MONTEZUMA'S CASTLE: A QUICK ARIZONA ROADSIDE DISCOVERY
Montezuma's Castle cliff dwelling
Exploring the Ancient Sinagua Cliff Dwelling Near Sedona
Once when visiting a friend in Sedona on one of my road trips through Arizona, Montezuma’s castle was recommended as an interesting side trip. This is an easy monument to visit because the walk is short and paved and shady enough in places so it’s not going to be an overly hot visit like the one that cut short my hike at Bandelier National Monument which happened to me later.
Even though early American settlers mistakenly named it after the Aztec emperor Montezuma, this incredible twenty-room high-rise was actually built by the Sinagua people over six centuries ago. Tucked safely away inside a massive vertical limestone alcove about ninety feet above Beaver Creek, the structure gave its ancient residents a great vantage point and kept them well out of reach of seasonal floods. Walking along the short, shaded trail, you really get a sense of how clever these folks were with local materials, mortar, and stone to craft a multi-story home right into the cliff face.
Whenever I'm out roaming the West, tracking down these historical stops always breaks up the pure landscape work nicely. Processing this shot in black and white just made sense to pull out the textures of the old stone walls against the natural limestone pocket without getting distracted by harsh midday colors. It's a quick, easy stop if you are ever passing through the Verde Valley, and well worth checking out next time you are exploring the Southwest.
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