23k yr old foot prints and 13 more Native American Ruin Sites in New Mexico and the 4 Corners.

Another in depth travel and information guide. In this one we trace the progress of the first Native Americans starting 23,000 years ago with Human Foot Prints next to Mastodons! We then see early pit houses and 21,000 rock carvings. We visit a lava field where tools could be made before heading to Chaco Canyon- center of power from 800-1250, and its magnificent multi-story stone buildings with up to 600 rooms. We'll learn why they were made based on PhD Steve Lekson's research-- hint they are palaces! After Chaco's decline the site in Aztec New Mexico became the power center. There we enter their superbly reconstructed great Kiva- the best in the southwest!
Then we see the cliff dwellings of Mesa Verde National Park and Bandelier which were occupied till about 1300.
Then, we go to Acama Pueblo which is the oldest continually occupied settlement in the US. I meet a native wearing his prized Washington Redskins cap. In the Four Corners we visit Hovenweep in Utah- to see the finest stone work of the age. Then, we head south to Arizona and Canyon de Chelly for hike to Whitehouse Ruin. Around 1300 many 4 Corner sites were abandoned.
Perhaps its not a coincidence the population near the Rio Grande grew. Near Albuquerque, we explore an adobe settlement visited, and possibly sacked, by Coronado in 1540. In 1621 the Spanish forced the Pueblo people to build a church at Jemez- its still in fine shape. The Spanish began an unhappy chapter, but things got worse after 1848 when the area was ceded to the USA. in 1851 the US built a Fort along an old trade route called the Santa Fe Trail. It seems a fitting place to end our Road trip.
00:00 Intro
1:40 White Sands NP 23,000 yr old ft prints
5:52 space museum
6:15 3 rivers petroglyph
7:55 Valley of Fires Lava Field
8:30 Trinity Site
8:45 Valle Grande
9:35 Bandelier NM
12:05 Jemez Pueblo
12:40 Chaco Culture
19:35 Aztec NM
33:40 Mesa Verde
43:08 Hovenweep
46:17 Canyon de Chelly
48:20 Acoma Sky City
50:57 Petroglyph NM
1:03:45 Coronado History St. Park
1:08:15 Ft. Union

[@dianespears6057]

Fantastic is not a big enough word for the information and care in this video. I am always planning my dream trip and this was an excellent resource. Thank you.

[@TheWestisBig]

thanks, its nice to hear the work is appreciated!! and thanks for subscribing too

[@TheWestisBig]

They live in town and in settlements in the area.

[@TheWestisBig]

Dr. Lekson has theories about why they left. The tribes don't like to share their "Ancestral Knowledge" with outsiders. Its frustrating. The Hopi are different- they claim to have scientific proof they lived there for 400,000 years.

[@veronicaleyba929]

My beloved grandfather worked and retired from Ft. Union. He specialized in adobe making & and repairs. He was called to Bents Fort to help restore the adobe walls. I really enjoyed this video. My grandfather was a great man. He was part Navajo and Spanish. He was a ww2 Army Veteran 💜 received a purple 💜. I was very blessed to have a wonderful grandfather. Thank you for your brilliant video. 👏.

[@TheWestisBig]

That is very cool!! I hope he shared lots of stories! i would have loved to have interviewed him

[@veronicaleyba929]

Yes, I have the best memories of my grandfather and grandmother. My great grandmother's as well. Natives of New Mexico. I had great childhood memories of my family. Now I live in the beautiful state of Washington. I do travel to New Mexico and Colorado to visit the family. My grandfather passed away in 95. Again I will say that your channel is very brilliant 👏. Bless you always sir. 🙏

[@TheWestisBig]

Thanks again for the kind comment. FYI- if you havent been to Frenchman's Coolie or Dry falls in WA I did a couple of quickie videos with drone footage on those interesting places. Those vids aren't to the standard of my longer videos but if you've never been to them its a brief introduction. Nick on the Rocks does it better.

[@marjoriegarner5369]

Thank you for telling us about your wonderful grandfather. His generation were the best. Men like him are rare now. Both my grandfathers and my father and two uncles were in WWI and WW11. I am 82 and live in Montana. Most of my people have long ago passed on. It's lonely.

[@veronicaleyba929]

@marjoriegarner5369 You are very welcome. I think Montana is so beautiful and not too far away from Central Washington . I have traveled through Montana on I-90. So beautiful. Today I had the pleasure of seeing beautiful Robin birds 🐦 spring is here. I wish you a blessed day and year.

[@user-gz2hf3iy3u]

I grew up in Los Alamos. Bandelier was my childhood playground. I consider it my heart home.

[@TheWestisBig]

Lucky you

[@barbaraolson6783]

Also lived in Los Alamos. Forgot how lucky I was to explore the area and live in history for so long. Used to love to camp through New Mexico. Looks different, really wish it was not so “improved”.

[@jayhenderson6506]

Thank you for the great tour of native sites in New Mexico.

[@TheWestisBig]

Glad you enjoyed it! thanks jay

[@trishrobbins9942]

I’m SO glad I visited all of these sites before the current crowd control restrictions. I appreciate that there are people preserving the history.

[@TheWestisBig]

thanks

[@kurtchristopher7392]

Outstanding video. I can't imagine the effort and time it took to create this wonderful video. Thank you for this incredible glimpse into this area of the country, my favorite place.

[@TheWestisBig]

Thanks! It’s nice to hear the hard work is and time is appreciated!!

[@aapex1]

Finding this channel has made my day! Been watching Trek Planner and Desert Drifter for a while now so this is the perfect addition. THANKS!

[@TheWestisBig]

Welcome aboard! and thanks for the comment and subscribing!

[@rh5563]

Hear here. I’m in as well. Great production brother. 👍👍👍

[@harrywalker968]

24:00.. so..they transported trees, rocks, from miles away.. how.. & then,they went north to get away from opression,, then south..?.. how do they get specific dates. this lady is saying, the weather has gone from mild, farming, to desert, in less than 1k.. ??..@@TheWestisBig

[@harrywalker968]

they smoothed off the logs, stripped the bark,,with..??..@@TheWestisBig

[@TheWestisBig]

The tree rings provide very accurate dates- i think it’s called dendrochronology.

[@dr.brandileebunge]

This was so amazing, informational, and very fun. Thank you for your great dedication time and content. 🎉😊🌟👌

[@TheWestisBig]

Thanks for the kind words!! and for supporting the channel! it’s nice to hear the work is appreciated

[@kristinajohnson3165]

Wonderful summaries! I’ve visited many of these sites so it was a lovely look back for me!

[@TheWestisBig]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@sallyrucker8990]

Thank you to the ranger that gave us such a fantastic tour!

[@TheWestisBig]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@llehlers]

I just visited the 4-corners for the first time 2 weeks ago. Wish I had seen this video before the trip. Excellent job of showing off the area. I can't wait to get back there to do more in-depth exploring. Nice Job on this tour! 👋👋👋

[@TheWestisBig]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@CoryTheRaven]

Not close to done this yet, but the discussion on the ancient pueblos got me thinking back to my visits to Wupatki. It actually makes a lot of sense that the large structure with the Mesoamerican ball court would be a palace served by all the little outlying farmhouses. Interesting... Thanks for the thought-provoking content as well as the travel information!

[@TheWestisBig]

The similarities can’t be a coincidence. I haven’t been to Wupatki or Casa Grande yet. hopefully this year. Search steve lekson he’s a professor at U of colorado. he’s pushing the mesaAmerican connection

[@harrywalker968]

think about this.. its gone from farming, to desert, in less than 1k.. i think there dates are for wrong.. pottery, proves nothing.. you cant date stone..

[@TheWestisBig]

tree data- Dedendraconology is supposed to be pretty accurate

[@thedeafcattledog8608]

@@harrywalker968 but you can date the wood in the ceilings. Of course, the wood could in theory be replaced or reworked.

[@petem6846]

This is a great video! I've watched several of yours but you've done a spectacular job in putting together a great guide. Really appreciate your footage from Hovenweep and Canyon of the Ancients. We've spend a little time in each but it's so overlooked. There's a richness that we struggle to appreciate an understand.

[@TheWestisBig]

Thank you very much noticing and letting me know!! You’ve articulated my style of making these guides! it’s not about me - it’s about the place.

[@TomSeibert]

Fantastic video! Thank you for sharing this information. I hope too see much of this next spring!

[@TheWestisBig]

Thanks. That's a great time to go! thanks for commenting and subscribing

[@johnwakefield9378]

Been to canyon de chilled twice it’s big and takes time to see but great

[@HighFrameRate]

Fantastic video

[@TheWestisBig]

Thanks for the comment!!!

[@eyeOOsee]

Thank you so much for posting and sharing this wonderful production!! So well done, and so informative. I learned so much. Thank you, thank you!!👍👍👍 I'd love to visit someday....

[@TheWestisBig]

You are so welcome! Thanks for recognizing the effort.

[@barbaraolson6783]

Was there before it was paved. Used to hike and camp through Bandelier. Miss this area.

[@TheWestisBig]

Nice

[@soniamariadefigueiredofern8971]

Great vídeo! Thank you very much for share it! Very interesting ! Heloisa

[@TheWestisBig]

Thanks. That is a little different than my usual stuff

[@jonpatrick66]

Really cool. I enjoyed watching your video very much. It definitely makes me wish I was your age again. Ha! Back then I did a lot of exploring but I didn't have a camera or drone. We have some old Polaroid pictures, but need I say more ;⁠) Thank you for sharing and keep enjoying this wonderful country.

[@TheWestisBig]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for commenting. I like to see a kids face today watching a the photo appear. They'd think it was magic

[@lavernekane5174]

Loved this!! Thank you!

[@TheWestisBig]

Glad you enjoyed it! and thanks for commenting and subscribing

[@peggybaxter8480]

Thank You! This was great!

[@TheWestisBig]

You are so welcome!

[@evibourne4012]

Loved this video, with so much detail to each site! I had the opportunity to visit most of these sites in 2022 when I worked as a travel nurse in the four corners region. I was absolutely enchanted with the area and can’t wait to get back there to explore more. The entire region is a feast for the senses!

[@TheWestisBig]

thanks- now I have a Q for you. Because of all the great stuff nearby- Im thinking of moving to farmington- what's the heathcare system like there?

[@martinjdesmond]

Thanks for making this nice video.

[@TheWestisBig]

So nice of you. thanks for commenting and subscribing!

[@georgecuyler7563]

I'm of Nu7lhalk decent of British Columbia and we have stories of migration to the south for a number of years and then returned to our traditional territory. I and my family have Zuni blood.

[@TheWestisBig]

Interesting! Are there any permanent sites up there? I've been to Head Smashed In a couple of times- Great place- but that's it regarding First Nations sites

[@georgecuyler7563]

@@TheWestisBig the government destroyed everything

[@alanaadams7440]

Thanks for sharing your story 😊

[@davidbenyahuda5190]

Perhaps some of us are unaware that if you are not a Black person ancient doesn't apply to so-called nonblack people due to the fact that they have only been on the planet for six to ten thousand years and are not naturally occurring people ie autochthonous beings. Shalawam from the real American Indian 👊🏿🕎⚔️🏹🪶🌽💜🙏🏿

[@TerriAnnNiemeier-dy3no]

Like your videos, your attitude and the trips you've recorded. Feel like you've been there before as you read things around you narrated them like a book called someones diary, or bible. Endless Exploration

[@TheWestisBig]

Thanks for the kind comment I assume the Letter I is missing as the first word.

[@latrishawebbsmock335]

Ya-ta-hay. It means hi or hello ive live in Farmington and I've been around natives all my life. Very interesting peoples

[@TheWestisBig]

Thanks- I’ve been to Farmington many times. it’s close to so many interesting places. i’m hoping there’s enough Media work there to move there- maybe near the college.

[@barbaraolson6783]

Chaco looks so different, hoping people care for all the lands, animals and ruins. There used to be some brush and small trees, sorry they have been lost.

[@tyanite1]

You survived the trip through Albuquerque? That's astounding! As a resident at one time, or maybe even now, I can tell you there's a massive lack of driving competence and a whole lot of ego diving instead of driving using one's brain. I was followed for 35 minutes once by a road-rager who would not stop until I led him/us into a police station. No cops around of course, but he finally gave up. They typical driver does not use turn signals for anything at any time. They roll right through stop signs and red lights on purpose. Speed limit? No such thing. There is very little law enforcement, so they know there are nearly zero consequences for anything they do. All this is complicated by texting and driving, and the relatively recent legalization of a popular mind altering substance. If you have your window down, you can smell it billowing out of cars. Again, almost zero law enforcement. One example: My niece in middle school was hit by an uninsured, unlicensed driver and was thrown up over the car, breaking both legs and shattering her pelvis when she landed. If any reader here has never driven through New Mexico before, especially Albuquerque, let me give you a desperate warning. I beg you, please be on your guard and use extreme caution. Colorado is not much better but competence is slightly higher.

[@wannabeaway]

Found your channel through a YT recommendation. GREAT content! Thank you so much for putting this together. I saved all of these places on Google Maps with a link back to this video for future reference so when I plan the next adventure through the SW I’ll have this handy. Keep it up!

[@TheWestisBig]

Thanks for watching and commeting

[@unclebilly1353]

Thanks for the reminder of keeping three rivers clean and be respectful. Unfortunately there is evidence of modern humans being there. But I'm sure anyone watching your channel, has nothing but the up most respect for how sensitive these sites are. Thanks for you work to give us touch of our southwestern history.

[@TheWestisBig]

thanks for the kind comment

[@juneknight9586]

Like you, I want for these beautiful places to remain unknown to everyone.

[@GrandmaBev64]

Unknown places get vandalized more often than popular places.

[@TheCrossroads533]

That is very true. Who are the elite to decide to keep sites secret?

[@tyanite1]

Some of these folks had great foot arches 23,000 years ago.

[@TheWestisBig]

lol

[@davidwillis5016]

Thanks

[@TheWestisBig]

Welcome

[@813lem]

Thank you.

[@TheWestisBig]

You're Welcome

[@dennisdicicco6406]

I was called crazy for saying the natives been here for 25k years

[@tew1947]

Thanks!

[@TheWestisBig]

Thank you very much for supporting the work. It’s very appreciated!!

[@TheWestisBig]

once again thanks for your generosity

[@jaymehatfield9540]

Thankyou for a common sense statement of history. In a straight line, this drives away the drivel of religions dogma. Ya know, the big 3 that are touted as the only ones that matter, created in one small dot of geographical earth, excluding hundreds maybe thousands of human groups around the rest of the planet from their benevolent guidance.

[@TheWestisBig]

thanks! I'm surprised at all the negative feedback I'm getting from those groups

[@skibee50]

I like that area a lot Ouray - Durango -Telluride

[@TheWestisBig]

I’m planning on making a video of a road trip of the million dollar highway in the next year or 2

[@thedeafcattledog8608]

To quote the comedian, Eddie Izzard: "We've found this, and carbon dated it to last Tuesday, so we're very excited." "What have we got?" And they always find in archaeology, a series of small walls. Every time, a series of small walls. Everywhere you go. "We found a series of small walls, we're very excited. "We think this proves that they had walls in olden days. "They were very small. A series of small-walled people." And then someone, very learned with glasses, says, "The King and Queen entertained here, courtiers and soldiers in this room. And elephants dancing hopscotch over there. Mad fiddler in this room, playing the banjo. Viaducts and aqueducts..." And you watch going, "You're making this up, mate." You just point at a series of small walls and say, "Tutankhamen played banjo in there." The idea that a people could build something like Chaco Canyon or Mesa Verde without writing or mathematics is absurd. The absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. If they were influenced by the people south of there in what is now Mexico, those people did have writing and did understand mathematics. They had a great grasp on astronomy too. I'd dare say most of the stuff they say about these places isn't even true. They're just making stuff up LOL And the ranger at Mesa Verde saying how great it would be to witness one of their ceremonies - oh really? You sure about that since we don't know what they were doing? - it's verboten nowadays but my mother-in-law was there in the 1950s and was told there was evidence of cannibalism, and when I studied archaeology in college a long time ago now, it was well known then. That's why these places were abandoned - war and cannibalism. There's plenty of evidence of it, and there have been academic papers written more recently trying to handwave it away because some people find it uncomfortable. At any rate, can't wait to see them myself. We're going to several of these sites in late summer this year. Thanks for the video.

[@terryulmer969]

Exactly!

[@fineapples2248]

Great!

[@TheWestisBig]

Thanks

[@derekpmoore]

I was walking through the woods in Mesa Verde once along the road to Cliff Palace, and I found an ancient hide scraper sitting exposed atop a large mole mound. It was very eerie to find it just sitting on a fresh mound of earth, like it was pushed up for someone to find. FWIW, I did not keep or take the hide scraper, but I recognized it in the brochure when I got back to our car. The Navajo insist that the cliff dwellers ARE NOT Anasazi and ARE NOT descended from the Chaco communities. Navajo say cliff dwellers were there when the Navajo got there, and most cliff dwellers became Diné or Navajo. Navajo elders say “Anasazi” means “elders not like us,” that is, elders who teach a death cult that practices slavery and cannibalism. Navajo elders say some cliff dwellers in the Grand Canyon were ancestors of Hopi hiding from the Anasazi incursions.

[@TheWestisBig]

Very cool

[@cjsinger4103]

What an absolute treasure of a video cache you have created and I have discovered! And an unlikely bonus for my ears… your voice is reminiscent of John Bosley of the 1977 Original Charlie’s Angels, which I find strangely comforting. 😂😊 Thank you for creating such informative and awesomely shot essays! Top notch!!

[@TheWestisBig]

Thanks for the comment! I received compliments on my VO but never have I been compared to Bosley. Maybe one day i’ll work with 3 angles. btw- please subscribe. You may enjoy my Glacier NP, Utah Tour and New Mexico road trip. the latter includes some of the native sites segments- which can be bypassed.

[@cjsinger4103]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/iHuYm5ygmdOtiLssi=4H2mRAej4s5c_ki9

[@cjsinger4103]

There’s hints of the likeness in some of these clips.😂

[@TheWestisBig]

thanks. i’ll take it as a compliment!

[@wendygerrish4964]

The door shapes are a giveaway indeed, which I recognize from a tour trip to Peru. Large storage installations enroute allowed military sized movements of people-soldiers perhaps policing the flow and distribution of wealth.

[@TheWestisBig]

Hmm interesting- I've never been to Machu Pichu- Afraid my gear would be stolen- do they have T doors there too?

[@thedeafcattledog8608]

@@TheWestisBig T shaped doors and windows are all over ruins in central and south America.

[@TheWestisBig]

interesting

[@oldwoman5942]

I did a sixth grade report on the Pueblo people….I got an A.

[@TheWestisBig]

lol 😂 congrats

[@johng4093]

Very cool. 😊

[@francisebbecke2727]

Every time I have been there the wind was blowing hard.

[@TheWestisBig]

in the spring I assume

[@johnwakefield9378]

I love NM, been to most of these sites multiple times over past 60 yrs. What technique is used to date foot prints? James Webb has made me want a little more depth on scientific assumes. Great bidei

[@TheWestisBig]

You'll have to google it but it involves carbon dating of the pollen at the same level as the footprints. There were at least 2 studies. The first was a few years ago and peer review criticized it because the pollen may have absorbed modern carbon from water over the years. the 2nd study was published 6 or so Months ago and is said to be more robust.www.usgs.gov/news/national-news-release/study-confirms-age-oldest-fossil-human-footprints-north-america#:~:text=In%20September%202021%2C%20U.S.%20Geological,21%2C000%20and%2023%2C000%20years%20old.

[@tbx59]

Great video - chapters would be very helpful

[@TheWestisBig]

hmm I didn’t know i forgot those

[@user-wj9uo4ri1m]

Good job keep letting America know the history of the original people's God bless you

[@TheWestisBig]

thanks! for commenting and subscribing! it took a lot of work

[@rickrack4812]

In late April, 2013, visitors self toured on Mesa Verde, Azteca, other sites here...

[@shaynejenkins446]

nope

[@KERUPyunGodee]

@15:18 i have seen other areas near these houses that have the same shape as chatro. the ground is also discolored. without a doubt there was way more houses

[@TheWestisBig]

It was a big community. Thnks for the comment and for Subscribing

[@terricarey8437]

I'm a native you're a hell of a narrator

[@TheWestisBig]

thanks. I spend a lot of time on the script and the VO

[@jonlangford7622]

Good stuff, as usual. These videos (all) shine for the details about parking, or leashes, or whatever. Details matter, and thanks for giving them. But the photography/cinematography is always the excuse for me to watch. Edit to ask, how often do park rangers agree to give you a one-on-one?

[@TheWestisBig]

Thanks 👍for the comment! and for subscribing! These days - since Oct 2022- getting an interview with a Ranger is not possible without first applying for and paying for a Filming Permit! KZbinrs are treated the same as Hollywood movie makers. This is an insane law by our lovely Federal Government! The permits take weeks to get- the one for Glacier costs $225 and is 8 pages long! Luckily I shot that very helpful and articulate Ranger before this example of Gov overreach went into place.

[@feoxorus]

Sometimes you can get a reach-around if you ask real nice.

[@TheWestisBig]

Some parks let you work around the permit if you agree to keep a low profile and still shoot- in others its best not to ask when in the park. I ask before I go and tend to avoid parks with aggressive Permit police- like Yellowstone. Most of the Rangers I've asked to appear on camera did so willingly and were very good on camera. I've interviewed over 120 CEOs and the Rangers are generally better than the CEOs. Only in Guadalupe MTs NP did the Rangers refuse to appear on camera.

[@rogeco60]

You must have paid a small fortune on that trip. Fifty years ago, I wasn't expecting it to cost me $20 per car to enter the big parks, and $7 per night for a tent campsite, so I went broke pretty fast, and barely made it back home on fumes. Parks were very restrictive, and you had to have an address to register for a site, and campsite managers harassed each camper twice per day, about their fires, and trash. They didn't allow any homeless people to enter the parks, but it's probably pretty hard to keep them out today.

[@TheWestisBig]

hotels and gas were the biggest expenses. not cheap.

[@thedeafcattledog8608]

$80 park pass gets you into all National Parks, National Monuments, BLM land, etc.

[@Andy_Babb]

Omg thank you for not being pseudoscience and conspiracy theory history!! This is great.

[@TheWestisBig]

Thank you for recognizing the work and effort that went into to the project.

[@Andy_Babb]

@@TheWestisBig Absolutely! You’ve got yourself a new subscriber lol I’m really glad I found your channel. It’s a bummer KZbin makes it so hard to find quality channels like yours.

[@latrishawebbsmock335]

❤❤❤

[@TheWestisBig]

thanks for the comment and subscribing

[@rickrack4812]

You were so close to newspaper rock in the Southern. Canyon lands National park Whose entrance is not that far from Cortez and Valley of the ancients

[@TheWestisBig]

I saw newspaper rock in petrified forest

[@rickrack4812]

@@TheWestisBig Different one. The big famous newspaper rock is on the way to Moab up. Whatever root it is. I believe it is US 89 In Southeastern Utah, and there is a road that goes to the Southern portion of the Canyon. Lands National Park with some interesting things to see and some neat little boxed. Canyon ranches that are private.

[@TheWestisBig]

Hmm I'll have to go there- once I figure out where it is.

[@rickrack4812]

@@TheWestisBig also, seek out BUTLER WASH cliff ruins, and hike above the waterfall a bit,, lovely fertile flats below the fall, overlooked from the dwellings.. Very cozy

[@rickrack4812]

@@TheWestisBig google or YT search it.

[@ericjohnson1147]

You ought to check out Wally the Navaho, the story he tells of Chaco is quite different .

[@TheWestisBig]

I will. Dr Lekson’s ideas make sense to me. He says the Navajo and Rio Grande tribes don’t like to talk about Chaco because they say “bad things happened there.” btw- the national park service and other tribes say it was a large communal city.

[@terryulmer969]

Chaco Canyan was like a big "casino" that was based on human trafficking. It was built to keep people/slaves in, not to keep people out. Those were prison cells.

[@HighFrameRate]

I've been meaning to ask! Why is it you haven't covered Arizona? I've always appreciated the area near the Arizona/Utah border for The Wave, Antelope Canyon, Lake Powell, Winslow Crater, Sedona, Marble Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, etc. I ask, but I also think I know why; Tourism, and NOT the load less traveled. I do however feel like there are some untapped spots out there that you could uncover for your audience. Barring Antelope Canyon, there are so many slot canyons out that way as well. Once again, I really appreciate your videos. They have heavily guided my trips out to NM and UT. I have yet to explore AZ past Petrified Forest NP.

[@TheWestisBig]

First, I want to thank you for the comment and your past and present support. I wish I had more Subs like you! I've been through AZ a few times but have only shot in Sedona and Petrified Forest. Sedona is too crowded to recommend and no one watch a pertirfied forest vid I made years ago. But the main reason I have not done much in AZ is I'm not made of money! It's very expensive to travel. These videos don't cover travel cost let alone compensate me for the 100's of hours it takes to make my well researched videos. I do have to make a living and I can't do that when I'm making videos like these (I'm a professional video producer for over 20 years). That said I and thinking about an AZ shoot before it get to hot- and during spring training. I'd like to go to Casa Grande, Wupati or however you spell it, the big creater (again), Page and Petrified Forest Mon valley etc. But even when sleeping in the SUV some of the time, the costs ad up.

[@HighFrameRate]

@@TheWestisBig Thank you for the response! Your level of insight is unfortunately hard to market to KZbin and travelers. Most are seeking out as much information as possible under a ten minute window... which you don't do. and is exactly why I like your channel and its uniqueness. With that said, I still enjoy the short styled content you occasionally post because you compliment it with your lengthier videos. I'm looking forward to more videos to come! P.S. I really like the esoteric, photography/lighting sections you mention. It's very helpful for a novice like me!

[@TheWestisBig]

What u say is true. Most want shorter vids. FYI. I’ll be releasing several short stand alone segments from the ruin sites video. It’ll be interesting to see if anyone watches. Mesa verde will be first

[@terryulmer969]

​@TheWestisBig If you do make it to Arizona, I suggest going to the White Tank Mountain trail. There's a lot of petroglyphs all along the trail. It is a pretty easy hike.

[@oldwoman5942]

Amazing!

[@TheWestisBig]

Thanks!

[@stephenmccandless5113]

The citizens of Chaco lived LONG before (in BC) the Aztecs. They were wiped out due to Rephaim slaughter. where they constructed their living space high on the cliff. But of course , there weren't any "giants" , so how could this be true?

[@walterlowe8322]

The words "Yá'át' ééh!" at approximately the 46:47 mark roughly mean "Hello!" or "Welcome!"

[@TheWestisBig]

Ahh. thanks!

[@carolherring138]

❤👁

[@MotorPotor56]

All roads lead to Chaco. I used to work at Aztec.

[@TheWestisBig]

i’m thinking about doing a walking tour of Aztec Nat Mon

[@fisch69]

FYI: the name is pronounced: Hey mez, with the accent on the first portion of the name “Hey or Hay” mez..

[@TheWestisBig]

thanks! that’s helpful

[@Merlin-ur1dz]

Chaco Canyon Trails all laid to Chaco Canyon it's with our Stories.

[@TheWestisBig]

thanks for the comment

[@AlPha-rl4mp]

They should hire the native Americans that live in the area to do these tours

[@TheWestisBig]

you might be surprised how many Tribes don’t wish to share their stories with outsiders. And diff tribes have different versions of history. It’s very complicated

[@AlPha-rl4mp]

@@TheWestisBig I live in the area. So you might be surprised on how many do wish to share their stories. The old ways of considering people "outsiders" it's not so much anymore. Yet here these tour guides give their opinion on history, who is to say their version is correct. They just make up stuff like the Anasazi possible cannibals. but thanks for your response.

[@user-jv5cu4hz3q]

So the Clovis dateline has been officially obliterated.

[@TheWestisBig]

yes it would seem so

[@derekpmoore]

The Navajo tell a similar story about the Chaco communities. Chaco means place of sadness, because the people there were slavers and cannibals.

[@TheWestisBig]

thanks

[@pebaker2]

Can you please provide links to some of the Steven Leckson presentations on Chaco?

[@TheWestisBig]

enter his name in google or youtube search- several will be listed

[@johnhopkins6658]

I found Mesa Verde by accident during a thunderstorm in 1987.

[@TheWestisBig]

that's the great thing about of road trip

[@dontsleeponyourstomach]

You're voice reminds me of Fred from Scoobydoo

[@TheWestisBig]

hmm. ok. haven’t heard that one before. I’ll assume it’s a good thing

[@dontsleeponyourstomach]

@@TheWestisBig I thought the content of your video was oragnized well your narration had a good tone easy to listen to very interesting information. I realize I could have made a more productive comment.

[@TheWestisBig]

It's all good . thanks for the comment.

[@scottrobertson5639]

Great video , but no chimney rock? Ive been to all these places and more im very greatfull for it. No offense but i dont put alot of weight behind the park rangers knowledge

[@user-rx6dx8ki6z]

I live in Alamogordo I've been here about 20 years now from Gold bar Washington up highway 2 there's not much here in Alamogordo is there this past summer it got 110 120°degrees

[@TheWestisBig]

I drove HWY 2 last summer Diablo lake was nice- as was the twisty Road.

[@jul1440]

_Jemez,_ not _"Jeméz."_ Sounds like "hem this" without the "th." _Acoma,_ not _"Acooma."_ Homophonic with "a coma". The "escarpment" at Petroglyph is actually named "El Ceja"; the NPS employee should have known this. Today, there are four sites (new one opened within a week of this comment). the "Navajo Name" is pronounced "yah'-ought'-eh", where an apostrophe is a hard glottal stop, similar to the almost silent T when you use "mat" in a sentence. Yá'át'ééh means "hello" (lit. "all is well").

[@TheWestisBig]

Thanks for the tips! Hmm I'll go to the site to learn about the new section.

[@jul1440]

@@TheWestisBig Thank _you._ This was one of the more enjoyable vids I've watched in a while.

[@TheWestisBig]

Great! Thanks for letting me know

[@ericjohnson1147]

Chaco was a human cattle pin, the Anasazi ate them and Chaco was destroyed when they fought back!

[@TheWestisBig]

The Navajo and other tribes hate the label Anasazi as it is considered a slur

[@feoxorus]

@@TheWestisBig Sometimes the hat fits. Maybe the real reason is that they are taking credit for something they didn't achieve, a kind of mesoamerican cultural appropriation.

[@terryulmer969]

Anasazi means the Enemies of the Ancestors, or ancient enemies. They were destroyed because they mocked the One True Creator. The Creator helped the prisoners escape and cased a two year drought. The Anasazi were too lazy to do the work themselves and committed suicide.

[@thornunia5057]

I believe in the future they will find out that the first humans actually started in this area.

[@mattmatt6572]

Maybe I always wondered why everyone was so sure people migrated to the USA and not vise versa

[@martinharford774]

“No Dogs Allowed on trail” Does that include credentialed service dogs?

[@TheWestisBig]

probably. you heard the Ranger say Dogs cause damage and stress local wildlife who can’t tell the difference between a certified service dog and a regular pet. btw- the blind lady made it up the rocky hill without one. Call each park to double check.

[@joanflint-mt5os]

T shaped doors for somewhere to sit?

[@TheWestisBig]

the T shape was also carved into pots. they think it meant something significant. also at Chaco the T shapes were only on doors which lead to the outside- that seems to have changed at Aztec. hmm ??

[@merlinwilliams9286]

Ok, I'm a child. Did you see the baseball uniforms? Big initials...F.U. Fort Union I know but still....

[@user-cp7xn5pb4d]

It also has melted rock everywhere. What don’t we know. ???or what is being hidden ????

[@TheWestisBig]

what has melted rock? Basalt is melted rock. new mexico has lots of volcanoes so no shortage of melted rock

[@peggyannparkes1863]

Mogollon -- pronounced Mo-gee-on.

[@TheWestisBig]

ahh Thanks

[@johng4093]

If so they ought to change the spelling.

[@nathanbelcher1139]

I like that the road to chaco canyon is shitty, to keep shitty people away lol.

[@georgecuyler7563]

There's a million year old site in Mexico

[@TheWestisBig]

hmm- where and what dating method was used? BTW- thanks for commenting and subscribing

[@michaeltaylor4984]

Their logs were sawcut. How dat? Toolage.

[@TheWestisBig]

the logs were not saw cut- they were cut with stone hand exes. the ends are then smoothed with a sandstone block

[@rikclarke4881]

Man has not been on earth for nearly 20.000 yrs.

[@TheWestisBig]

Really, why do u think that?

[@stevehilliard1495]

@@TheWestisBigIf the Bible is the true word of God and Adam was the first man using the age’s given doing the math would eliminate that estimate.

[@terryulmer969]

​@stevehilliard1495 Christianity and English keep mistranslating so much, and then they totally misunderstand what they mistranslated and corrupted. The Christian's bibles are just very badly mistranslated and corrupted versions of the Torah/Tanach, The Real Word of G_d, with a whole lot changed including names, a whole lot added, and a whole lot taken out. Everything that G_d said not to do, Christianity did. In Hebrew, Adomah means Earth. First Nations know that the One True Creator G_d created many different races/species/kinds of Peoples, Beings, and other lifeforms, long before The One True Creator G_d created the Adom/Earthlings/Humans. We have been sharing this planet with them all through time.

[@terryulmer969]

In the Hebrew calendar, today is the 24th of Nisan, 5784.

[@usmcmustang2972]

The footprints in stone are only 5000 years old, or less. In fact, I know where there are human footprints in the stone in Arizona. A human footprint tracking a peccary (pig) hoof prints.. And over just 50 years, I have photographic evidence of the weathering rate of those prints ... Making me suspect that the tracks just might be a lot younger still than people think... In 23,000 years, the tracks that someone is just guessing at, would have completely eroded away... You would know that, if you just think about it.. Also, the Ana' Sa Zi were completely wiped out by the Navajo approximately 950 years ago, because they were cannibals and slavers ... (according to Navajo traditional teachings) The groups who joined the Navajo in the entire 4 corners region back then, sought safety from the ancient enemy, collected together and destroyed them. The Ana' Sa Zi are not the "ancestral pueblo" people that were recently manufactured by professors. The same cauliflower heads who invented the age of the human footprints in NM.

[@TheWestisBig]

I'm sure you're an expert researcher or scientist so you'll understand the information in the following link www.usgs.gov/news/national-news-release/study-confirms-age-oldest-fossil-human-footprints-north-america#:~:text=In%20September%202021%2C%20U.S.%20Geological,21%2C000%20and%2023%2C000%20years%20old Feel free to send me a link with your info

[@markschuler1511]

Why aren't dogs allowed?

[@TheWestisBig]

You obviously didn’t watch the whole video. I interview a Park Ranger and that’s one of the things I asked him. The short answer is - they disturb park visitors, particularly when thier owners disregard common courtesy and allow their dogs to bark, dig and otherwise disturb the peaceful nature of the parks. They also cause undo stress to native plants and animals who already have enough trouble just surviving in the harsh desert. Hopefully you understand how dogs could negatively impact ancient ruins! I was just in Big Bend- there it’s not just the lizards who don’t need the stress dogs cause. There black bears may decide to attack- but apparently Bob cats take advantage of the easy food source when owners ignore the no dog rule. Providing a less than positive experience- particularly for children. So please leave your dog at home.

[@marilenejonez2561]

I still think these sites r build by the fallen angels the nephilum ... No human can carry those lime stones that far & heavy trees...it was the Giants !

[@TheWestisBig]

uh Who are they? Did they also build Rome, the Aztec and Mayan Ruins, Ankor Watt and other stone structures around the globe?

[@jamesbingham4538]

The road is kept rough to keep the area from being overrun by undeserving tourist !

[@larrykeyes4979]

The word Mogollon is pronoucned 'MUG-EE-OWN' ! ! ! !

[@TheWestisBig]

Thanks- I’ll fix it in an update.

[@rickrack4812]

Here's thought... NO DOGS ALLOWED, PERIOD, rules... xcept seeing eye assist

[@TheWestisBig]

I like it

[@aerofart]

We just sent tens of BILLIONS of our tax dollars to foreign countries, but we have to pay a fee to visit our own historic sites. Welcome to America.

[@jeffreymarley6877]

Congrats, we have been powned.

[@josephmccarthy3035]

Those ruins are infact buildings giant ones hit with energy weapons. Lava 😂😂 plasma! Why do they lie to us

[@TheWestisBig]

that's hilarious- sadly I fear there are people who believe energy weapons built them- its amazing how many crazy theories there are

[@rickisanders6261]

I think they were inhabited at and during a time once the giants started hunting and eating the smaller humans before they banded together to hunt and kill the last cannibalistic red haired giants!! That's my theory! Please take me with you on at least one of your trips.?!

[@TheWestisBig]

Giants? sounds crazy

[@ru2yaz33]

Mispronounced Pueblo tribe names...

[@TheWestisBig]

i tried my best

[@WATCHMENONTHEWALL00]

@ 3:20, those foot prints were made during the first earth age that was destroyed @ the Katabole, the overthrow of satan and the destruction of the first earth age 2 Peter 3

[@TheWestisBig]

really? why do you think that?

[@WATCHMENONTHEWALL00]

@TheWestisBigTravelGuides I believe everything in the Bible, about 80% of what we were taught in the public school or the government run indoctrination camps were lies, I believe in intelligent creation not everything from an explosion. You need to Google who created the bib bang "theory" it was a priest in the early 20th century. It's all crap

[@moelarrycurly708]

Too many commercials , i'm outta here

[@TheWestisBig]

blame youtube!! i don’t control the number of ads. Of course if you’d like to cover the production costs- i have a paypal account - i’ll be happy to turn off all ads. This content doesn’t make itself!!

[@moelarrycurly708]

@@TheWestisBigWell said

[@vixendoe6943]

Maybe if enough people contacted YT about the over abundance of ads, couldn't hurt, I suppose.

[@pbodymathis]

How can they be 23k years old when the earth is only around 6-7 thousand years old?

[@TheWestisBig]

the earth is 4.6 billion years old

[@pbodymathis]

Prove it with facts, not some scientists beliefs..@@TheWestisBig

[@TheWestisBig]

really! Did you read the study that dated them? Lots of data lots of facts. what Facts do u have? Have you provided those facts to the Park service? Or local University?

[@pbodymathis]

Actually they have lied for centuries. People want to believe the lies because they do not want what is coming soon. It is a battle between the truth and satan who authored lies, murder and destruction. Have you not read, diamonds can be made in a lab in a day or two, fossils can also be made in the lab in the same time. Not millions of years or billions. God's word spells it out from creation to now, less than 7 thousand years. @@TheWestisBig

[@shaynejenkins446]

goon

[@montyklaus7223]

23thousand year old foot prints? There clearly 18,372 yrs old this June 1st. I can pull numbers out of my a$$ as good as anyone

[@TheWestisBig]

or you can read the many scientific studies that resulted in the same age.

[@montyklaus7223]

I guess it’s true if enough people say it long enough it has to be true, kind of like global warming

[@shaynejenkins446]

@@montyklaus7223 another goon