During my early March 2020 trip to Sedona, I took a side trip to a few Native American ruins and one of them was Montezuma Castle National Monument. Many times while driving North from Phoenix on I-17 I have noticed the turn off for Montezuma Castle and always wondered about it. Well, I was soon to find out. Having visited Tuzigoot National Monument earlier in the morning, this National Monument was only about 25 minutes from there, and 25 minutes from our hotel in Sedona.
Information
Montezuma Castle is a Native Anerican ruin carved into a cliff. This cliff dwelling was built by the Sinagua Native Americans between 1100 AD and 1300 AD. It originally had with 5 stories with 20 rooms. The Sinagua worked the land so the area was a good place to settle as there was water, fertile ground, and plenty of game. The Sinagua left the area around 1425 AD. According to many historians, they migrated north and joined the Hopi people. You can read more about the Sinagua People by clicking here.
Montezuma Castle was named after the Aztec Chief, Montezuma. Early Settlers thought the elaborate design and construction was Aztec in origin. The settlers were wrong. The settlement wasn’t Aztec and Montezuma was not known to be in this area. In addition, Montezuma lived from 1466-1520
Location
The Castle
To view Montezuma Castle National Monument you will follow a well marked sidewalk which loops around the grounds. It is about a third of a mile in total. In addition, there are interpretive signs along the way. It is a very nice walk with some really unique trees with white bark. I imagine the trees are really pretty when in bloom.
You will see the ruins up in the cliff immediately from the side and as you walk further you will come right up in front of the ruins.
More Ruins
A little further down the walkway there is another pueblo ruin. Comparatively, this was a larger ruin with about 45 rooms and built close to ground level. You will see many openings, or alcoves that were once rooms. Archeologists believe the areas in front of the alcoves burnt down years ago. From my understanding, the alcoves go further back and are actually rooms. Unfortunately, visitors can no longer go in these ruins.
Creek
As you follow the walkway to the creek, you will see how it was a lifeline for the Sinagua People, since it is close to where they resided. In addition, the area inside the loop, between the ruins and the creek was used for planting, mainly corn. Beaver Creek is fed by water from Montezuma Well, a few miles upstream. I will be blogging about Montezuma Well in next Thursday’s post.
Interpretation Model
As you continue on your way you will pass an outdoor interpretation model that represents the structural design and how the rooms may have looked inside. I thought this was a nice addition to the walk. As you continue you will end the loop trail at the visitors center and gift shop.
Conclusion
Montezuma Castle National Monument was an interesting place to visit. It was actually a quick tour but nonetheless I enjoyed it. I would try to get there early, as I was leaving I noticed a couple buses from schools showing up and I would expect it became more crowded!!
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For More Posts on the Sedona Area you can follow these links:
Devil’s Bridge Trail, March 2020
Soldier’s Pass Trail, Sedona, March 2020
This is on my bucket list! Thanks
Oh cool!!!
Whenever I see ruins in Arizona, I always wonder how they survived the severe summer heat without air conditioning. Perhaps they built this ruin higher in the cliff for cool breezes at that elevation during the summer?
That could be!!! I hadn’t thought of that but it makes sense!
Once again, a great post from you unraveling the mysteries of Archaeology.. 😊
I haven’t seen any castle or structure ever built inside the caves. This is a new one.
There is very little doubt that the alcoves you saw from the outside must hide a detailed and interconnected cave system from the inside, which may partly be natural and partly man-made.
Great post as usual Madam. Good to learn about History from you.. 😊
Thank you! I really wish they still let visitors go inside!!! But I understand they can’t due to how delicate and old this all is!!
Right, Madam. There are a few Historical sites in India as well where visitors are banned from entering inside the complexes due to the very same reason..
It makes sense!! I would rather see it from the outside only than risk damage to historical sites!!
Rightly said Madam.. 🙂
fascinating – I can’t imagine living in such a place, but I guess you make do with what you have!
I so agree! I can’t imagine climbing up and down to get in and out or even to go and get water!!
I didn’t even think about the commute! I was just imagining living inside those caves!
That doesn’t sound fun either
Ingenious architectural structures! Very nice ~ thanks for sharing!
Thanks! I am always impressed at these ancient structures!!
I also enjoy Montezuma’s Castle and Tuzigoot. Have you heard of Walnut Canyon? That’s really interesting too. I’m not much of a photographer, so I really enjoy your photos. Thanks for promoting our lovely state of Arizona!
You are welcome!!! Hoping to go back in a few years and hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon again, Walnut Canyon would be great to see them too!!
Such a fun place! We loved it there- my son used to be obsessed with cliff dwellings. We also went to Walnut Canyon while we were there. VERY cool place!
I thought it was pretty cool!!!
As I’m reading I’m comparing this to Mesa Verde, and it’s neat to see the similarities and differences between the two sets of ruins.
I did that while visiting here! Mesa Verde is different yet there are a lot of similarities!! Both were cool!!
This is very cool! Never heard of this place before. Anyway, I enjoyed your posts on Montezuma Well and Castle very much. Thanks for sharing.
Glad you enjoyed! They were both fun places to visit!!
This is so neat, Lori! Reminds me of the only place I’ve seen that ways, Mesa Verda! Sister & I took our kids there late 70s! They still talk about it! 😊
Thanks! I love Mesa Verde! So unique!!
Wonderful place! Had no idea of places like that before our trip west. I’d just graduated from college, 1st in my family to make it! And wanted to take the kids on a road trip west and “see” 😊
My folks took me there when I was little and I took my kids there when they were little! Lots of fun!!!! Then I took my husband there in 2016! I still loved it!! He was amazed!! Great achievement graduating college first in family!! I was 33 when I achieved my associates degree and 48 when I received my Bachelors!! Great feeling to graduate even at that age!!!!
Oh yes! I was 28 or so for my BA, in my early 30s for my Masters, only possible cause thru my GI bill benefits 🇺🇸 😊
😊😊😊
What a great place to see which it is now on my list to visit when I go to Arizona. Thanks for sharing.
I really enjoyed it! Amazing place to see! Thanks for your comments!