Montezuma Castle National Monument
Established December 8, 1906, Montezuma Castle is the third National Monument dedicated to preserving Native American culture. This 20 room high-rise apartment, nestled into a towering limestone cliff, tells a story of ingenuity, survival and ultimately, prosperity in an unforgiving desert landscape.
Montezuma Castle: Follow I-17 to exit 289 (90 minutes north of Phoenix, 45 minutes south of Flagstaff). Drive east (through two traffic circles) for approximately 1/2 mile to the blinking red light. Turn left onto Montezuma Castle Road. Montezuma Well: Follow I-17 to exit 293 (north of the exit for Montezuma Castle). Continue through the towns of McGuireville and Rimrock, following the signs for 4 miles to the entrance to the Well.
- Arts and Culture
- Astronomy
- Camping
- Food
- Picnicking
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Hiking
- Junior Ranger Program
- Wildlife Watching
- Birdwatching
- Museum Exhibits
- Shopping
- Bookstore and Park Store
- Architecture and Building
- Archeology
- Cliff Dwellings
- Arts
- Photography
- Commerce
- Trade
- Native American Heritage
- Animals
- Birds
- Climate Change
- Fire
- Groundwater
- Unique Species
Window in Montezuma Castle
Visitors to Montezuma Castle usually only get to see the dwelling from the outside. This view shows what the Sinagua might have seen.
Storage Room at Montezuma Castle
The Sinagua used space efficiently - here a storage room sits in a short cliff space below the main Castle.
Montezuma Castle in the Cliff
Montezuma Castle was built in an alcove about 90 feet up a cliff. This protects the dwelling from flooding.
Montezuma Well
Montezuma Well provided a stable source of water to the Sinagua.