When you take a Sedona vacation, you have a wide variety of day trips to nearby areas that are both educational and exciting, sparking the imagination of you and your family. A popular day trip from Sedona is to Montezuma Castle National Monument, located at 2800 Montezuma Castle Highway in Camp Verde. For anyone interested in the Native American history, specifically the Sinagua (“without water”) people this monument is awe inspiring. Dedicated in 1906 by President Theodore Roosevelt, Montezuma Castle gives you an opportunity to look back nearly a thousand years when the Sinagua people inhabited this amazing five-story cliff dwelling. How on earth did they carve it out of the mountain?

One can’t imagine the intellect and creativity the Sinagua must have had in order to survive in this dry, desert landscape. They are believed to have lived in this area for around 400 years and then, for no apparent reason, they simply vanished. While at the Montezuma Castle you can take a relaxed stroll on the self-guided 1/3 mile loop, gazing up a the cliff dwellings carved out of the limestone cliffs. Giant old sycamore trees swaying by the flowing Beaver Creek almost make you expect to see some of the Sinagua gathering water.

Afterward, you can go about 11 miles along the road to see Montezuma’s Well which is still an active spring. It is a very unique limestone sinkhole with high concentrations of carbon dioxide. Turtles seem to thrive in this environment and is one common amphibian you can almost always see while there. The Well is an amazing blue hosting unique organisms. You are welcome to enjoy these sites but keep in mind these are considered sacred lands by the Native Americans so show great respect for the environment while there.

Montezumas Well