Montezuma's Castle

Pinkley, Frank

Montezuma Castle is a prehistoric cliff dwelling located about 52 miles east of Prescott, Arizona, and can be reached from that city over the Cherry Creek or the Jerome-Clarkdale roads either of which leads into the old army post of Camp Verde from whence it is five miles to the ruins. The Castle may also be reached from Flagstaff, Arizona, over a road leading past Mormon and Stoneman Lakes and Montezuma Well.The Montezuma Castle National Monument was created by a proclamation of the President of the United States in December, 1906, and is protected and administered by the National Park Service which is under the Department of the Interior. It is the best single example of a prehistoric cliff dwelling now standing in the Southwest. It is in a good state of preservation, easily accessible to automobile tourists and is visited by thousands every year. A good automobile road swings down to the foot of the cliff where one starts to climb the ladders to the Castle, and a camp ground, lapped by the waters of Beaver Creek, makes a delightful place to linger a while and dream of the days when white men were unknown and the brown skinned Indians, now long departed, swarmed through this airy structure.