National Park Service Park News and Visitor Guide U.S. Department of the Interior Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot National Monuments VOLUME 6 • NUMBER 1 • 2012–2013 Welcome to the Verde Valley Monuments The Verde Valley, lying under the spectacular pine-clad cliffs of Echoes from the Past the Mogollon Rim of central Arizona, forms an immense biological transition between desert, grassland, and forest vegetation zones. As the seasons change, this endangered riparian habitat of the DISCOVERING THE 10,000 YEAR LEGACY Verde River serves as a migration corridor for many animals (through OF PEOPLE IN THE VERDE VALLEY land and air). But for thousands of years, the Verde Valley was also a haven for the movement of people, providing the food and water all visit to Montezuma Castle National form of scratched designs and pictographs up to life needs for survival. Monument, Montezuma Well, and Tuzigoot 9,000 years ago. The Sinagua farmed and traded The national monuments of the Verde Valley —Montezuma Castle, National Monument provokes many here successfully from around 600 to 1425. More Montezuma Well, and Tuzigoot—protect and interpret the legacy of A questions. Why did prehistoric Native Americans recently, the Yavapai and Apache have thrived by the Sinagua culture, Native people who flourished here for centuries, choose to live here? Where did they go? And, hunting and gathering. The Verde Valley may look long before Columbus claimed to have discovered this New World. perhaps most importantly, how did they live in this like a desert, harsh and impossible to live in, but to Montezuma Castle has been described as the best preserved and land of seemingly harsh contrasts: hot and arid in those who know how, it is a proverbial breadbasket most dramatic cliff dwelling in the United States. Montezuma Well is the summer, cool in the winter? of bounty. a natural limestone sinkhole with prehistoric sites and several animal species found nowhere else in the world. Tuzigoot is the remains of a Humankind has lived here for thousands of Echoes is your guide to the National 110-room pueblo perched on a high ridge with a panoramic view of years. Early Archaic peoples left their mark in the Monuments of the Verde Valley, as well as Native the Verde River and surrounding marshlands. American cultures who lived here. There is much Although many of today’s visitors marvel at the well-preserved CONTENTS to explore. Throughout and between Camp Verde, Sinagua dwellings, remember to allow some time to experience the General Information 2 Rimrock, Clarkdale, and Sedona, you will find oasis of the riparian area as it supports a wide variety of fauna and Valley of the Sinagua 3 Montezuma Castle 4 echoes from the past, resonating from places and flora. As the seasons change, we invite you to ENJOY! Montezuma Well 5 people whose roots reach far beyond history. As Chief Seattle provided, “take only memories, and leave nothing Tuzigoot and Tavasci Marsh 6 but footprints.” We look forward to your next visit! Science and Nature at the Monuments 8 By Case Griffing Other Places in the Verde Valley 10 National Park Service — Dorothy FireCloud, Superintendent Frequently Asked Questions 11 Western National Parks Association 12 GENERAL INFORMATION Protect your Monuments Ranger Programs National Park Service • The arid desert landscape is very • Ranger programs are offered at least U.S. Department of the Interior fragile, and wildfires are a real danger. twice daily at Montezuma Castle and Smoking is permitted in designated as staffing allows at both Tuzigoot and areas only. Montezuma Well. These programs range Montezuma Castle & Tuzigoot National Monuments • All the monuments are protecting in length from 20 minutes to an hour archeological sites, as well as natural and cover topics including archeology, Superintendent resources. It is against the law to Sinagua culture, and the geology and Dorothy FireCloud tamper with, deface or remove any biology of the Verde Valley. Ask a artifact, plant, rock, or other natural ranger or docent at the visitor center Mailing Address Website feature of the park. for program times and locations. P.O. Box 219 www.nps.gov/moca • Hiking off the trails can damage the • Education programs and classroom soil crust—a living groundcover of presentation are available to local and Camp Verde, AZ 86322 www.nps.gov/tuzi lichens, mosses, and other organisms. visiting school groups. Call Ranger • Off-road parking or driving is Case Griffing at (928) 567-3322 x230, Park Headquarters Email prohibited. or e-mail ([email protected]) for ph: (928) 567-5276 [email protected] • Please help with trash removal and use more information and scheduling. fax: (928) 567-3597 the waste receptacles. We have an active recycling program for aluminum Accessibility cans and plastic bottles, with Montezuma Castle Montezuma Well Tuzigoot • The national parks and monuments are designated brown receptacles. 2800 Montezuma Castle Rd. 5525 Beaver Creek Rd. 25 W. Tuzigoot Rd. areas of great beauty and significance, • Camping is prohibited in all areas of set aside for all to enjoy. Ask a ranger Camp Verde, AZ 86322 Rimrock, AZ 86335 Clarkdale, AZ 86324 the monuments. if there are any questions or concerns (928) 567-3322 (928) 567-4521 (928) 634-5564 • Bicycles, skateboards, and any about accessibility. Audio cassettes motorized vehicle other than and text in Braille are available. wheelchairs are not permitted on the Hours of Operation (Closed Christmas Day) More details about trails and visitor trails. Year-Round: Daily 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. centers are available under individual • Gas stoves are permitted only at the monument descriptions. Montezuma Well picnic area. No ash- producing fires are allowed in the monuments. Volunteers • Our volunteers are priceless! The Park Entrance Fees and Passes National Park Service’s Volunteers- Protect Yourself In-Parks program gives the public an • Remember to drink lots of water, use Daily Entrance Fees for Montezuma Castle or Tuzigoot: opportunity to share knowledge and sunscreen, and wear a hat! If you feel experience. Call (928) 567-3322 x230. $5 per adult (16 & over) Children FREE (under 16) thirsty, you are already on the way to being dehydrated. Be prepared with appropriate footwear and clothing for INTERAGENCY ANNUAL PASS: $80 “Echoes” is provided by: temperatures that can exceed 100°F Grants access to all federal fee areas in the Montezuma Castle National Monument (38°C) in the summer and fall below U.S. (with some exceptions), including all and Tuzigoot National Monument freezing in the winter. national parks and monuments, for twelve P.O. Box 219, Camp Verde, AZ 86322 • Please stay on the trails. Rattlesnakes months from date of purchase. live here, though they are rarely seen. Editor: Case Griffing INTERAGENCY SENIOR PASS: $10 • Handrails are there for your safety; Design & Production: Amanda Summers A one-time fee grants access to all federal please do not go past them. Rock Design, Case Griffing, Anne Worthington, fee areas in the U.S. (with some exceptions). surfaces can be slippery; please stay Joshua Boles, and Paul Ollig For U.S. citizens or permanent residents 62 away from any cliff edge. years of age or older. • Pets on a short leash are allowed on Contributors and Advisors: Dorothy the trails but must be carried into FireCloud, Kathy Davis, Sherry Wood, Ed INTERAGENCY MILITARY PASS: FREE visitor centers. Do not leave pets in a Cummins, Karen Hughes, John Reid, Rex Grants access to all federal fee areas in the vehicle during warm weather. Please Vanderford, Jon Fistler, Skip Larson, Penny United States (with some exceptions) for clean up after your pet. Wagner, Anne Worthington, Ryeon Corsi, active duty U.S. military personnel and their Ryan Isaac, Deb DeCovis, Sharon Kim, dependents. Matt Guebard, Melissa Philibeck, and Dennis Casper INTERAGENCY ACCESS PASS: FREE Grants access to all federal fee areas in the Masthead art © 2004 U.S. (with some exceptions) for permanently Montezuma Castle National Monument disabled U.S. citizens or permanent residents. VALLEY OF THE SINAGUA Montezuma Castle, Montezuma Well, and Tuzigoot aren’t just for grown-ups. A long time ago, Montezuma Castle, Montezuma Well, and Tuzigoot are just three neighborhoods in kids lived here, too! a valley filled with over forty major prehistoric pueblos—and dozens of smaller sites. Kids The monuments of the Verde Valley are three, but more than forty major pueblos on Corner spectacular. Montezuma Castle has been the landscape. Look for the orange Kids called the best preserved example of Native The culture we call Sinagua existed here American architecture in the Southwest. for more than 800 years. That’s more than Corner boxes throughout this Tuzigoot is so exemplary of its time period three times longer than the United States newspaper to learn what it that its era is known as the Tuzigoot Phase of has been a country! Over that period every might have been like to be a the Sinagua culture. To this day, Montezuma hill, every basin, every marsh, stream, and Well has ceremonial importance to at least peak, must have become the site of a home, kid here a thousand years ago. four modern tribes. encampment, or some important event. But these sites are just three pieces of a The Verde Valley is filled with ancient Also, don’t forget to ask a much larger, fuller picture. From 600 to 1425 history. Spend some time here, and you will CE, the Verde Valley was home to 6,000–8,000 discover ancient buildings at the ends of trails, park ranger for a free Junior people. Early on, they began with dozens of rock walls filled with a thousand petroglyphs, Ranger activity book. Finish the scattered, one- and two-room buildings,.