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Montezuma Castle National MonumentTheme(s): Native American | |
Description:
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.
Designations:
National Monument (December 8, 1906)
Accessibility:
The visitor center and most of the paved trail are accessible to wheelchairs. A portion of the Castle trail is too steep for wheelchairs and is marked with a sign. The picnic area is not accessible to wheelchairs. Please contact a ranger for more information. Audio cassettes and braille text are avaialble for the visually impaired.
Getting Around:
The monument visitor center contains exhibits and information regarding your visit. The 1/3 mile Castle trail will take the visitor on a leisurely walk to view Montezuma Castle and other prehistoric dwellings.
Activites:
Educational Programs | Bird Watching | And more.
Facilities:
Visitor_Centers | Picnic Areas | Comfort Stations | Museum Exhibits | Tours & Guided Activities | And more.
Directions to Montezuma Castle National Monument
Plane:
Nearest commercial airports are locted in Flagstaff (50 miles), Prescott (55 miles), and Phoenix (100 miles)
Car:
Montezuma Castle is located 3 miles off Interstate 17. Use Exit Number 289 and follow signs.
Public Transportation
Tours are available from Flagstaff and some surrounding communities.
Nearby Parks:
Grand Canyon National Park (135 miles)
Tuzigoot National Monument (25 miles)
Wupatki National Monument (65 miles)
Walnut Canyon National Monument (55 miles)
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