~~~Montezuma Castle~~~

~~~Montezuma Castle National Monument~~~

Camp Verde, Arizona

We started out late in the morning taking a ride through the country and headed towards Montezuma's Castle. We went through Camp Verde and over hills and down in the valleys. We finally arrived at our destination...

Interestingly enough, the name Montezuma Castle was a mistaken name. Early settlers who discovered the cliff dwelling ruins connected them to the Aztec emperor Montezuma, but in-fact the Sinaqua ruins had been abandoned a hundred years before Montezuma was even born. And the dwellings weren’t a castle at all, but a multi-family “prehistoric high rise apartment complex”

The Indian Tribe(Sinaquas)who built the cliff dwellings called Montezuma Castle about 700 years ago abandoned their habitat in this Verde Valley Arizona area in the 1400s. Maybe they had over farmed the land or they could have been eliminated through conflict with the Yavapai Indians that still exist today. If there were any Sinaqua survivors, they were likely absorbed into other Indian Tribes to the north.

Close up of the top of the castle and Ralph walking Tiffy in park


The Sinaquas were daring builders climbing up the high cliffs to carve-out a recessed area into the limestone walls & built the strong dwellings high above overlooking the Beaver Creek just a few miles from what is now known as Camp Verde, Arizona.

see the holes that are left in the cliff walls from part of the dwellings

It took ladders to climb to Montezuma Castle and as the Sinaqua reached each level, the ladders made their way to the cliff community making it difficult for enemy tribes to penetrate the natural defense of straight-vertical barriers.

This was a great day and another stamp in my National Park Passport Book. What a peaceful park to sit and ponder how they lived & farmed in this area.

To me it is all amazing!

Beaver Creek

Until Later... Have FUN, Travel Safe & Enjoy Everyday!