National Monuments in Arizona's Verde Valley

It's a mystery, really. Standing amidst thousand-year-old stone dwellings, you can't help wondering why the early inhabitants seemingly abandoned their homes, leaving behind fascinating ruins to pique travelers' curiosity. Was it because of disease? Depletion of natural resources? Were they driven out? Or perhaps they didn't really disappear, but simply migrated somewhere else? Who would do that and why?

Who is easier to answer. The ruins at Montezuma Castle, Montezuma Well, and Tuzigoot National Monuments were once the home of the prehistoric Southern Sinaguans. Located in Arizona's Verde Valley just 50 miles south of Flagstaff, these three National Monuments are some of the best-preserved cliff dwellings and hilltop pueblos in the Southwest. Although the exact fate of the Southern Sinaguans is unknown, archeologists have concluded quite a bit about their prehistoric culture and lifestyle thanks to tools, bones, pottery, and other physical evidence left behind. The Sinaguans were very skilled farmers and used advanced techniques such as irrigation canals to grow squash, corn, beans, and cotton. Local rivers and streams flowed freely back then, creating fertile land alongside the waterways, which in turn attracted deer, rabbit, ducks and other game that supplemented the Sinaguan diet. Salt was also mined.

By the year 1150, underground pithouses were replaced by the building of large pueblos into cliffs and on hilltops. Covered in mud plaster, some of these sophisticated stone dwellings were large enough to house hundreds of people. For unknown reasons, these dwellings were in use for only about three centuries, then it seemed everyone suddenly abandoned the area in the early 1400s. To get insight into the Southern Sinaguan culture, which is Spanish for "without water," inquiring minds can formulate their own conclusions by visiting the sites. No hard hiking or white-knuckle driving down dirt roads is required- all are easily accessible via highway, offer plenty of free parking, and the paved trails, while steep in some spots, make it easy to get out and explore. Take your camera because the scenery is first-rate!

Montezuma Castle
Although it's not really a castle and Montezuma was never there (early explorers and settlers mistakenly thought the Aztecs had built it), the five-story cliff dwelling is certainly majestic. Perched 100 feet above the valley floor, the 20-room fortress is still 90 percent intact, and one of the best preserved cliff dwellings in the country. Although visitors are no longer permitted to go up into the ruins, Montezuma Castle is easily observed from the park's paved 1/3-mile loop trail, which also meanders through a sycamore grove and along Beaver Creek, one of only a few year-round streams in the state. Interpretive signs along the walkway describe the Southern Sinaguan way of life. You can even bring Fido on the walk if he's traveling with you. Dogs on leashes are welcome on the park's trails, but of course, must be cleaned up after. Spend some time inside the visitor center at Montezuma Castle, too. Beautiful pottery and textiles are displayed, along with other artifacts. You also might want to listen in on a ranger program, or join a group walk. Check with the rangers for times and details when you arrive.

Montezuma Well
Montezuma Well is a separate location, but part of the Montezuma Castle National Monument. Formed when a huge underground cavern collapsed thousands of years ago, the natural limestone sinkhole is 55 feet deep and 368 feet across. Over one and a half million gallons of water a day flow into it from two underground springs. The pretty blue pool is rimmed with unreachable cliff dwellings, but a platform overlooking the site provides a nice aerial view. For a closer look at 800-year old cave ruins, follow the path down to the water's edge. In addition to building homes into the cliffs, the Southern Sinaguans also took advantage of natural caves in the area and built some dwellings at ground level, too. The trail also passes more stone ruins that were once the walls of free-standing pueblos. Step carefully in this area! Rattlesnakes avoid humans for the most part, but since they like to hang out in rocks and bushes near the trails, seeing one can be a bit startling if you're not expecting it.

Tuzigoot National Monument
The stone ruins here, and the visitor experience, are very different from the cliff dwellings found at Montezuma Castle and Well. Tuzigoot is the remains of a 110-room pueblo that sits on a long limestone ridge 150 feet above the Verde River floodplain. And what's especially nice for history buffs is that you can get up close and personal with the dwelling and may even walk inside some of the rooms. Tuzigoot is an Apache word that means "crooked water" and also aptly describes the zigzag appearance of what's left of the structure's walls. Although the stones are original, the park service has reinforced the crumbling mortar with cement. To see the entire pueblo, climb the circular trail that winds up the hill. At the top, you'll be treated to a panoramic view across the wide Verde Valley. The Tuzigoot visitor center provides even more information on these significant ruins.

With rugged mountains to the north and scorching deserts to the south, you'd expect descendants of the Southern Sinaguans to have remained and flourished in the fertile Verde Valley. Since no separate Sinagua tribe exists today, we'll never know for sure why these stone villages have been left abandoned for 600 years or what became of that ancient culture. Does the mystery pique your curiosity? If so, then join the other 350,000 travelers who explore these fascinating ruins every year. The remnants are fragile and irreplaceable, and you'll be glad you didn't miss this important piece of America's cultural heritage.