Exploring the Ghost Town of Two Guns, Arizona and the Apache Death Cave
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 20 พ.ค. 2024
- Two Guns, Arizona was a popular stop along Route 66 in the first half of the 20th Century. The town featured gas stations, gift shops, a restaurant, and even a zoo. It also was home to the Apache Death Cave, the scene of often told tale where Navajo warriors took revenge on 42 members of an Apache raiding party.
Nowadays, Two Guns is nothing more than a ghost town, with the last gas station and campground having closed decades ago. Because of its remote location in eastern Arizona, a number of ruins of the town, including the abandoned 1920s zoo remain. Also remaining, the Apache Death Cave itself.
In this video we explore the ruins of the town, talk about its history and some of the colorful characters that inhabited it. We also take a look at the Canyon Diablo bridge, which is located on the National Register of Historic Places.
Then we climb into the Apache Death Cave, explore it, talk about its history and if the legend of the massacre is true. Join us as we explore this great Route 66 ghost town.
For more on the creation of the Apache Death Cave, check out this great article: neverquitelost.com/2020/10/29...
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As a kid I remember "Two guns", "Rimmy Jims" and "Twin arrows". This stretch of Hwy 40 from Flagstaff to Gallup is one of the most the most boring and scenery vacant piece of landscape in Arizona. I'm 79 and have lived here since I was 10. Arrived in Arizona in a new 1954 Pontiac Star Chief on this stretch of Rt. 66 in August of 1954. I was viewing this landscape from my back seat like a blind dog in a meat house, not knowing where to look next. Couldn't get enough of it and vowed to never leave. I haven't. Great work. Keep it up.
I can't believe you clambered down into that really extremely unsafe "death cave." However, we're grateful you did it so we don't have to.
It is solid, I've been going into it for 30 years and have even taken my wife and children down into it. It's not dangerous at all.
When i went there was snow i slipped and cut my hand with a rock it's a little dangerous.
Another excellent video. I visited this area 2.5 years ago and shot some 360-degree photos. Someday I'll make a video with those... if anyone cares to see them.
Beautiful footage, makes me miss being able to visit the old ruins. A few comments... the first 'zoo' you showed is the newer one (post-Route 66 realignment around 1938). When the road was realigned, the businesses where essentially rebuilt to the north side of the canyon. Miller's original zoo (part of the large "Fort Two Guns" structure, which I didn't see any footage of?) is south, situated near the round-shaped old Texaco building which was once run by Rimmy Jim Giddings (a character worth googling - and you'll get some stories about the outhouses). Miller shot Cundiff in one of the side rooms off the entrance of the Fort Two Guns building. The building at the end of the 1915 bridge was the Cundiff general store - it burned in 1929. If you stay on the dirt road, past the area of the old town, you'll see a smaller concrete bridge - this was the Route 66 entrance into town pre-realignment. You can see the vague traces of 66 via a google earth image of the area - it veers off I-40 southeastward. Once it was realigned, the way in to "town" (where the newer zoo sits) conforms closely to the 1940s-1971 ruins (the faded section of old 66 that still has pavement). That is noticeable in the google earth sat images too. The KOA buildings have only been down for a few years - I've been in them a few times. There was a small wooden building close to the "modern" Shell station where we found KOA receipts dating to at least the early 1990s so it was in operation at least until then. There's a lot of vestiges of Two Guns' last days (the fire that wiped it out in 1971 - just as the I-40 exit was being completed - left a good deal of evidence of the trading post / motel / etc that stood just near the spot where the newer zoo ruins are.) A web search for "vintage Two Guns AZ" images will bring up images of the red trading post, the huge sign, gas station, etc that was right there). As far as the Death Cave, whether it's true or not - and Gladwell Richardson was a teller of tall tales - just 10-15 years ago you could cross a rickety wooden bridge, along a paved sidewalk winding down, into the original entrance. That entrance has since collapsed in. I crossed that old bridge a few times. The "newer" way into the cave is how you went it. Whether completely false or not, the cave's story made Miller a lot of money! (...if you want to know where he went after 1930 - take 66 to the NM border where Yellowhorse's trading post stands. Miller set up a new faux-Native attraction he called the "Cave of the Seven Devils" which I believe he ran until he died ~1951 or 1952(?).)
Excellent comments Monkey! I bet y9u have your own stories to tell. ✌️
Haha I just posted about the first zoo!
Ok
@@markhughes2611 that's the story. Miller also pulled this roadside attraction scam at another location on the AZ/NM border.
Holy moly Monkey. Formidable and informative comments. Awesome 💯
First time I stopped there was in 98 or 99, the glass windows and overhead doors in the gas station were all still in place, and there were still maps and brochures neatly placed in a metal stand, not a lick of graffiti. I'm disgusted with the way it looks today.
graffiti is a cultural vomit. it tries to pass as art, just like rap and hip hop tries to pass as music
@@jean-francoislemieux5509 100% agreement on all 3
@jean-françois Lemieux I agree with you, but not 100%. Graffiti in the right places is cool, but places like these, I agree, it’s disgusting. And with rap and hip-hop, depends heavily on the guy who’s making it.
Graffiti can be art if done right, but on windows and operating buildings that did not ask for it no only of the owners allow people to do that and music it’s about taste. I do not like rap and hip hop but I do not criticize people that do like it.
It's been six years since I was there, and no graffiti then. I took my daughter and my mom on a tour of the place on our way to Dallas from Vegas. The bridge going down to the cave was in better condition too. Sad that one group of disrespectful kids can ruin ...well ruins but history so simply. It is an abandoned area, but not forgotten.
Just north of there was the town of Canyon Diablo, very murderous place. The first Marshall was sworn in at 3:00pm and buried at 8:00pm had a ton of Marshalls killed on duty. Stage line was robbed constantly, pretty crazy place.
As an Arizona native we've always called them the Apache Tourist Caves... It's the wild west - expect a tall tale or ten...
I can show you a bridge across the Deep Fork River in Oklahoma that you never would think the water could go over the bridge, but it did back in the 1990s during a thunderstorm that dumped 6" of water in about two hours.
I'm glad you brought out the "mythical" factor of the cave. I've watched other videos of it where they accepted the story at face value. The West has enough true stories of tragic events, no need to add to them.
That was quite the story, thank you for braving the "Death Cave" and telling us the story of Two Guns.
Thank you for watching.
@@SidetrackAdventures The ledged of this "Death Cave" was probably conflated with an incident that did occur in the Salt River area south of Cebecue Az when U.S. Cavalry trapped a group of Apache's in a cave. Ricochets are nasty things, did not turn out well for the Apache.
Exploring an unstable set of passages in a desert filled with fauna, all of which are unfriendly. You deserve a ‘thumbs-up’ just for that.
You having the courage to go in those close passages of the Apache Death Cave was awesome journalism guts and video! Your finest hour!
Great video. Thanks. Sadly, even out in the middle of nowhere, you can't get away from the ghetto taggers. One of the greatest scourges of the 21st century.
Graffiti is as old as humanity. the colosseum is covered in roman aged graffiti carvings.
next time try not to be racist
@@kartos.Just stay in the ghetto you'll be fine
Ignorance is bliss
Dude your exploration and research of the locale you are presenting is so cool. Thanks!
That was very well done. I just watched another video of someone who visited this site but it left so many questions. I remember making a couple of internet searches and not coming up with much. Even tried finding some old photographs of the sites but didn’t find much of them either. Hats off to you and your research.
Thank you. Yes, every time I've seen a video on it they have treated the cave story as fact and just looking at the cave one has to question how they possibly thought a bunch of horses were in there!
You can listen to the Geronimo Biography online... also look up King S. Woolsey or Jack Swilling but remember, they WROTE the history we have and the other side of the story is all but myth
If it helps. A researcher would have to visit the county property registry mine claims including the archives of historical newspapers hidden away in museums basements. Libraries are great places to locate historical information and other historical documents of interest 😊
I wonder if there’s any information on what happened to all the animals.
My late husband and I were lucky enough to get to this remarkable place. Thanks for reviving memories. 🇦🇺
I have really been enjoying the relaxing nature of your videos and the paces you’ve been featuring. Plus the length of the videos is perfect. Great work!
I've sped right past there many, many times not knowing anything about it. Thanks to you for doing the research and sharing it with us. Amazing job!
Yes , two guns is my favorite place. The coolest place I've ever been. Layers of history piled on top of another.
Now, of course, there actually is a genuine Apache death cave located, as far as I am aware (it's not marked and deliberately kept off maps), just about the north side of Horse Mesa dam. You can read the account of what happened as recorded by state historian James McClintock when it was accidentally rediscovered in the early 1900s, still containing the bones of those who died. (Since relocated to reservation land and buried properly.)
This place is rad! I visited last summer on a Rt. 66 trip. I spent a couple hours walking around and taking amazing pictures. I did a good bit of research prior to going, and was just telling a friend about it, which led me to reminisce. Great video, thanks for sharing this cool and out of the way place with everyone.
Thank you. Yes, its such a cool place for photos.
Great video. Such interesting history. Too bad graffiti ruins everything.
Graffiti VANDALS. Makes me sick to my stomach. I remember visiting Frisco, Seattle and Portland in the 70s when they weren't the crime-homeless infested socialist shit holes they are today.
I was there in early 2016 and the Kamp building, next to the pool, was still standing. It was in rough shape but the peaked roof was still there with the word "Kamp" on both sides of the peak. There is a tree just south of the Kamp building that I crashed my drone (Inspire 1 Pro) into but was fortunate to fly it back to the abandoned gas station where I was standing and able to land without further damage. One of my props had about 2 inches of one of the blades missing. I'd suspected the Apache Death Cave story was made up but you never know.
This is great. Remembering some of these places in late 1940 and 50's with parents on way from Los Angeles to there old homes in Iowa! Really scary back then. No air conditioning and bag of water tied to front of car!
Wow. I consider that era of America the best. I feel like I just barely caught the end it before 2000. Drinking water from a hose, sitting in the bed of a truck cruising was normal, playing in the dirt, and I have a 6 inch scar from the tires and bolts we climbed on that caused it and it didn’t even cross anyones mind that the school was at fault for them sticking out from tires that fell off…
And a chunk of dry ice to keep you cool, sort of.
Those were called "Desert Water Bags," made of heavy jute. The water would seep out slowly, and evaporation would cool the water. If your radiator overheated, you had enough cool water to refill it and get on your way.
Just gave a Desert Center water bag to my buddy
near the exit there used to be a rest area on the eastbound side of 40. it was one of the few places along there to stop for the evening. It was blocked off after a murder in the early 2000's
Not only the animals being enclosed in small areas but exposed to the desert heat.
I've explored that cave a couple of times but would do so more often if I lived anywhere near that area. Great video. Thanks for sharing.
Steve really had his sarcasm on for this trip, love the one about the meteor just missing the gift shop LMAO. Another great video, thanks
What a great video! I stopped by Two Guns on a cross-county Route 66 road trip with my mom earlier this summer, though we only went about as far as the zoo ruins. Even that felt a little eerie to us. I am impressed how fearless you were in finding and exploring the Apache Death Cave! Though, to be fair, it probably helps to know the lore associated with it is likely fictional. In any case, thank you for filming this and adding such insightful commentary. Such a neat pocket of history out in the Arizona desert.
Thank you for going to such extremes to bring great, informative history content. I missed the wildlife plug. Maybe, too hot?
Toured Arizona 1964 with a gallon of iced water and picnic basket..and a 64 Impala
Excellent research on finding these places. Thanks for your work
Excellent job, Mr. Adventures! Thanks for all the research as well as for taking us to another interesting location. If not for you I would never see these things.
Our pleasure! Thank you for watching.
Great walk around, great research and really enjoying the content of your channel, SW USA is one of our favourite destinations, lots of history and stunning landscapes - all the best and safe travels! Warren and Colleen, Queensland, Australia.
Hahah! Everyone has done a video on this place but us at this point. From the second I saw the title though I knew your research would be solid. And it was! Great video as always. 😄
Thank you. I've been wanting to get out there for awhile but always didn't have the time when driving by.
Absolutely Amazing. Thank You So Much ❤
Love your videos man. Thanks for sharing
Good video and great music Steve. Thank you.
David
Thank you for making these videos. As a disabled veteran it feels as if you are taking us along for the stroll. So many places I'd love to go. At least there's your videos. And you're explanation of the history.
Great family oriented video thanks for sharing keep up the great work
Never thought I would say there is no spot for graffiti but, for skateboarding?
What better place! Amazing.
I remember this place as a Coast to Coast Trucker from Missouri and Kansas.
Thanks for risking your life to bring us great videos. You are a much braver man that I am.
Wow! You are so brave, I was scared for you and you have such a relaxing voice too. I found this very interesting and you do your research well. Watching from the UK😊
Very interesting. Excellent video. And that tour inside the cave was outstanding. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you. I wish I brought my other camera in the cave because the GoPro had some issues with the lighting so it got choppy at times, but I wasn't quite sure what it was going to be like in there.
I was there in 1980, wonderful owner that made every effort to help me on my way! I stayed there over night man what a crazy night. It was KOA cramp ground at the time with caves.
I visited Two Guns about ten years ago. There were more 20th-century buildings remaining at that time. Like your visit, I was the only person there. Lightning had struck a piece of glass laying on an old gas station fuel island, creating small, rounded "Apache tears" of fused glass. Later, the local Indians created the "Twin Arrows" diner and garage at the next offramp west. They sank old utility poles diagonally into the ground, with huge arrowheads at the base and faux feathers at their tops. Apparently, it took some pretty large Indians to launch those arrows. Today, the Twin Arrows Casino is near that location.
Again & again---native Americans are not from India! They can't be called "Indians " a person from India is "Indian."
Good video. I always wanted to get out & explore this area when I lived in Arizona. Congratulations on the upcoming 100k subscribers, too!
Thank you!
Greetings from Texas. I’m a brand new subscriber. Thank you for sharing your travels & the history. Looking forward to watching past videos and seeing where you go next. Take care and stay safe
Awesome! Thank you!
Great video on this...I want so much to be able to make trips like this...thanks 👍
Got a nice chuckle out of the Meteor Crater quip!😄 good one👍
"The Apache Not So Dead Cave". Thank you for uploading and elaborating on this area. I can imagine the area needs stories to draw people in. Specially if you want to live in such an environment. Awesome though! I like your adventure stories and visits. Well done!
I can't believe how destroyed the campground is since I was there about 4 or 5 years ago. The building that's just a roof now was solidly standing, though terribly vandalized. Why do people do that? They can't enjoy things, and the bad karma of vandalism will follow them through their lives.
There was a little round stone tower across the bridge that I don't see in this video, it was past the larger stone building ruins.
When the philosophy is BURN AMRIKKKA what else could you expect. This is the time-out generation. Blame (((Benjamin Spock))).
We visited Flagstaff in March 2017. We went to Meteor Crater and stopped by 2Guns, and explored the area afterward. Very interesting. I have a picture of my wife standing on the rickety bridge going into the death cave.
Great presentation. Fascinating
Great video. Loved your intense narration chock full of data, complete with historical facts and fiction. All angles covered.... And I must agree with others, you surely played with fire going into those caves, but thank you....
this was so interesting!! thank you
I would say the flooding of the bridge would come from the road, and the side with the holes in it is slightly lower than the other side so it will drain off and not pool on the bridge.
Your most ambitious video yet. Good to see the more adventurous quests on foot off the old paved roads. I kinda miss SoCal.
Thanks for charing .Very interesting .
Awesome video trip,, thank you for sharing...
Great episode! Am satisfied that the Karma Bus caught up with Mr. Miller. What a shyster.
Apparently he started another similarly themed establishment in New Mexico after leaving here, but yeah, it was great to hear about the maulings lol
@@SidetrackAdventures New Mexico? That's my birthplace. Do you know what town he was near?
@@DovieRuthAuthor Lupton, its the same spot where the Chief Yellowhorse Trading Post is now. When Miller ran it he called it "Cave of the Seven Devils".
@@SidetrackAdventures Wow, it's right on the AZ/NM stateline, not far from Gallup.
This is great I’ve gone by here and never knew anything about it.Thanks for what you do.
Great Video!!!
Dear Folks, I lost track of your channel sometime back (gotta watch out for the YT Algorithms ...). You have really grown more into your process and I have watched several of your recent journeys and you're doing a great job laying out the history and interesting details of your video journeys. Thanks for the time and care to create quality and information rich videos. ;-)
Thank you, we appreciate the kind words.
Great story telling and vision ..thank you for your video .
From Australia..
Awesome and informative video! I'm planning to walk around that area next week while in AZ for the Painted Desert Trading Post gathering. It was really cool to see a current exploration of it beforehand.
Have fun. There is a lot to see out there and a number of ruins we didn't even get to that were farther down the road past the bridge. Its a really fun area to walk around.
Experienced extreme claustrophobia watching this.
Loved your video.
Loved that video. Nice job and you're nuts to go in that cave😂
This was probably the coolest place I got to visit in AZ. So much history
wow.
u did jistice to my instinct ,the way i want to explore the things .
i love to visit such places .i wish someday i will be there too .
Great video... you never fail to impress !!!
Thank you!
Mad respect for that roofer on that house….
I was shocked that it was still there.
Fantastic video
As usual your videos and adventures are the best!
Good work 👍 and nice video thanks for it so have a good life my friend 😁
Great sense of humor. History. Thankss fo the video.
great footage and story
Awesome video!!!
Another awesome video my friend. THANK you Frank from Montana..
Superb vid and history lesson...
You're a lot braver than I am! Thanks for the tour and explanation. Glad the story is probably bunk, too!
I love the video thanks for posting
Thank you, glad you enjoyed it.
Your Palm Springs camp video popped into my feed a few days ago, so thought I'd explore more of your videos. VERY nicely done.
I checked on Google Earth and saw that in Two Guns, there is some sort of mining operation built between 2012 and 2013 SE of the "Graffiti Gas Station" but no reference in your video. I'm curious now!
I've driven along I-40 dozens of times since my first trip out in 1976, and although I had seen the Two Guns exit every time, I was't aware of ANY of the history. Thanks for this.
I don't know what they were mining there. It didn't look to be active, but I didn't get too close to it.
You going that deep into that cave gave me anxiety. Great video.
Thank you! There's a lot to explore in Arizona
Love your videos 👍✨️
Nice stroll with desert closeups on a really hot 🥵 day. Interesting place. Thanks for sharing.
👍☮️🌞🏜🏚
Glad you enjoyed it
@@SidetrackAdventures 💖
There was a terraforming plan to make the desert green in the 1940s. Part of the project got started, some of it didn’t. That bridge may have been on an anticipated root for the green desert project
Very very interesting. Loved the Apache cave
Very cool video!!
Enjoyed this video and the story, some of it was probably true and some not. You did a good job with it and made me want to see it someday! Thanks!
Great Video detailed explanation
I 'm touched It's a Place
I want to go Again
I have been here b4 but long time back . Still like seeing it 😅 glad it's still here
I may be able to add a bit. I was in Two Guns 2 weeks ago and did my own exploring. My interest was actually not the town, but rather as access to the bottom of Canyon Diablo and its geology. I did not visit the Apache Cave. I direct you first to the drone shot at 6:57. The large rectangular building I was told was the general store,, possibly the restaurant,or both. I base that belief on the very large water cistern on the canyon side of the building. Only a business like a restaurant would have the need of so large a water cistern. Immediately center and nearly vertical in the shot,, that road is the access to the bottom of the canyon. The road that leads out to the right is the original right of way, road, that Route 66 later co-opted. The gravel right of way is bounded by fences and aligns perfectly with the modern route 40. Walk that road to the right. About two hundred yards to the west and you will find the remains of the Texaco gas station , round building, gas pump concrete bases where the fuel pumps stood, The photo at 7:01 was taken there. The ruins behind the Texaco station are fascinating. I believe it may be the original stage coach stop, predating all of it. My favourite behind the Texaco station , slightly to the east,, are the rest rooms, Rectangular building small, roof in tatters, and two separate entrances,,, I assume Mens, and Women sides of the outhouse. but,,, when you peak through the door,, it is just one long bench with multiple holes and no dividing wall. A 'two holer' takes on a new meaning of friendliness.
When you go back,, walk farther down that road to the west,, you will find, without a doubt, the remains of the Texaco station and the incredibly rambling, complex building behind it. (At 100+F I understand too well why you did not walk farther.)
if you ever see a desert flash flood you'll understand the bridge
I've been there. I only went as far as you did I'm pretty thick, there's no way I was going to fit through
that crack. Interesting history. Thanks for the video. Darrell from Oregon.
I am glad you survived. I am on a road trip. The Triangle T Ranch 14 miles east of Benson was interesting. 310 to Yuma with Glenn Ford movie set. Plus housed Japanese POWs. Chirachua NM, Johnny Ringo's grave, John Slaughter Ranch, Bisbee (might have to see more of the historical town), Tombstone, and several hikes. The boneyard in Tucson is off of I 10 and Valencia. Ajo near Why was a surprise. I like to check the places you have explored, not the death cave. 2 Guns was very interesting. Great videos!
I liked your video and that you offered different scenarios as to what may have happened in the caves. I'll add one mention regarding the wooden roof on the last dwelling you filmed. I can't say what the species of tree the boards were made of, but the roof timber appear to all be a variety of Cedar, which is usually very strong and rot resistant....and they're still covered with bark, which in a arid climate means they could be very old.
Super cool video! My heart sank when you went in the cave, I am not a spelunker!
Me too! It was pretty eerie going in there.
@@SidetrackAdventures Im glad you got out in one piece! I can only imagine the amount of tourists that have been duped into going down there. Although the cliff dwellings are fake its still kinda cool.
I was in a photography class & we went on a field trip there. We walked out across the old bridge, took 100s of photos of the old zoo & the other old rock buildings.