Theodore Roosevelt Presidential LibraryPublic Lands Directory

Alerts and conditions

Information Staff Unable to Check Phone Messages at the Visitor Center

At this time, staff are unable to check or receive phone messages left at the visitor center. All calls to the park are being routed to Tuzigoot National Monument. You can also reach the park at moca_tuzi_info@nps.gov if you need to contact the park.

Overview

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.

From the National Park Service

History

The designation history for this site (every law, proclamation and order, and the administration behind each) is being researched and checked by the Library’s historians.

The Roosevelt connection

Protected by T.R.

His proclamations and orders

What to see and do

Activities

  • Arts and Culture
  • Cultural Demonstrations
  • Astronomy
  • Camping
  • Food
  • Picnicking
  • Guided Tours
  • Self-Guided Tours - Walking
  • Junior Ranger Program
  • Wildlife Watching
  • Birdwatching
  • Museum Exhibits
  • Shopping
  • Bookstore and Park Store

Browse hiking, biking and paddling routes on AllTrails

Plan your visit

Hours

Montezuma Castle: Montezuma Castle is open daily. Please note that the park gate is one mile from the visitor center and closes at 4:45pm. Parking on the road or in front of the gate is not allowed at any time.

Montezuma Well: Montezuma Well, a separate unit of Montezuma Castle National Monument and is open daily. Please note that Montezuma Well is a 20-minute drive from Montezuma Castle. Parking on the road or in front of the gate is not allowed at any time.

Fees and passes

  • Entrance - Per Person — $10.00
  • Annual Entrance - Park — $35.00

The America the Beautiful pass covers entrance fees at federal recreation lands across all four agencies.

Getting there

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.

Visitor centers

Weather

Summer: Hot. Temperatures range from 95°F (35°C) to 115°F (46°C). Nighttime temperatures can be much cooler, around 70°F (21°C). From July through September, heavy rains called monsoons are common in the afternoons. Winter: Cool. Highs average around 55°F (13°C); lows may be in the teens (-10°C). Snow is rare, but possible. For detailed information, visit the National Weather Service: http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=34.61151944900047&lon=-111.8389592099997#.Vi_FZX6rSUk

Phone: 9285673322

Whose lands these are

These lands are the ancestral and present-day homelands of Native nations. A section on whose lands these are is being prepared with tribal review. In the meantime, Native Land Digital offers a starting point.

Photos

Sun shines on the window sill in a masonry wall; trees in fall color are seen outside the window.
Window in Montezuma Castle · NPS Photo
Two masonry walls with a dark doorway in a short cliff ledge.
Storage Room at Montezuma Castle · NPS Photo
Two cliff dwellings and a tree with yellow leaves above a pond.
Montezuma Well · NPS Photo/Greg Webb
a blue sinkhole surrounded by algae, reeds, and cattails in a desert landscape
Montezuma Well Overlook · NPS Photo / Lauren Reid

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