Montezuma Castle National Monument in Verde Valley

If you were to see this ancient structure when it was first constructed, you might have considered it a “castle.” It towers over the valley below from its cliffside position 90 feet from the base of the limestone cliff. But the name Montezuma wasn’t what it was called. In fact, it wasn’t until the 1800s that anyone called it Montezuma Castle, after Emperor Moctezuma II of the Aztec Empire.  Named by the Europeans because of their fascination of the Aztecs, the name Montezuma couldn’t have been further from anything that the Sinagua people would have named it when they built it in about the middle 1100’s AD. Nevertheless, the name Montezuma Castle stuck and that is what it has come to be known as.

A National Monument

Named a National Monument in 1906, Montezuma Castle was only the 3rd National Monument named in order to preserve Native American Culture.  Its located just minutes from Cottonwood in Camp Verde, Arizona. The drive to the monument is an easy drive, just minutes off I-17, and has a visitor center very near the parking lot. When we arrived, the visitor center was under construction, so entry was free. There was a makeshift park store to get souvenirs, gifts, drinks, and passport stickers and stamps, and if there were to be an entry fee, it was $10 per person.

Right after the restrooms and visitor center, there is a nicely paved path to lead you to the monument. It’s a short one third mile walk and is mostly covered by shade trees. It is very easily accessible by the handicap and elderly. Along the way, educational signs are in place to teach us about the monument, the Sinagua people, and the local plant and animal life that would have been plentiful during the time this place was inhabited by the indigenous people of the Verde Valley.

The Sinagua People

The Sinagua built several settlements in the Verde Valley. Though they were mostly known for their pit homes, the Sinagua also built such fantastic complexes as the Tuzigoot National Monument and the Motezuma Castle. They were hunter gatherers, farmers, and tradesmen. The Verde Valley offered them excellent means to hunt and grow crops for their trades, as well as access to other indigenous communities to which they could trade their wares.

In about the mid 1400’s AD, the Sinagua left the area. It’s unclear exactly why they left, but there are several theories, such as drought, rivalry with other local tribes, and other social conflicts. One thing is for sure, the Sinagua left their mark in the valley, and have been recognized in the area for their building skills, utilizing early stone and mortar.

A Towering Castle in the Cliff

As you leave the visitor Center, it is only a short walk to the old dwelling space. It’s an awe-inspiring look at a time from the past. The five story and twenty room “Castle” begins at about 90 feet up from the base of a limestone cliff. The Sinagua women are said to have built this massive structure that is reminiscent of a high-rise apartment building. As we sat on a shady bench at the base of the structure, you could look up and imagine the Sinagua people climbing up and down all the ladders that would have been used for access. Knowing that children and pets would have been playing alongside Beaver Creek below, while men and women worked the fertile grounds and carried items up and down those ladders to all of the rooms of the dwelling.

In 2012 I began the laborious task of building my own home. I had modern tools, like saws, shovels, wheeled carts to carry supplies, hammers, nails, etc. It was a monumental undertaking for me and my family but once it was completed, it was such a satisfactory feeling. Looking at Montezuma Castle, I realized that the people who built this, did it with such primitive tools. They dug solid rock, moved large rocks and boulders, managed to carry in logs, and found ways to mortar all of their work together, without such simple things as a 5-gallon bucket. The Sinagua people were masterful, and it gives a person a bit of perspective on life. We have all of those modern tools, and we should all take some time to appreciate how “Easy” we have it.

The Montezuma Castle is more than a national monument. It’s a place to reflect on our own lives and to realize how far human civilization has progressed. If you are in the central Arizona area, stop off I-17 for a short trip to the monument. Have a picnic at one of the picnic areas along Beaver Creek, while you look up at an accomplishment by the Sinagua people that will inspire you.