The Verde Valley is located in central Arizona between Flagstaff and Phoenix. It is so named due to the Verde River (a tributary of the Salt River) which is one of Arizona’s last free-flowing river systems. Hundreds of years ago, peoples of the Southern Sinagua culture flourished here.
By 1150 CE (Common Era or AD), Southern Sinagua began building large pueblos, often on hilltops or in cliff alcoves. Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot villages reached their maximum size in the 1300s and continued for another century.
Today, the National Park Service has set aside three areas designated as National Monuments to preserve remnants of this ancient culture: Montezuma Castle, Montezuma Well and Tuzigoot.
Montezuma Castle
Established by Teddy Roosevelt on December 8, 1906, Montezuma Castle is the third National Monument dedicated to preserving Native American culture. This 20-room high-rise apartment is one of the best-preserved prehistoric cliff dwellings in North America.
The name came from a mistaken belief that the cliff-dwelling was a castle Aztec refugees had built for their emperor. We currently know that Montezuma never ventured this far north from his home in Mexico but the name stuck.
Montezuma Castle National Monument quickly became a destination for America’s first car-bound tourists. In 1933, “Castle A” (on the valley floor against the wall of the cliff), a 45-50 room, pueblo ruin was excavated, uncovering a wealth of artifacts and greatly enhanced our understanding of the Sinagua people who inhabited this area along Beaver Creek for over 400 years.
Early visitors to the monument were allowed access to the cliff dwelling by climbing a series of ladders up the side of the limestone cliffs. However, due to extensive damage to this valuable archeological area, public access of the ruins was discontinued in 1951.
In the second half of the 19th century, many prospectors and settlers came to the Verde Valley. A demand for artifacts resulted in extensive vandalism at Montezuma Castle. Fortunately, archaeologists came to the area to document and protect the sites and preserve artifacts.
Montezuma Well
Montezuma Well is located about 11 miles from Montezuma Castle and was formed by the collapse of a limestone cavern. It was added to the national monument in 1943. The Southern Sinagua irrigated crops with waters from the Well. Between 1125 and 1400 approximately 100-150 people lived here.
Although the area receives less than 13 inches of rain per year, Montezuma Well contains approximately 15 million gallons of water and is fed by one million gallons from the springs daily.
The Well is like a bowl with a crack in the side and the water overflows through a long, narrow cave and exits through an outlet and flows into Beaver Creek. Therefore, the water level remains relatively constant.
Photo shows the outlet of the well. Photo credit: Jan Spell, 2023
The water has a chemical signature; it contains arsenic and high amounts of carbon dioxide so no fish can live here since they cannot breathe. In the absence of fish, at least twelve species of flora and fauna are endemic (only found in this location) to Montezuma Well. MOWE_Endemic_090214.pdf (nau.edu) These species have adapted to the distinctive water chemistry of the Well.
Among these is the Sonoran Mud Turtle. Through the years people have released red-eared sliders, a turtle commonly sold in pet stores, into the waters of the Well. This invasive species out-competed the smaller, native mud turtles and jeopardized the health of this aquatic ecosystem that’s like no other in the world. Thankfully, the invasive red-eared sliders have successfully been removed from the Well. Microsoft Word – MOWE Turtle Site Bulletin.doc (nps.gov)
Tuzigoot
The people who built and lived in the rooms of the Tuzigoot pueblo were part of a vast and thriving community, with trade connections stretching from the top of the arid Colorado Plateau to the jungles of Central America and the Pacific Coast.
This village was built high on a limestone ridge, over a hundred feet above the floodplains of the Verde River. It has clear lines of sight in every direction and can easily be seen from many of the other hills – and pueblos – in the area.
Right: Early reconstruction of the Pueblo
Abandonment of the Area
No one knows why the Southern Sinagua migrated away from the area by the early 1400s. It could be one or a combination of circumstances: overpopulation, depletion of resources, disease, conflicts with other tribes, climate change or spiritual beliefs. They likely migrated to pueblo villages to the north.
How to Visit
Montezuma Castle is 50 miles south of Flagstaff, AZ off of Interstate 17.
Montezuma Well is located about 15-20 minutes to the North. From Montezuma Castle National Monument, head toward I-17 and go North 1 1/2 miles to the next exit (Exit 293). Total trip between Montezuma Castle and Montezuma Well is 11 miles.
Tuzigoot is 50 miles south of Flagstaff via US Alt. 89 (scenic road trough Oak Creek Canyon).
Both Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot have visitor centers. All three sites have short, hard-surfaced walking trails.
For more information and for park alerts, please visit the NPS website. Arizona (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)