There is no lodging in the Monument. Numerous hotels and motels are located in and around Camp Verde and Sedona, AZ within 25 miles.
Nestled into a limestone recess high above the flood plain of Beaver Creek in the Verde Valley, stands one of the best preserved and most easily accessible cliff ruins in North America. This 5-story, 20-room cliff dwelling served as a "high-rise apartment building" for prehistoric Sinagua Indians more than 600 years ago.
Early settlers to the area assumed that the imposing structure was connected to the Aztec emperor Montezuma, but this "castle" was abandoned almost a century before Montezuma was born.
General Information
Rates & Fees
Entrance Fee: $5.00 per person, children 16 and younger are admitted free of charge. Golden Passports are honored.
Visitor Center
Summer Hours: 8:00 am to 7:00 pm.
Winter Hours: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Facilities/Features
Stores/Museum
The Visitor Center contains a small museum displaying artifacts. Southwest Parks and Monuments Association runs a small bookstore in the Visitor Center.
Programs & Events
Wayside exhibits, found along the self-guiding trail describe the cultural and natural history of the area. The trail is a paved, level sidewalk just over 1/3 of a mile in length. A diorama/audio program depicts the interior view of the Castle. Rangers are available on the trail and programs are presented when staffing permits.
Food/Supplies
There are no food or supplies within the Monument. Overnight accommodations, food, supplies and gasoline are available in downtown Campe Verde, 4 miles south.
Accessibility
The Visitor Center and paved sidewalk are fully accessible to wheelchairs.
Geography
Montezuma Castle, comprising 840 acres, is located approximately within the town of Camp Verde, 50 miles south of Flagstaff and 90 miles north of Phoenix, Arizona. It can be reached by taking Exit 289 off I-17 and following the signs 3 miles to the Visitor Center parking lot.
Climate
Summers are generally hot and dry, with somewhat mild winters.
Things To Do
Montezuma Well is an added section to Montezuma Castle National Monument. The unit preserves a large, spring-fed limestone sinkhole and prehistoric ruins that remain from early Hohokam and Sinagua occupation. Both cultures lived at the site and irrigated their crops with the water from the Well. Remains of their ancient irrigation canals can still be seen.
No entrance fee is charged. The Well is located approximately 11 miles from Montezuma Castle. Take Exit 293 from I-17 and drive four miles. There is a 1/3-mile loop trail that is not recommended for wheelchair use.
Camping & Lodging
Lodging
There is no lodging in the Monument. Numerous hotels and motels are located in and around Camp Verde and Sedona, AZ within 25 miles.
Camping
- There is no camping in the Monument. U.S. Forest Service and private campgrounds are located in and throughout the area, including Oak Creek Canyon.
Precautions, Rules, Regulations
It is the visitor's responsibility to know and obey park rules. Regulations are designed for visitors' protection and to protect natural resources.
- All vehicles, including bicycles, must remain on designated roadways. Always use designated parking areas, never stop in the roadway.
- Observe posted speed limits - park roads are not designed for speed. Enjoy the scenery safely. Slow down at dawn and dusk and watch for animals.
- Buckle up. Seat belts are required by law.
- Do not feed wildlife. Avoid contact with rodents. The white-footed deer mouse is a carrier of hantavirus and prairie dogs can carry plague.
- Poisonous snakes and insects are common but not aggressive. Keep a safe distance. This is their home and they are protected.
- All natural resources, animals, plants, and rocks are protected. Look, but do not take.
- Hunting and the possession of firearms is prohibited within the Monument.
- Pets are not allowed in buildings, on trails, or tied to fixed objects. They may be exercised in parking areas on a leash. Summer temperatures may be fatal to pets in closed vehicles.
Box 219
Camp Verde, AZ 86322
928-567-3322
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