Friday
Now that we are in Camp Verde and the Verde Valley, we are going to be very busy visiting some wonderful locations and sites.
Montezuma Castle is one of them. It stands in a cliff recess about 100 feet above the valley floor. It is thought to have been built by the “Southern Sinagua” farmers in the 12th century. A lot of the earlier settlers thought the structures were built by the Aztec and that is how the name “Montezuma” came about. The largest of the dwellings is about 45 rooms, but is badly deteriorating. Most of the other dwellings are but one room, but again, built right into the sides of the cliff. The creek below was a source of water for personal use and a reason for the land to be so fertile for farming. Game was abundant during this period, so everything that was needed for survival was here.