Montezuma Castle: Living the High Life

Ancient Arizona, p. 30-31
Players: Josh, Osvaldo, Beth - Spring 2009
Directions: Take exit 289 off of I-17 North. Drive east for .5 miles to a blinking red light. Turn left on Montezuma Castle Rd.
Entrance Fee: $5

Osvaldo, Josh, and I took a day trip to Montezuma Castle shortly after Josh and I started dating. The park is actually quite small inside, with a self guided tour, and a lovely river that runs through the property.

The National Park Service calls this site Montezuma Castle though Montezuma never lived their. Some say it isn't even a castle, just a five story welling atop a sky-high embankment. Whether you consider it a castle or not, the amazing architecture was hand crafted by the Sinagua Indians. According the experts the indians built the dwelling in the 12th century completing it in stages until the 20 rooms stacked into 5 layers stood about 40 feet high. The building site was only accessible by ladders, making this feat incredible.

Why the Sinagua Indians chose to dwell so high in the mountains has mystified archeologists. After the Singua lived on the side of the cliff for 300 years they up and left, their destination a mystery. By 1450 the castle was completely abandoned, until its rediscovery 4 centuries later.