Oh Well! It's not a castle and Montezuma was never here.
Nestled into a limestone recess high above the flood plain of Beaver Creek in the Verde Valley stands one of the best preserved cliff dwellings in North America. The five-story, 20-room cliff dwelling served as a "high-rise apartment building" for prehistoric Sinagua Indians over 600 years ago.
Early settlers to the area assumed that the imposing structure was associated with the Aztec emperor Montezuma, but the castle was abandoned almost a century before Montezuma was born.
With heightened concern over vandalism of fragile southwestern prehistoric sites, Montezuma Castle became a major factor in the nation's historic preservation movement with its proclamation as a national monument. The Castle was described in the December 1906 establishment proclamation as "of the greatest ethnological and scientific interest." Acreage: 840.86, federal: 16.83, non-federal.
"The first permanent settlers at Montezuma's Castle were the Hohokam (Pima language for "those who have gone"). They were a skillful farming people who moved into the Verde Valley shortly after A.D. 600. They grew crops of corn, beans, squash and cotton and watered them by irrigation.
"* 1 hr 30 min. Combine Montezuma's Castle, Tuzigoot & Sedona for a great day trip.
Montezuma Castle Visitor Center
Open Daily: 8 AM- 6 PM
(June - August)
Open Daily: 8 AM -5 PM
(September - May)
The entrance gate remains open during these hours seven days a week (closed on Christmas Day).
Dogs are allowed on park trails but must remain on a leash no longer than six feet in length. Dog owners must pick up after their pets.
Museum Includes exhibits and artifacts depicting the lifestyle, history and culture of the Sinaguan Indians who built Montezuma Castle.
Available Services
Book
Store, restrooms, and picnic area
Phone (928)567-3322
Montezuma Well is a place like no other in the world. This unique geologic feature, located 11 miles from Montezuma Castle, is home to species of animals found nowhere else. The trails take you past prehistoric Sinaguan cliff and cave dwellings, pueblo ruins, and a 1,000 year old irrigation ditch that is still in use by local residents today. Take your time and discover the tranquility of a place that has served as an oasis for wildlife and people for thousands of years.
Montezuma Well is a natural sinkhole 368 feet wide, with cliffs that tower 70 feet above the water’s surface. Every day over 1.5 million gallons of warm (74°F) water flows into the Well, fed by three to four large underwater vents, some as deep as 56 feet below the surface. The water exits the well through a cave 300 feet long, emerging on the southeast corner of the mound into an irrigation ditch originally constructed almost 1,000 years ago by the people of the Sinagua (see-NAH-wah) culture who lived and farmed here for centuries. Exploring the Well’s trails (see below) takes you back in time to discover the ingenuity of a people whose remarkable legacy continues to inspire us today.
Open Daily: 8 AM- 6 PM (June - August)
Open Daily: 8 AM -5 PM (September - May)
The entrance gate remains open during these hours seven days a week (closed on Christmas Day). Dogs are allowed on park trails but must remain on a leash no longer than six feet in length. Dog owners must pick up after their pets.
Available Services
Pit toilets (flush toilets available in picnic area), contact station, trails, and picnic area
Phone
(928)567-4521
Crowning a desert hilltop is an ancient pueblo. From a roof top a child scans the desert landscape for the arrival of traders, who are due any day now. What riches will they bring? What stories will they tell? Will all of them return? From the top of the Tuzigoot Pueblo it is easy to imagine such an important moment. Tuzigoot is an ancient village or pueblo built by a culture known as the Sinagua. The pueblo consisted of 110 rooms including second and third story structures. The first buildings were built around A.D. 1000. The Sinagua were agriculturalists with trade connections that spanned hundreds of miles. The people left the area around 1400. The site is currently comprised of 42 acres.
1 hr 30 min.
Combine Montezuma's Castle, Tuzigoot & Sedona for a great day trip.
Tuzigoot National Monument Visitor Center
Open From Memorial Day through Labor Day 8 AM- 6 PM
Open From Labor Day through Memorial Day 8 AM -5 PM
Phone 928-634-5564
Exhibits
Exhibits depicting the life style of the Sinaguan Indians
Available Facilities
Western National Parks Association (WNPA) Book Store, restrooms.
Tuzigoot, Montezuma's Castle and Montezuma's well are a perfect day trip for the Sheridan House Inn Bed and Breakfast in Williams Arizona.
