Skip to content
BusinessesGrow
Montezuma Castle National Monument, Camp Verde, AZ

Photo: Beyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

SightseeingHistory BuffFamily Favorite

Montezuma Castle National Monument

2800 Montezuma Castle Rd · Camp Verde, AZ

Why you should go…

Montezuma Castle is a five-story cliff dwelling of at least 20 rooms that the Sinagua people built into a limestone cliff, about 90 feet above the ground. A paved trail of a third of a mile leads from the visitor center to viewpoints below it. You cannot go inside, since interior access ended in 1951 to protect the structure. The monument has a second unit, Montezuma Well, a limestone sinkhole with its own short trail about 11 miles away that charges no entrance fee.

  • #cliff dwelling
  • #national monument
  • #archaeological site
  • #sinagua

Good to know

General sightseeing guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • The forecast is part of the ticket

    Haze, low cloud, and rain flatten a view. Clear-day visits are worth rearranging your plans for.

  • Golden hour sells out first

    Sunset slots at observation decks and cruises are the first to go, so book those further ahead.

  • Dress a layer warmer

    It is always breezier up high and out on the water than it feels at street level.

  • Timed entry is common

    Plenty of landmarks release tickets in windows rather than at the door, so check before you walk over.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Montezuma Castle National Monument, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Family Favorite

    Out of Africa Wildlife Park

    $25–$50

    A drive-through and walkabout wildlife park in the Verde Valley with big cat shows and safari tours.

    5.0 mi awaySwitch it up: Sport & Outdoor

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Bell Rock

    Under $25

    Hike or bike the pathway around a bell-shaped red rock butte south of Sedona, or climb partway up for wide views.

    14 mi awaySwitch it up: Sport & Outdoor

  • Attractions
    Family Favorite

    Blazin M Ranch

    $50+

    Western-themed ranch near Cottonwood offering a chuck wagon dinner, live stage show and frontier-town activities.

    15 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Chapel of the Holy Cross

    Free

    Step inside a small 1956 chapel built into the red rock buttes of Sedona, set around a 90-foot cross.

    16 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    Quirky Fun

    Arcosanti

    $25–$50

    Take a guided tour of Paolo Soleri's experimental desert town, with its cast concrete vaults and bronze bell foundry.

    24 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    Outdoor Adventure

    Flagstaff

    Free

    A high-elevation Arizona city on Route 66 serving as a gateway to the Grand Canyon, ponderosa forests and ski country.

    42 mi awayMore like this