Sedona, AZ Part 2

Day 3 we were supposed to go on our safari ride but just as we headed out the company called to reschedule because the weather wasn’t conducive to our planned expedition. So we headed back to our rooms to wait out the rain. After lunch we decided to explore two local national monuments. First up was Montezuma Castle.

This monument is an easily accessible site. It is believed that Southern Sinaguan farmers carved their housing into the side of the hill between 1100 and 1300 AD. It is unknown why the location was abandoned around approximately 1400 AD. It is a five-story building with around 20 rooms. A short distance down the cliff wall is another dwelling with 45 rooms carved into the hill.

The total walking distance is about 1/3 of a mile. And there is a small museum/store that provides information about the history of the region. 

Next up was the Tuzigoot National Monument. This Native American village was established at approximately the same time as Montezuma Castle, but instead of being carved into a cliff, the rooms were built on top of a hill with stone walls. The walk is a little more strenuous than Montezuma because you had to climb up the hill to see the monument and rooms.

There is also a small museum/store at this location. Since I am a big kid at heart I had to do the junior ranger program at both locations.