Montezuma Castle

https://www.nps.gov/moca/index.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montezuma_Castle_National_Monument Montezuma Castle National Monument protects a set of well-preserved dwellings located in Camp Verde, Arizona which were built and used by the Sinagua people, a pre-Columbian culture closely related to the Hohokam and other indigenous peoples of the southwestern United States, between approximately 1100 and 1425 AD. The main structure comprises five stories and twenty rooms, and was built over the course of three centuries. Established December 8, 1906, Montezuma Castle is the third National Monument dedicated to preserving Native American culture. This 20 room high-rise apartment, nestled into a towering limestone cliff, tells a story of ingenuity, survival and ultimately, prosperity in an unforgiving desert landscape. Montezuma Castle: Follow I-17 to exit 289 (90 minutes north of Phoenix, 45 minutes south of Flagstaff). Drive east (through two traffic circles) for approximately 1/2 mile to the blinking red light. Turn left onto Montezuma Castle Road. Montezuma Well: Follow I-17 to exit 293 (north of the exit for Montezuma Castle). Continue through the towns of McGuireville and Rimrock, following the signs for 4 miles to the entrance to the Well. Montezuma Castle Visitor Center This visitor center provides the entrance fee station, as well as bathrooms, a small museum, and the Western National Parks Association bookstore. Stop in first to get all the information you need! Follow I-17 to exit 289 (90 minutes north of Phoenix, 45 minutes south of Flagstaff). Drive east (through two traffic circles) for approximately 1/2 mile to the blinking red light. Turn left onto Montezuma Castle Road. Window in Montezuma Castle Sun shines on the window sill in a masonry wall; trees in fall color are seen outside the window. Visitors to Montezuma Castle usually only get to see the dwelling from the outside. This view shows what the Sinagua might have seen. Storage Room at Montezuma Castle Two masonry walls with a dark doorway in a short cliff ledge. The Sinagua used space efficiently - here a storage room sits in a short cliff space below the main Castle. Montezuma Castle in the Cliff A 5-story masonry dwelling sits in a cliff alcove. Montezuma Castle was built in an alcove about 90 feet up a cliff. This protects the dwelling from flooding. Montezuma Well Two cliff dwellings and a tree with yellow leaves above a pond. Montezuma Well provided a stable source of water to the Sinagua. Climate and Water Monitoring at Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot National Monuments, 2018 At Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot national monuments, the precontact built environment reflects the importance of reliable water sources. At these parks, the Sonoran Desert Network monitors climate, groundwater, springs, and streams. Understanding changes in these closely linked factors helps managers make informed decisions affecting both natural and cultural resources. Learn about our recent findings in these special parks. A stream runs past a pool in a riparian area. Vegetation Mapping at Montezuma Castle National Monument Vegetation maps tell park managers what’s growing where, and what kinds of habitat occur in a park. This helps them with many planning, resource, and interpretive activities. At the two units of Montezuma Castle National Monument, the Sonoran Desert Network mapped 12 different vegetation associations. The park’s vegetation can be classified into two broad types: riparian woodlands and gallery forests, and thornscrub communities in rocky uplands. Green leafy shrub; cliff dwelling in background It’s Alive! Biological Soil Crusts of the Sonoran and Chihuahuan Deserts It might come as a surprise to learn that in the sublime expanses of the Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts, some of the most interesting life around can be found in the dirt right in front of your feet! Biological soil crusts form a living groundcover that is the foundation of desert plant life. Soil crust at White Sands National Monument 2011 SCPN-NAU Student Projects In spring 2011, the SCPN-NAU School of Communication collaboration began with a multimedia studies course focused on documenting park resources and resource projects. The class was taught by NAU professors Laura Camden and Peter Friederici. 2011 Student Projects Monitoring Upland Vegetation and Soils in the Sonoran Desert and Chihuahuan Desert Networks Vegetation and soils are two of many natural resources monitored by the National Park Service (NPS) Division of Inventory & Monitoring (I&M). Learning about vegetation dynamics helps us to better understand the integrity of ecological processes, productivity trends, and ecosystem interactions that can otherwise be difficult to monitor. In NPS units of the American Southwest, three I&M networks monitor vegetation and soils using the scientific protocol described here. Quadrat used for biological soil crust sampling Streams Monitoring in the Sonoran Desert and Southern Plains Because of their importance, streams were chosen as a focus for monitoring in the National Park Service (NPS) Sonoran Desert and Southern Plains inventory and monitoring networks. Portions of several major river systems (or their tributaries) are found within many parks of both networks. Monitoring water quality from a boat Wildland Fire: Defensible Space Created—Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot The Zion and Saguaro Wildland Fire Modules conducted hazard assessments of park structures and infrastructure within Montezuma Castle, Montezuma Well, and Tuzigoot National Monuments. They also reduced fuels near buildings to create defensible space around park administrative buildings, housing, and infrastructure from future wildfires. firefighters work near a stone wall and propane tank in a desert environment. Module Conducts Wildland-Urban Interface Projects Throughout the Intermountain Region In 2013, the Saguaro Wildland Fire Module (WFM) managed multiple projects simultaneously in AZ, TX, and NM. WFMs are highly skilled and versatile fire crews that provide expertise in long-term planning, ignitions, holding, prescribed fire preparation and implementation support, hazardous fuels reduction, and fire effects monitoring. With their help, fire fulfills its natural or historic role to meet resource and management objectives and create fire-adapted communities. Climate and Water Monitoring at Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot National Monuments, 2017 At Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot national monuments, the precontact built environment reflects the importance of reliable water sources. At these parks, the Sonoran Desert Network monitors the health of Beaver Creek, Wet Beaver Creek, and the Verde River. The program is designed to detect broad-scale changes in ecological condition by observing certain parameters over time—and to give park managers early warning of any issues they may need to address. Streams monitoring on the Verde River at Tuzigoot National Monument Wildland Fire in Ponderosa Pine: Western United States This forest community generally exists in areas with annual rainfall of 25 inches or less. Extensive pure stands of this forest type are found in the southwestern U.S., central Washington and Oregon, southern Idaho and the Black Hills of South Dakota. Recently burned ponderosa pine forest. Southwest River Environments In the arid Southwest, water means life, and prehistorically, rivers were the lifelines of the people. The Colorado River flowing through a canyon Transition Highlands and the Mogollon Rim The Transition Highlands, or Central Mountains, consist of numerous rugged low mountains marking the boundary between the tablelands of the Colorado Plateau and the southern deserts. Looking out from the Gila Cliff Dwellings Climate Monitoring in the Southern Plains, Sonoran Desert, and Chihuahuan Desert Climate is one of many ecological indicators monitored by the National Park Service (NPS) Division of Inventory & Monitoring (I&M). Climate data help scientists to understand ecosystem processes and help to explain many of the patterns and trends observed in other natural-resource monitoring. In NPS units of the American Southwest, three I&M networks monitor climate using the scientific protocol described here. Kayaking across a fl ooded parking lot, Chickasaw NRA, July 2007. Arizona: Montezuma Castle National Monument In the Verde Valley of Arizona, Montezuma Castle National Monument protects an impressive cliff dwelling, Montezuma Castle, and a large sinkhole. Montezuma Well, that were important to early peoples as they gradually transitioned from highly mobile societies to more sedentary ways of life. Montezuma Castle National Park Service Commemoration of the 19th Amendment In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the passing of the 19th Amendment the National Park Service has developed a number of special programs. This includes online content, exhibits, and special events. The National Park Service’s Cultural Resources Geographic Information Systems (CRGIS) announces the release of a story map that highlights some of these programs and provides information for the public to locate and participate. Opening slide of the 19th Amendment NPS Commemoration Story Map NPS Geodiversity Atlas—Montezuma Castle National Monument, Arizona Each park-specific page in the NPS Geodiversity Atlas provides basic information on the significant geologic features and processes occurring in the park. [Site Under Development] Montezuma Castle Series: Defining the Southwest The Southwest has a special place in the American imagination – one filled with canyon lands, cacti, roadrunners, perpetual desert heat, a glaring sun, and the unfolding of history in places like Tombstone and Santa Fe. In the American mind, the Southwest is a place without boundaries – a land with its own style and its own pace – a land that ultimately defies a single definition. Maize agriculture is one component of a general cultural definition of the Southwest. Series: SCPN-NAU School of Communication Collaboration The Southern Colorado Plateau Network (SCPN) of the National Park Service has been partnering with the Northern Arizona University (NAU) School of Communication since 2011 to develop student multimedia projects that highlight resources and activities in network parks. This collaboration gives NAU students hands-on experience in creating multimedia projects and provides network parks with products that can help to promote their unique resources and scientific or educational project work. SCPN-NAU student projects Two for the Price of One Companion, assistant, confidant, ambassador, host, nurse, cook, secretary, editor, field technician, wildlife wrangler, diplomat, and social director are some of the many roles that people who marry into the NPS perform in support of their spouses and the NPS mission. Although the wives and daughters of park rangers were some of the earliest women rangers in the NPS, many more women served as “park wives” in the 1920s–1940s. Three members of a family The Heliograph: 2020 Edition The Heliograph is the newsletter of the Sonoran Desert Network and Desert Research Learning Center. This issue features stories on how we adapted our operations to minimize field work lost to the covid-19 pandemic, vegetation mapping at Saguaro NP, and communication improvements and opportunities for network parks. We also probe the minds of our interns and celebrate a high honor for our program manager. Person wearing hat and face covering sits near a stream with a bucket and net. The Heliograph: Summer 2021 The Heliograph is the newsletter of the Sonoran Desert Network and Desert Research Learning Center. This issue shares predictive tools and planning processes that can help park managers make proactive decisions in the face of climate change. We also explore some explanations for this spring's highly unusual saguaro bloom, celebrate our staff members, and provide updates on our monitoring projects. Saguaro cactus with blooms all over its top Montezuma Castle and the Antiquities Act Montezuma Castle National Monument was established on December 8, 1906 through the Antiquities Act. The proclamation noted that the site was “of the greatest ethnological value and scientific interest” (Proc. No. 696) and later as having “prehistoric ruins and ancient dwellings ... of great interest to the public” (Proc. No. 2226). Professional archeological exploration began with NPS management. Cliff dwelling ruins through the trees. Montezuma Well Yoga Can't visit in-person? To help relax and stay grounded, we came up with fun nature-inspired yoga poses you can practice no matter where you are. A Park Ranger demonstrates bee pose at Montezuma Well next to blooming flowers. Find Your Park on Route 66 Route 66 and the National Park Service have always had an important historical connection. Route 66 was known as the great road west and after World War II families on vacation took to the road in great numbers to visit the many National Park Service sites in the Southwest and beyond. That connection remains very alive and present today. Take a trip down Route 66 and Find Your Park today! A paved road with fields in the distance. On the road is a white Oklahoma Route 66 emblem. Changing Patterns of Water Availability May Change Vegetation Composition in US National Parks Across the US, changes in water availability are altering which plants grow where. These changes are evident at a broad scale. But not all areas experience the same climate in the same way, even within the boundaries of a single national park. A new dataset gives park managers a valuable tool for understanding why vegetation has changed and how it might change in the future under different climate-change scenarios. Green, orange, and dead grey junipers in red soil, mountains in background Changing Attitudes Most women with disabilities hired by the National Park Service (NPS) in the 1970s and early 1980s had temporary jobs. Some built long-term careers with the bureau. Starting before the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, these women experienced the opportunities and changes the law brought. It was their hard work and dedication to the NPS mission, however, that continued to change attitudes and educate coworkers and visitors alike. Ranger Shirley Beccue in her wheelchair and NPS uniform and flat hat looks out over the Everglades. Ranger Roll Call, 1930-1939 Few women worked in uniformed positions in the 1930s but those who did weren't only ranger-checkers or ranger-naturalists. Jobs as guides, historians, archeologists, and in museums opened to more women. Seven women in Park Service uniforms stand in line inside a cave. eDNA Inventories to Reveal Species Use of Sonoran Desert Network Springs At nine southwestern parks, Sonoran Desert Network staff are performing environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling. By analyzing the genomes present in a water sample, eDNA sampling allows us to learn which species use a given area without the use of capture, hair snares, or cameras. The results of this inventory will help NPS staff to prioritize springs for monitoring and conservation. A large tinaja set within bedrock walls The Heliograph: Summer 2022 The Heliograph is the newsletter of the Sonoran Desert Network and Desert Research Learning Center. In this issue, find out how eDNA inventories may change what we thought we knew about SODN springs. Learn about the new technology that will improve our streams monitoring, and the lasting contributions of our IVIPs to projects across multiple networks. Get caught up on our latest reports and the status of ongoing projects, and find out what’s happening at the DRLC. Two men at the edge of a marsh. One crouches. The other holds a long metal rod with a disc on top. 50 Nifty Finds #17: Common Threads Each National Park Service (NPS) employee has a unique story. We can't tell them all, but sometimes there's a personal account—like that of Sallie Pierce Brewer Van Valkenburg Harris—that speaks to common experiences. Although her NPS connections ran from 1933 to 1971, many of her joys, challenges, and frustrations can still be recognized in the NPS today. Sallie's story resonates regardless of era, gender, or position. How will it speak to you? Sallie Brewer in her NPS uniform standing at a gate Making an Impact: Long-Term Monitoring of Natural Resources at Intermountain Region National Parks, 2021 Across the Intermountain Region, Inventory & Monitoring Division ecologists are helping to track the effects of climate change, provide baseline information for resource management, evaluate new technologies, and inspire the next generation of park stewards. This article highlights accomplishments achieved during fiscal year 2021. A man looks through binoculars at sunrise. Testing Treatments for Mitigating Climate-Change Effects on Adobe Structures in the National Parks In the US Southwest, climate change is making it harder to preserve historic adobe structures for future generations. Using adobe test walls and rainshower simulators, staff at the Desert Research Learning Center are evaluating the potential for increased erosion, and testing the effectiveness of different treatments methods to protect against it. The results will help park managers tailor their preservation methods to better protect culturally valuable resources. American flag viewed through the remains of an adobe doorway. A Changing Bimodal Climate Zone Means Changing Vegetation in Western National Parks When the climate changes enough, the vegetation communities growing in any given place will also change. Under an expanded bimodal climate zone, some plant communities in western national parks are more likely to change than others. National Park Service ecologists and partners investigated the future conditions that may force some of this change. Having this information can help park managers decide whether to resist, direct, or accept the change. Dark storm clouds and rainbow over mountains and saguaros. Climate and Water Monitoring at Montezuma Castle National Monument: Water Year 2022 At Montezuma Castle National Monument, the precontact built environment reflects the importance of reliable water sources. At this parks, the Sonoran Desert Network monitors climate, groundwater, and springs. Understanding changes in these closely linked factors helps managers make informed decisions affecting both natural and cultural resources. Learn about our findings for water year 2022. A curved rock wall encloses a large water body. Lesser Long-nosed Bat Research at Organ Pipe Cactus Lesser long-nosed bats have been in scientific focus since the late 1900's. These unique animals face different obstacles in their changing environment, but researchers are at work in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, learning more about these bats. Through research here and throughout Central America, scientists are understanding better how to protect these animals and their environment. A small black lesser long-nosed bat with a black face hovers above a waxy white saguaro flower. Toad Research in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument Research at Organ Pipe Cactus has seen large monsoons, drought, and the Sonoran Desert’s impact on different species of toad. The aim of this research is to understand which species are present, as well as the geographical reach of the chytrid fungus. A large dark green-gray Sonoran Desert toad sits in a pool of water. National Park Service project to build up 'workhorse' native seed stocks for major restoration and revegetation efforts The National Park Service, with funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will be able to build up stocks of the native workhorse plant species that can out compete invasive plant species so that native grasses and forbs can grow in previously disturbed areas.  a man kneels next to a bucket collecting seeds in a field Project Page: Bullfrog Control and Native Aquatic Animal Recovery in Southwestern Parks The American bullfrog is a great threat to aquatic ecosystems in the Southwest. They are voracious predators of aquatic animals and carry diseases that kill native species. We will implement three main actions in this project funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, Invasive Species Grant: bullfrog control, native species recovery and reintroduction, and development of early detection/rapid response protocols for bullfrogs. One scientist crouching by water and another holding water sampling equipment on a long pole. Updated Species Database Will Help Boost Amphibian Conservation Across the National Park System To steward amphibians effectively, managers need basic information about which species live in parks. But species lists need constant maintenance to remain accurate. Due to recent efforts, the National Park Service now has an up-to-date amphibian species checklist for almost 300 parks. This information can serve as the basis for innumerable conservation efforts across the nation. A toad sits on red sand, looking into the camera. Collaboration & Innovation For Ecosystem Restoration in the Southwest The National Park Service is implementing the restoration of native amphibians in over 20 sensitive wetlands across eight southwestern national parks. However, there's a particular threat (that croaks) that requires the NPS and partners to collaborate and innovate to find solutions. A bullfrog poking its head above a shallow pond, surrounded by twigs.

National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Park News and Visitor Guide Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot National Monuments V O L U M E 5 • N U M B ER 1 Fall 2010 / Winter 2011 Welcome to the Monuments of the Verde Valley The Verde Valley, lying under the spectacular pine-clad cliffs of 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 or streamside habitat of the Verde River serves as a migration corridor for many animals traveling from summer to winter ranges in the south. But for thousands of years, the Verde Valley was also a haven for the movement of people, providing the food and water all life needs for survival. The national monuments of the Verde Valley­—Montezuma Castle, Montezuma Well, and Tuzigoot—protect and interpret the legacy of the Sinagua culture, a Native people who flourished in the area for centuries, long before Columbus claimed to have discovered this New World. Montezuma Castle has been described as the best preserved and most dramatic cliff dwelling in the United States. Montezuma Well is a natural limestone sinkhole with prehistoric sites and several animal species found nowhere else in the world. Tuzigoot is the remains of a 110-room pueblo perched on a high ridge with a panoramic view of the Verde River. Today’s visitors marvel at the well-preserved Sinagua dwellings, but also allow some time to experience the oasis of the riparian area. As the seasons change, we invite you to ENJOY! — Kathy M. Davis, Superintendent Echoes from the Past Discovering the 10,000 year legacy of people in the Verde Valley A visit to Montezuma Castle, Montezuma Well, and Tuzigoot National Monuments provokes many questions. Why did they live here? Where did they go? And, perhaps most importantly, how did they live in this land of seemingly harsh contrasts: hot and arid in the summer, cool in the winter? continued on page 4 C O NTENT S General Information Montezuma Castle The Sinagua—Echoes from the Past Montezuma Well Tuzigoot Park Science and Outreach Flagstaff Area Monuments Become A Junior Ranger! Local Friends and Partners Western National Parks Association 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 G ENERAL IN F O R M ATI O N Protect your Monuments National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Montezuma Castle & Tuzigoot National Monuments Superintendent Kathy M. Davis Mailing Address P.O. Box 219 Camp Verde, AZ 86322 Website www.nps.gov/moca www.nps.gov/tuzi Park Headquarters Email ph: (928) 567-5276 moca_ranger_activities@nps.gov fax: (928) 567-3597 Montezuma Castle 2800 Montezuma Castle Rd. Camp Verde, AZ 86322 (928) 567-3322 Montezuma Well 5525 Beaver Creek Rd. Rimrock, AZ 86335 (928) 567-4521 Tuzigoot 25 W. Tuzigoot Rd. Clarkdale, AZ 86324 (928) 634-5564 Hours of Operation (Closed Christmas Day) September–May: Daily 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. June–August: Daily 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Park Entrance Fees and Passes Daily Entrance Fees for Montezuma Castle or Tuzigoot: $5 per adult (16 & over) Children FREE (under 16) Combined Fees for Montezuma Castle AND Tuzigoot: $8 per adult (16 & over) Children FREE (under 16) Interagency Annual Pass: $80 Grants access to all federal fee areas in the U.S. (with some exceptions), including all national parks and monuments, for twelve months from date of purchase. Interagency Senior Pass: $10 A one-time fee grants access to all federal fee areas in the U.S. (with some exceptions). For U.S. citizens or permanent residents 62 years of age or older. Interagency Access Pass: FREE Grants access to all federal fee areas in the U.S. (with some exceptions) for permanently disabled U.S. citizens or permanent residents. • The arid desert landscape is very fragile, and wildfires are a real danger. Smoking is permitted in designated areas only. • All the monuments are protecting archeological sites, as well as natural resources. It is against the law to tamper with, deface or remove any artifact, plant, rock, or other natural feature of the park. • Hiking off the trails can damage the soil crust—a living groundcover of lichens, mosses, and other organisms. • Off-road parking or driving is prohibited. • Please help with trash removal and use the waste receptacles. We have an active recycling program for aluminum cans and plastic bottles, with designated brown receptacles. • Camping is prohibited in all areas of the monuments. • Bicycles, skateboards, and any motorized vehicle other than wheelchairs are not permitted on the trails. • Gas stoves are permitted only at the Montezuma Well picnic area. No ashproducing fires are allowed in the monuments. Protect Yourself • Remember to drink lots of water, use sunscreen, and wear a hat! If you feel thirsty, you are already on the way to being dehydrated. Be prepared with appropriate footwear and clothing for temperatures that can exceed 100°F (3