After visiting Montezuma Castle, the park rangers recommended we visit nearby Tuzigoot National Monument.
History
Verde Valley was once filled with pinyon pine, shrub live oak, and juniper woods. With the river and marsh acting as a permanent source of water and wild game, this area was appealing for early settlers. Both the Hohokam and Southern Sinagua lived here and at least 50 large pueblos have been discovered in the valley.
Like Montezuma Castle, the Southern Sinagua people built Tuzigoot pueblo. Around 250 people lived in the village at a given time.
The Sinagua left around 1400 CE. According to the National Park Service, for Hopi ancestors, this was never meant to be a permanent settlement but rather a stop on the way to the Hopi Mesas. Ancestors of the Yavapai left the pueblos and farms for a hunter-gatherer lifestyle. Others moved south and joined settlements there.
Tuzigoot National Monument
Tuzigoot National Monument
2023 Price: Free due to my Annual Pass (Fee would have been $10 per person)
Tuzigoot (pronounced too-zee-goot) is the anglicized version of a Tonto Apache name Tú Digiz meaning “crooked water” due to the distinct bend in the Verde River. Archeological excavation of the site began in the early 1930s.
The village was built on a high ridgeline overlooking Verde River. With 360-degree sightlines and water available for crops, this was the perfect spot.
Construction started on Tuzigoot pueblo in 1050 CE. There were four eras of construction, the last ending in the late 1300s. It had 110 rooms – around 90 on the ground level and several upper-story rooms. The lack of doorways in most rooms indicates they were entered by ladder through rooftop hatches.
As it was built on a limestone ridgeline, the pueblo’s structure follows the terrain. Multiple rooms flow down the sloped, southern side.
I loved all the diamond and zigzag patterns created by the ruins’ walls.
Almost every room had a fire hearth, indicating that it was a living space rather than one used for storage only.
The central rooms, including the citadel (tower), stand taller than the rest. Today, visitors can climb the citadel to enjoy the stunning landscape of Verde Valley.
Trails
The 1/3-mile trail to the pueblo is paved and is mostly accessible; however, there are switchbacks and inclines. Visitors must also climb stairs to reach the top of the citadel. Information signs and a few benches are available along the path.
There are also two trails for the Tavasci Marsh. A universally accessible, half-mile paved path leads to the marsh overlook. Trails closer to the marsh are dirt or gravel.
For me, Tuzigoot National Monument reminds me of a smaller Wupatki National Monument. The trails around the free-standing pueblos are similar – and unlike Montezuma Castle National Monument, you can get close to the ruins. I recommend visiting both Tuzigoot and Montezuma Castle to get a feel for the progression of Southern Sinagua dwellings. Plus, both national monuments are covered under one entrance fee, so you can’t go wrong!