Montezuma's Castle Trail
Montezuma's Castle Trail at Montezuma Castle National Monument near Camp Verde Arizona is an easy 0.5-mile loop hike that features the ancient Native American cliff dwelling known as Montezuma's Castle.Location: Montezuma's Castle, National Monument Camp Verde, Arizona.
Hours: The park is open daily from 8:00 am to 4:45 pm.
Permitted uses: Walking, Education, Nature Study, Birding.
Prohibited uses: No motorized vehicles. No overnight parking. No off trail hiking. No Smoking.
Fees and Parking: There is no fee to park your vehicle, but there is a fee to enter the Park in order to walk the trail, observe the Cliff dwellings and visit the museum. The current standard entrance pass is $10.00 per person over age 16. The pass is good for 7 days and allows entrance into Montezuma's Well and the Tuzigoot National Monuments. Persons under the age of 15 are admitted free of charge.
Pets: Dogs MUST be on a leash and owners must remove dog waste.
Universal Accessibility: The trail is wheelchair accessible, so this trail should be considered Universally Accessible. The trail itself is paved. Those who have mobility or balance issues will be able to walk this trail without worry.
Sanitation: There are restrooms with trash receptacles available outside of the Park Visitor entrance as well as a water filling station. There is a dog waste station at the start of the trail and a receptacle for trash and recycling.
Length and Trail information: This is a short trail done as a 1/2-mile loop and is considered an easy hike. The trail begins outside of the visitor center and is wide and paved with no trip hazards. The monument was established in 1906 and is the third National Monument dedicated to preserving the culture of Native Americans. All along the trail there are educational information plaques to help visitors learn about the plants they are seeing, such as the huge Arizona Sycamore, Engelmann's Prickly Pear Cactus, Four Wing Saltbush, Creosote Bush, Velvet Mesquite and many others. The highlight of the trail are the remains of the ancient cliff dwellings used by the Sinagua people between 1100 AD and 1425. The main dwelling is approximately five stories high with roughly 20 rooms. The dwelling is about 90 feet up a sheer limestone cliff. Archeologists gather that these dwellings were built over a period of three centuries. On October 1, 1951, Guided tours for visitors ceased and visitors were no longer allowed to enter the rooms. However, visitors can still see what the interior rooms may have looked like thanks to a diorama that was created and is on display at the park. There are numerous benches placed under a shade structure that allows visitors to sit comfortably while observing the dwellings from a vantage point different from the trail. During our visit in September 2023, the section of the trail closest to Beaver Creek was closed for repair.
