National
Monuments
The Sedona/Verde Valley area is fortunate to have three archaeological National Park Service monuments to explore.
Montezuma Castle
Established December 8, 1906, Montezuma Castle is the third National Monument dedicated to preserving Native American culture. This 20 room high-rise apartment, nestled into a towering limestone cliff, tells a story of ingenuity, survival and ultimately, prosperity in an unforgiving desert landscape.
Montezuma Well
Montezuma Well is a sub-unit of Montezuma Castle, located about 15-20 minutes north of Montezuma Castle National Monument. Archaeological evidence suggests that humans have lived in the Verde Valley for at least 10,000 years. The earliest signs of permanent settlement in the area appear quite a bit later, however, around 600 CE.
Tuzigoot
Tuzigoot National Monument preserves a 2- to 3-story pueblo ruin on the summit of a limestone and sandstone ridge just east of Clarkdale, Arizona, 120 feet (37 m) above the Verde River floodplain. It is an elongated complex of stone masonry rooms that were built along the spine of a natural outcrop.
NOTE: Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot national monuments are federal fee areas. All visitors must pay the entrance fee or present an Interagency Park Pass (America the Beautiful Pass) at the Visitor Center. The entrance fee covers both the Castle and Tuzigoot for seven days from the date of purchase. Montezuma Well is free.