episodes that much more. Thanks again.

[@davidvaughn7752]

This is not very old. It's in too good of shape to be from the Anasazi. They did not core-fill walls. Most likely late 19th c. stock pen for holding wild horses after they were rounded up from the range - had to be high and sturdy.

[@B30pt87]

Seems odd to me- rounding up horses,only to drive them all the way to the tops of mountains, to hold them there, far away from water?

[@davidvaughn7752]

@@B30pt87 Perhaps. Good point! It is definitely an enigmatic building, however I still think it is 19th C. in construction.

[@out-there-wondering]

it is from 1499-1000 AD

[@lovesloudcars]

Cool stuff. I would have liked to see about 1-2 minutes more of details of the walls at the end of the video. No visible roof structure pieces, likely more of a fortress. Too small , too well built and wrong location for animals

[@TheTrekPlanner]

I'll keep that in mind!

[@psum6537]

It would be awesome to do an archeological dig at that site.

[@jjra5126]

I really like your channel, a channel that I discovered recently. It is a pity that you can only limit your searches to a certain area but it is understood that there are obvious logistical problems due to the distance from your home. Google Earth has thousands of mysterious spots waiting to be investigated by amazing people like you. My congratulations, I send you a greeting from Spain

[@frankmacleod2565]

cool hike. interesting structure

[@alabamatechwriter6959]

U.S. MILITARY : An example of a signal station/ weather observatory is "Blockhouse on Signal Mountain (Oklahoma)," which you can search for. The blockhouse was actually a dwelling for the observers who conducted signalling outside. The one above is at Fort Sill, Oklahoma and still stands. I visited one long ago and it was at least 10 x 10 inside dimensions, so that accounts for the 14 x 16 outer dimensions for the one on signal mountain--the walls were about 3 feet thick. The structure explored here apparently had walls maybe 6 feet thick. The blockhouse had a door and I think two windows likely facing the direction of expected signals. The structure above seemed to have solid walls. Based on this comparison, I do not believe the structure here was a U.S. military signal station. ALTERNATIVE EXPLANATIONS : Without knowing the location, local history, and local archaeology there is really no good way to help identify what the structures are. Are they in the U.S. ? Canada ? What are the Lat-Long coordinates ? - INDIGENOUS STRUCTURE : As far as guessing, it COULD be a native structure, but why would they build on top of that hill/ mountain? Where was their source of water ? Food ? Hills would be windy and cold, but a rock rectangle with no openings would be difficult to enter for shelter. The same is true for a more modern provenance. - ANIMAL PEN : Could they be used for sheep, as some suggest ? Possibly, but did many sheep farmers choose that area to graze sheep ? Its possible, but then how did they raise and lower them over the thick 6-foot walls ? I am sure the walls would counter wolves, if they existed there, but the area looks rather challenging for sheep. How about goats? Would they lift goats over those walls every day ? - FOUNDATION : The rectangle looks a lot (to me) like a foundation for a building. It would support a rather large structure on its thick walls. But then -- who would build a rather large structure atop that hill/ mountain likely far from fresh water? -- Not I. Still, it looks more architectural than an enclosure. We need more information about the location of this structure.

[@jenniferstewarts4851]

"logisticlly" its wrong for a"fort" per say... it would be to easy to isolate... to small for a trade post. sheep herding wasn't that big or done that way in america. Military is the most likely not not as a fort. It could have been an observation post or signal relay point. observing wide area's and signaling signs of enemy movement or such. As such it would have a limited garrison, maybe only a dozen men, supplied by pack mule, its size might support 4-6 light field guns brought in and assembled. 6 pounders were often removed from their carriages, packed over rough ground then assembled.

[@alabamatechwriter6959]

@@jenniferstewarts4851 All great comments! I still would like to know the general location so we can narrow down the possibilities. Uppermost is whether it is on public or private land. A probable caveat is someone going there and disturbing or destroying portions of the wall for some silly reason.

[@jenniferstewarts4851]

@@alabamatechwriter6959 Oh ho ho... look up Fort Piute Different area but... There was a chain of small forts like this across the Mojave desert. triple thick walls, the larges of them being 60 feet long by 25 wide. and date between 1860 and 1880 occupied by no more then 18 men, and maybe 2-4 cannon. They were placed as lookouts, to command area's and guard watering holes.

[@alabamatechwriter6959]

@@jenniferstewarts4851 Thank you for your information. I acted on your suggestion and found several online references to Fort Piute (and its other names). CPT James H. Carleton (1st Dragoons, which was reflagged as 1st Cavalry in 1861) is said to have built Fort Piute in 1859 and that it was used until the early 1870s. An online museum called “militarymuseum” has a “FtPiute” page with a diagram of the fort drawn by the author (Colonel Herbert M. Hart, USMC, Retired) during a visit to the site. Hart described his impression of what remained of the fort: “Rock with which the area abounds was used in building the fort. Ground remains indicate at least three buildings or units were erected, the largest being a main building of several rooms. Measuring 60 feet long by 25 feet wide, it included rifle ports in the thick walls, deflecting shields in front of each door to prevent direct fire through the opening, and rock breastworks at strategic locations immediately outside. “There was a rock corral and a rock walkway to protect persons moving between the main building and the corral. “Another building, considerably smaller, may have been for a sentry or a cannon or as a shelter for users of the spring-the main reason for the host's existence. The water was cool and fast flowing within the canyon where it formed the creek if it was swallowed up by a thirsty desert within half a mile. “ The above indicates that regular openings and doorways were created as defensive features used to protect entrances, to fire outwardly, and to shelter interior movements. Comparatively, the structure visited in this video seems to have no openings or doorways even within interior walls. The main feature, however, was the spring in close proximity to the fort. Without it there would be no reason to build the fort. In contrast, a water source does not seem to be in the vicinity of the structure in the video unless one exists farther down in elevation. Beyond the lack of openings, the lack of water points to the structure as being something other than military. One caveat is that men and horses can walk to water, but how will they enter a doorless structure when they walk back? To understand Fort Piute, I looked at the War Department’s annual reports for 1858 to 1860 to bracket the period of its founding and saw nothing about the fort. One reason is that reports of that period were relatively brief, compared to later years, so only the most active places and events were described in any detail. Another reason is that while unit movements were listed in detail, only the senior officer was listed, thereby effectively masking the others present. CPT Carleton is mentioned only in 1860 when he commanded an expedition in the Mojave area. A third reason Fort Piute was not mentioned in early reports was because, in the words of Hart: “When the Army returned after the war [Civil War], Beale became Fort Piute. In reality, it never had an official status, other than as an outpost of Fort Mojave. Under the name "Piute Springs" it also was a relay station where the Overland Mail changed horses. When Brigadier James T. Rusling passed it in 1866, he made no mention of any military outpost in the rock buildings. In Across America he did have critical comments to make on the area.” Taken together, while Fort Piute (or is it “Outpost Piute Springs” ?) is similar to the structure in the video, it seems to have more in common with the blockhouse on Signal Mountain (although the blockhouse is also far above and away from water). I am not declaring that the structure in the video is not military in nature, but it lacks the common design features of American military structures of that period : Entrances, loopholes, fresh water. The caveat is that the above is an imperfect assessment based on imperfect knowledge. Without archeological digs at both Fort Piute and the structure in the video it is difficult to know whether they were built in the same century by similar people. Yes, both feature stone masonry because that was likely the most common material available in both places. Yes, both are rectangular as are many structures world-wide throughout history. Yes, both have thick walls so the unmortared masonry will remain upright. Beyond these similarities, I am at a loss to explain the lack of entrances in the video, but without further information (including the location) I cannot rule out a military origin as a very slight possibility. The question is whose military, because it is not similar to U.S. military structures that I know of. The reason is that the military is one of the few social organizations that might build a lone rock structure atop a hilltop if it commanded the ground below, even if water was further down slope. However, the tonnage of rocks used and lack of entrances seem also to point to some other permanent use than a temporary outpost. If the origin is military, for whom did it fight? Was it a private army? Was it more of an armed citizenry? Again, a military purpose seems slight, but civilians can build forts, too, and certainly did in the west. I am intrigued by the structure and truly at a loss to explain it logically. I looked at Fort Piute to see whether it might explain the structure in the video and came away even more convinced that it was not of U.S. Army origin. Again, without further information it will remain an enigma to me.

[@jenniferstewarts4851]

@@alabamatechwriter6959 and yet this shape, "type of fort" was used... if this was part of a "chain", a series of small forts of the same size, along a route... maybe "half days ride." between each other... Since most bandits and first nations raiders didn't have "artillery" a skylined fort like that wouldn't be at much risk of bombardment... and its view would be commanding allowing them to respond quickly to any threat for miles. Much like the Fort Piute chain. Remember several of these forts were often just a single building. And they were only used for a few years.

[@michigangeezer3950]

If you return bring camping gear and a metal detector. Whatever was left behind may hint at what era the stones were placed and used. Searching the interior and surrounding area will take time to fully sweep through, but will probably be worth it.

[@flysensi]

Thanks for sharing!

[@TheTrekPlanner]

Thanks for watching!

[@GaryM260]

@@TheTrekPlanner i would recommend something on the order of an Minelab Equinox metal detector almost anything equinox is good

[@joeofoysterbay7197]

The width of buildings or structures was usually limited by the length of the tallest available trees in the area to use for the roof/covering. Don't know that's a factor here but it's quite narrow and would be pretty hot in there without one.

[@jirihamersky6152]

I love these videos and the channel, it's great. Defensive walls around castles in the Middle Ages in Europe were also built in this style. Very interesting and fun, thanks.

[@MamaPinks]

It would have been fine to bring along a metal detector! What a cool find! Oh, I'd love to see you two wear snake guards on your lower legs! All, those rocks in that dry area. . . ..

[@biglakejudy]

It would be nice to say which state it is in and where in that state it is. Looking at the flora, who knows where it is? Give a location please.

[@PattyBryant-mh4dd]

WOW The Rock walls were Fantastic , Great Video!! 💚😘

[@gringo3009]

Very cool, thanks for sharing.

[@BarbRS]

At 1:04 minutes we noticed something large and black moving quickly in the background as you show the creek. Look at the top left corner of the screen through the trees.

[@rdaugherty52]

Takes a lot of stop and go but definitely looks like something dark is walking fast.

[@gregorylapointe4157]

Was there a 3rd person on this little hike? There is definitely someone or something walking in the trees in the background. Good eye.

[@dale1950]

👍

[@patrickhite3026]

Yes.They were being watched by something or someone.

[@rogerdinnis3816]

looks like a bear.

[@runswithdogs6892]

What was the animal top left screen just as you were crossing the stream @ 1:06? Great find!

[@alanlangley7246]

looked like a bigfoot to me idk

[@robertvanevery5341]

Nice catch, definitely suspicious, you can see it pass by the tree. I wonder if he has a longer video of that scene?

[@thuringervonsausage5232]

I see a shadowed Cedar tree - no animal.

[@davidsevers6842]

It was some sort of animal for sure. Watched that like six times. Couldn’t tell but an animal for sure.

[@robertvanevery5341]

@@davidsevers6842 Yeah, I watched it a few times, I think it was a cow. It's color turned to brown when it got out of the shade.

[@GaiaCarney]

Thanks, Trek Planner! I appreciate how you observe & don’t disturb the objects/locations you explore! Please don’t start digging or metal detecting! It’s nice to leave sites like this as you found them . . . Too many ‘explorers’ displace items, take items, dig and otherwise disturb sites that have withstood the elements for so long. 🕊

[@ziaride]

This is a sheep corral made by the Spanish. I've seen many of them. Often they are located near even older Pueblo ruins that were robbed for building materials. Hopefully you can find an example of them together and show older Native vs European construction.

[@JustAGuyYaKnow42]

Might be a good place to go metal detecting.

[@pizzafrenzyman]

prolly best left for professional archaeologists.

[@DT-lr2bi]

Agree

[@rodneymiddleton1044]

was that a brown bear ahead of you guys and to the left around 1.04? whatever it was big and moving fast. Interesting though the next one you spotted at the end of this really peaks my interest.

[@michaelditto]

I saw it, thought it was Sasquatch.

[@Judge_Judy]

it looks like a gutter along one side ..could it be flatish roof collecting water to the pit end ..seems like defensive position to me ..and you woudnt build a corral on top of such a hard clime

[@jimmoses6617]

Hilltop sites like this are very common in Central Arizona highlands. I have several references if you like. I am a professional archaeologist :) Where is this?

[@hansenaz53]

Fewkes cataloged this in 1912. Search "Fort below Aztec Pass".

[@KS-hj6xn]

Looks like a defensive position that is big enough for a herd of horses.it could be from the 1800's but I might guess it is much older. Possibly from the Conquistadors!

[@pizzafrenzyman]

@@elsieelm2763 Horses need water, so a corral would've been built at the base of the mountain.

[@pizzafrenzyman]

The Coronado expedition explored this area for a few years, it would not surprise me if they holed up for a winter in a mountaintop fortress or two.

[@Knotdead73]

You should carry a folding shovel and dig a bit when you get to places like these to see what you could probably find from the past that would help understand maybe ?

[@hansenaz53]

Bad form and usually illegal to dig archaeological sites on public land.

[@johnmcnulty4425]

This site is very intriguing and rather mysterious to me. Think of the labor involved to gather and stack so many rocks. And how to sustain any human occupation so isolated on a hill with no water or arable land nearby...You guys would be great to go hiking with!

[@uslsuspect]

What a fun journey for you and your boy. Thanks for the quick video :-)

[@JamesBrown-js3lm]

It would be fun to use a metal detector around the wall to see if there’s anything that would help in determining it’s purpose.

[@vondahartsock-oneil3343]

What? It's illegal to metal detect, dig or take anything from Native American ruins.

[@davefletch3063]

@@vondahartsock-oneil3343 it isn’t Native American

[@bobcranberries5853]

@@vondahartsock-oneil3343 you are very presumptuous

[@docinparadise]

Assuming the site is ancient, why would there be metal artifacts? No offense, but did the ancient Pueblo civilization use metal tools or have firearms? I was under the impression that they used stones.

[@TheDiabeticHiker]

Well done edited. Felt like it could be a good mini-episode right there. Now you just need a sponsor or two to buy you a metal detector.

[@TheTrekPlanner]

Thank you! Yeah that seems to be what my next purchase should be

[@cdoggyish]

@@TheTrekPlanner If you try to talk to the makers of different metal detectors, show them the quality of your video (which is very good), you may be able to get that metal detector as a payment for you being sponsored by them. That would involve inserting recognition of them in all of your videos, but it would be very good for your ambitions. You could possibly look into getting better camera equipment the same way, and get another sponsor. It's the first I've watched a video by you, and I was impressed enough to subscribe to your channel. I hope to see more content such as this in the future. Good luck!!

[@TheTrekPlanner]

@@cdoggyish That means a lot to me, Chris! I'm grateful for your comment and for subscribing! I think you're on to something here with sponsorships! I just need Jeep to sponsor me too soon haha

[@ottisthedog3544]

@@TheTrekPlanner you dont want a new one you need a CJ7! fiberglass body and one piece "tilt" front end!

[@mattzoozb1385]

I don't think it would be an animal enclosure- it's on top of a hill, exposed to the elements, and who would drive their animals all the way up there? The walls are unnecessarily thick and high just for livestock.

[@steffenrosmus9177]

The French trappers calked voyageurs built simliar stuctures in the great lakes region for storage purposes and as base camps. The insulating fill between the walls could be an indicator for the base camp theory.

[@CGRLCDR]

It reminds me of the Oreno Pound in Maine. It is a round stone enclosure with walls about 6' tall thatt was used to store escaped farm animals until the farmer/owner claimed them and paid the holding fee.

[@IceLynne]

That's a beautiful wall. Great find.

[@TheTrekPlanner]

Thank you!

[@theuber4618]

Some years ago I lived on the Apache Reservation in White River Arizona. In the back country we found ancient ruins with similar construction. Small shards, spear points and arrowheads confirmed it was Anasazi.

[@charlesloeffler333]

Might be interesting to investigate how long it would have taken 20, 40, or say 80 guys to build it. That is, was it a long planned and constructed or done relative quickly. can the two structures see each other? Say for signaling?

[@jamodrummer]

Next time bring a metal detector!

[@JonJaeden]

It appears to be a defensive site because there's no gateway through the wall. It would have to have been entered by ladders that could be lifted up for protection from enemy intruders.

[@SvendleBerries]

I dunno, that would just turn it into a trap as the people inside wouldnt be able to see outside, making them vulnerable to attacks that they wouldnt be able to defend against. It wouldnt be difficult for attackers to just fling explosives or even dead, disease ridden animals into the pit with no easy way for the people inside to shield themselves or escape. Im more wondering if there used to be a structure on top of it (maybe made of wood that has long since rotted away or been salvaged), because it would be a good place for a recon tower of some kind, and the pit that we see would make for a good storage area down below.

[@JonJaeden]

@@SvendleBerries It all depends on how old it is, of course, but in that semi-arid environment, I would expect some evidence of a past wooden structure to still exist. Thirty-five years ago I walked down from Masada in Israel on a trail on its back side that took me across the Roman ramp built in A.D. 70. Sticking out of the chalk soil used to build the ramp were palm leaves from the fronds used to hold the ramp's soil in place. It's much drier there of course.

[@imdawolfman2698]

It's truly wonderful to see the look of excitement and adventure on your boys face in the opening scene. I wish you were my dad.

[@2012funfamilytimes]

So where was the location? Did you send it to the local colleges archeological department? I bet they would find it very interesting.

[@bertnerny]

Those could be left over from the early Spanish explorers

[@pizzafrenzyman]

I'm going with, as others have already mentioned, Puebloan structures or Coronado expedition ruins.

[@seanmmcelwain]

The fill on the center of the wall usually used as a buffer against heavy weapons ie artillery/cannon. I am guessing your answer is in the valley below, outposts guarding am important wagon road.

[@michaelshubr4084]

It may have been built as a wind break for someones traditional camp or hunting site. Miners built structures like that and would use a canvas tarp or tent as a roof.

[@lindaward3156]

such a cool healthy educational hobby to share with your son. he won't forget these exploration trips for as long as he breathes. i'm old, i have proof of what sticks

[@rogerdudra178]

Have a nice hike. Looks like a fort to me.

[@jimbates955]

Bear! @ 1:05 Maybe the fortress gave a thick layer of protection for a small village of teepees inside which could’ve been defended with spears, bows & arrows, or the rocks themselves

[@OneSon744]

not for livestock being on top of the mtn like that IMO

[@WXSEDY]

Looks to me like the ruins of a Church and/or rectory. It's well known that there were Catholic missionaries in the American southwest as early as the 1500's! I've personally seen other relics very similar to that in New Mexico. One is still in use from the 1630's too. A lot can happen in 500+ years. Also! Be extremely careful hiking around ruins like that. Rattle snakes and other creepy crawlies are well known to inhabit them. (Ask me how I know.)

[@d.jensen5153]

It might help explain the size, permanence, and location (on a hilltop). One would imagine provisions being stored in this basement. Its size speaks of indigenous help.

[@greenyonline]

That was a lot of work by someone! Has all the indications of a defensive position. Interesting!

[@brittongodman7769]

The rock wall building method looks European; very large rocks on the inside and outside of the walls with smaller stones to fill the middle. I wonder if this could be the remains of a U.S. Army heliograph station from the 1800's ?

[@search4truth104]

That type of construction seems more like european than native american. It obviously required a huge amount of labor, time, preparation.Very interesting.

[@out-there-wondering]

Look up the Chaco Culture to get some idea of Native American construction.

[@search4truth104]

@@out-there-wondering I live 2 hours away from chaco.

[@albertreis8965]

What the heck was that walking behind the tree at 1:04 ?? Looked like a sasquatch.

[@bobobolinsky5001]

yikes

[@bobmcguirk7272]

I was thinking the same thing! lol

[@seeharvester]

That was The Zodiac Killer. They were lucky to escape with their lives. Or it may have been D. B. Cooper.

[@amyhort8359]

Very interesting! Thanks for sharing.

[@derekduke6945]

About 1:04 into video where you 2 were crossing creek. Who was that in video up ahead of you 2. Looked like someone or something walking.

[@edwardspaccarelli5944]

Bigfoot

[@johnpatten4055]

On a bigger monitor, you can clearly see that "BigFoot" is a horse. Pretty cool!

[@woowoochuggachugga]

It looks like a pound to hold livestock to me. We have many of them up here in New England from the colonial days. Not that large though. Looks like you are in California, which means it could be anything. That area had been inhabited for 1000's of years by dozens of different cultures already before it became a US State.

[@westenicho]

The Spanish built these redoubts along the Santa Fe Trail and other routes through Indian territory, wouldn't surprise me if you've found an old station along an old Spanish road.

[@chuckzehnder530]

Amazing! There are some round dry-laid structures similar in Nine Mile Canyon with thick double-coursed walls filled with gravel and smaller rocks.

[@Inlinetodie]

The Flora takes 116 years to reach Maturity in the Arrid region, also, the walls are thick for protecting people, this was a Home of some sort, that tree that is within the enclosure, is 116 years old, can see the stock in your image, if you cut into it, you would be able to count it, How do I Know, I am Canada's best GPR Operator, NDT Academics. I perform the same evaluations in Canada, can Google my site in British Columbia, North of Vancouver island, 14000 year old Village, Haida First Nations, They went to war with the Spaniards and wiped them out, later the British invaded from the East Coast, brining Guns and killing 80 millions indigenous with Guns and Small pox... Been working on these projects for over 30 years, I am the actual person who discovered the Residential School Burial Sites, over 23 years ago, and the Government swept it under the rug until recently, just to get more empathy and support...

[@designsalive]

Did you look around for any pottery shards or arrowheads?

[@TheTrekPlanner]

We looked around and didn't find any pottery shards or arrowheads or hints at any artifacts other than rocks 🤔🤔🤔

[@Graybeard_]

I would send some rock samples (from the top of the wall) to a lichen dating expert. They could tell you the approximate age of the wall by measuring the growth of the lichens.

[@rondevree8207]

Great find

[@Michael_919]

Love these vidoes. My kind of hobby!

[@TheTrekPlanner]

Thanks, Michael!

[@rosspowell5807]

A corral, not uncommon to find. Generations of stories passed down through my family used say they used these to protect sheep or cattle from predators at night.

[@williebeamish5879]

Thought same myself.

[@user-ii3vn8tn3q]

No pathway up. There was no worn pathway or even an animal trail up. Why corral on the top of the mountain? The most vulnerable point with No water for the animals and no way to escape. I wonder if the two ‘buildings’ can signal each other.

[@oriraykai3610]

pretty small for a corral. Indians lived in Tee Pees. I'd say colonial era foundation of a primitive "off-the-grid" home.

[@geekthesteve6215]

@@oriraykai3610 Only some native Americans lived in teepees. many in the southwest created structures of stone and wood. There were lots and lots of native tribes which had very different cultures. You should endeavor to learn more, it is a truly fascinating history.

[@oriraykai3610]

@@geekthesteve6215 Are y ou referring to native American pre-history? Mound builders and all that? They were gone by the time Europeans were migrating here en masse.

[@rudeartichoke2567]

I love your videos. They remind me of my father who was rock hound. Great use of Google Earth and your drone!

[@glenmorrison8080]

A few rather large diameter lichen on the stones of that wall (maybe _Protoparmeliopsis muralis_ ..). That is relatively slow growing, especially in very dry localities, so that structure shouldn't be some odd recent construction.

[@alpineflier9961]

My bet is that it is a holding pen for livestock round ups. Thank you for the fun video. All of my hunting and hiking trips are rooted in the thrill of explore and discover. Your videos allow for it without having to leave the house.

[@astrialindah2773]

Why would they make it 6 to 7 ft thick for animals?😂

[@alpineflier9961]

@@astrialindah2773 My thoughts are only speculation. I would guess they are wide walls simply for stability. No mortar. I have seen an old stone corral in California and the walls were fairly wide. But just stacked boulders. Nothing as intricate as the walls shown in this video. No expertise here, just guessing for fun.

[@howardsmith9342]

@@alpineflier9961 I have seen similar stone corrals in New Mexico, and the walls were nowhere near as thick.

[@alpineflier9961]

@@howardsmith9342 My curiosity is piqued. Where's an archeologist when you need one?

[@howardsmith9342]

@@alpineflier9961 Right here. TP does not say what kinds of artifacts, if any, were present, so I can't give a definite answer, but the structure looks way overbuilt for anything native. There doesn't seem to be any sign of a roof, so it's not a dwelling of some kind. It resembles a stone corral, but no self-respecting stockman would waste time building such a massive wall just for a few cows or horses, and there's no sign of a gate. Is it some kind of water tank? Again, no sign of an inlet or outlet, or of water ever being stored there. Without being there and looking at it personally, and maybe not even then, I have no idea what it is. A fort is as good a guess as any, but there would still need to be an entrance, and it wasn't built overnight by some beleaguered band of warriors making a last stand.

[@BoomGiggity]

I wonder if the time machine function in Google Earth would reveal anything.

[@TheTrekPlanner]

Great idea, Richard! Using your suggestion, I went back as far as I could (1993) and the rectangle was still there! Thank you!!

[@whitetacoma04]

There is such a function on Google earth? Good to know. 💪