This is a neat national monument - expect to spend 1-2 hours here exploring the visitor center and walking up to the pueblo structure. The visitor center has a lot of artifacts and information about the history of the area and how it was excavated, as well as how the name came to be. It's a Tonto Apache term for "crooked waters," from nearby Pecks Lake. There's also a gift shop with the usual assortment of NPS offerings. Out off to the side of the visitor center is a paved pathway to the 2- to 3-story pueblo. You can even climb up to the top of a reconstructed room to view the area. It's impressive in size - Tuzigoot is the largest and best preserved of the many Sinagua pueblo structures. There was a volunteer out in the structure to answer any questions one may have - very nice touch. I saw a deer wandering out in the marsh vegetation and a lot of birds flying around. read more

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Tuzigoot is a cool National Monument near Sedona! You see the ruins from over 900 years ago. It's really cool to see how they built places for survival. I would recommend a tour for more information if you can get one. I just walked around and explored, but would have gotten more history with a guide. There is a small gift shop and museum to check out as well. If you are there around lunch time, there are picnic benches available to sit on if it's not too hot! Overall, it's a great stop if you like history! read more

Tuzigoot National Monument - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Clarkdale, Arizona

Tuzigoot (Apache for Crooked River) National Monument. Pueblo ruins over 1,000 years old built on hillside a few hundred feet above the Verde River. It is a fertile valley with a fish, game hunting and crops to grow. Outstanding views for protection. The ruins are 2 stories in some places and over 100 rooms. There were few exterior doors, Access was from holes in the roof with ladders. Probably 200-300 inhabitants lived there and left the area around 1,300 - no reason why. It was excavated in the 1930's - just a pile of dirt and rocks. Made a national monument on July 25th, 1939 read more

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The last time I tried to visit Tuzigoot National Monument the government was on shut down and I was not able to go!! at that time I could only stare at it from the road below. I knew I had to come back when it was open to visit the site and walk around. I sure am glad I came back again because it was honestly so amazing to visit. Learning about the history of the Sinagua people was incredible and the views were amazing up there. When I visited, I also realize that when you get admission to this park, your admission ticket also allows you to visit the Montezuma castle national monument within next week of buying your ticket. I had no idea that was the case so I visited both and you can see my review for the Montezuma Castle national monument as well!! I highly recommend that you visit both. You will not be disappointed. Note that this park has a lot of steep incline so there is a little bit of hiking so to speak. read more

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Pleasant surprise. Really nice selection of old indian artifacts to see, probably the most I have seen at a location like this. Ruins were very interesting and you can walk up to them and even inside one of them. Worth the stop. read more

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Can't believe I waited this long to visit Tuzigoot. The ruins are reconstructed from the original discovery of piles of rubble, and only a very short walk on a paved walkway. The 360 degree views are of the Verde River valley, Clarkdale, Cottonwood and Jerome plus the red cliffs of the Sedona area. We really enjoyed the museum which had an impressive collection of original pottery found at the site included many very large pottery jugs, a larger and more extensive collection than I have typically seen at other Arizona and New Mexico museums. The historical interpretive displays were also very informative. If you read everything you could easily entertain yourself for a hour just in the museum. Free entry with America the Beautiful pass. read more

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My friend and I ended our trip from Sedona with our last stop here in Ckarkdale to see this Monument. Glad we did. Very educational. It's about a 45 minute walk and you can read the plaques and visit the museum. We went on a Wednesday about 11:00am and were the only visitors there. There is a $10 park fee... well worth it to experience and see a part of History. read more

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Incredible surviving pueblo. No longer occupied, now a museum to see how they lived with surviving artifacts. Belongs to the people of the Verde valley, ancient relatives of the Hopi nation. The National Parks annual pass works here. Visitor's center and museum inside. Beautiful view of the Verde valley from the pueblo. read more

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This is a must-see in Cottonwood. These are 900-year old dwellings of the indigenous people who used to live in the area. It's incredible to walk through-- time almost stands still. There are views of hills, mountains, the Verde River, and you can even see Jerome in the distance. There's plaques with information about the geography of the area, the inhabitants and their culture, and how the ruins were built. There's also a museum with ancient artifacts from the region, some dating back 13,000 years, as well as a gift shop. Everything here is very accessible and conveniently located between Cottonwood and Jerome. read more

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I don't know i wasn't really impressed, i thought Montezumas castle was a lot better. I would still recommend if you're staying in Sedona or Cottonwood and have a National Park Pass. I wouldn't recommend going out of your way. Also if you're afraid of heights, don't do this. read more

Tuzigoot National Monument - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Clarkdale, Arizona

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We decided to visit this national monument on Memorial Day 2026. Bonus, Free entry. The staff was very welcoming and helpful, but had to close the trail down for about 30 minutes due to lightning strikes in the area. Luckily they did reopen the trail up the hill to the Pueblo ruins. The trail is a nice concrete path with a few benches if you need to rest or just want to take in the scenery. Not only do you get an amazing view of the valley on all sides, but the scope of the ruins shows how important this location once was to the local people. You actually get to access the highest point on the ruin where a volunteer ranger is there to maintain safety and answer any questions. As with all historical sites, you must stay on the designated paths and are not allowed to climb on the walls of the Pueblo. Parking is easy and clean bathrooms are available at the visitor center. For those seeking souvenirs or more information about this national monument, the visitor center has a gift shop. Beware of the wind at the top of the hill. Unfortunately a storm was passing through and a wind gust blew my baseball cap into an inaccessible area of the Pueblo ruins. I left my name and number with the park rangers if my hat was retrieved. Luckily two days later the parks archeologist was able to retrieve my hat. Apparently this happens a lot and the archeologists remove all items dropped in sensitive areas. read more

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I'm blown away at this magnificent work from our ancestors. The preservation and restoration discoveries ! read more

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Great accessible historical site to tie the local history to the regions development . Jada Jada

While it is not as big as Montezuma Castle, this place was definitely worth the visit. Entrance was $10 and that gets you access to Montezuma Castle and Montezuma Well. Beautiful scenery and not a strenuous walk. Very peaceful. I enjoyed my visit. read more

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History is always a fun thing to experience. This is a pretty small ruin location but is fun to see if you are passing through. Inside there is a very small museum with artifacts and informational placards. Restrooms are located outside and were well maintained. Price was steep for what it as, but the price gets you into the Montezuma castle if you are in the area so that helps. read more

Tuzigoot National Monument - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Clarkdale, Arizona

Tuzigoot is a pueblo that was built over 900 years ago. On one end of the grounds is the actual pueblo that you can walk around, go inside, and climb to the top. In the middle, is the ranger station/giftshop/museum, and at the other end is a trail that leads to an overlook of a large marsh, which is currently a wildlife oasis, but in the past, was a vital source of water to the residents here. There is signage detailing the discovery, excavation, and preservation of the pueblo, as well as educating about some of the plant life in the area. The gift shop area is tiny, but well stocked with relevant souvenirs, and the museum is also small, but is interesting and educational, nonetheless. There is a small fee to see the sight, or you can get in free with your National Parks Pass. I enjoyed my visit, and absolutely recommend it, but it's not something I need to go to again anytime soon. 17/2024 read more

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Interesting area with a bit of history. There is a visitor center where the kids can get a Jr Ranger work book and earn a badge from it. It's $10 per person to walk up to the monument but luckily for us it's a free pass day so we all got in for free. read more

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3.9 stars I came here on a Sunday morning with my dog and it was pretty empty. The entrance fee is $10 per person which gave me access to Montezuma Castle as well, so it's not a bad deal and felt like I was supporting 2 parks. And yes, it's dog-friendly!! They only ask that you clean up after your pets :) Inside the visitor's center, there is a small museum section and I was allowed to carry my dog inside. Briefly put, Tuzigoot is an excavated site, preserved to give visitors a tiny glimpse into the lives of the Sinagua. There's way more info than I remember, so I'll have to suggest the official website for those interested in the history :) The views are pretty nice and there are easy hiking trails if one is up for meandering about. Definitely worth a visit! But, also, like another reviewer has put it, "you're paying $10 to look at walls" LOL! Note: Plenty of parking spaces available. My dog loved it! read more

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This is a great place to visit. It doesn't take too long to finish walking the paved road to the Pueblo. It's a nice view of the dry land surrounding the Pueblo. Entrance fee is $10 per person and also allows access to the Montezuma Castle National Monument. read more

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Tuzigoot is somewhat isolated, but if you are in the vicinity, it is worth a stop. If you are heading to Sedona and depending on your route, it might not be too much of a side trip. The location is just a mile or so off the main highway. There is a small parking lot and a visitors' center (where you pay the $10 per person fee). Note that the fee also gives you same day access to Montezuma Castle, which is another national monument only about 30 minutes away. From the VC, you ascend a paved trail up onto a hill, which is topped by the ruins. The topmost structure has been restored so that you can climb some stairs and stand on its roof to survey the surrounding valley. They have good signs posted along the loop trail around the hilltop explaining what the village was like, phases of construction, timeline, etc. The VC also has some displays where were worth checking out. The scenery is nice and it is worth a short stop to explore, but I wouldn't say it was a must-see destination in AZ. There are at least 4 national monuments between here and north & east of Flagstaff. Of those, I think Tuzigoot is the least interesting / unique. That is not intended as a slam against Tuzigoot, rather just that the other 3 (Sunset Crater, Walnut Canyon, and Montezuma Castle) are either larger or more unique or more scenic. One other motivator for our visit here was an old family photo from the early 70s. We were able to locate the exact spot where it was taken (which I guess isn't surprising since the reconstructed ruins aren't likely to change much). read more

Tuzigoot National Monument - 1970's photo - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Clarkdale, Arizona

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Pretty cool experience and history lesson of the Sinagua people. Nice museum inside the visitors center and it's a nice short walk to the ruins. You can go inside the ruin and up the stairs to the top and overlook the valley and take in the beauty of it all. Impressive and we were able to get a pass from Montezuma Castle and visit both monuments for $10 a person. Totally worth it. read more

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It was a few minutes out of the way on the return from Sedona to PHX, but was well worth the diversion for me. If you are into archaeology and/or ancient peoples and travelling in this area, it's a must see spot IMO along with Montezuma's Castle -- and $10 gets you into both sites. read more

This place is so great! We went to Montezuma's Castle first so we were able to get in this piece for free. Staff was so kind and helpful in explaining things you have questions about or showing you the trails that are great to walk along. Bathrooms were clean and everything was full. It was super windy the day we went but it was still a beautiful day. We also hit the river access on the way out to look around, there's a little boat access for things like canoes and kayaks. Area was clean and nice. read more

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Since I got my U.S. National Park Pass, I have been enjoying visiting all these National parks and monuments. FDR designated Tuzigoot Ruins as a U.S. National Monument in 1939. Tuzigoot National Monument preserves a 2 to 3 story pueblo ruin just east of Clarksdale and Cottonwood on top of a ridge made of limestone and sandstone. The Tuzigoot Site is an elongated complex of stone masonry rooms that were built near the Verde River. The construction of multi-room pueblos began by the year 1000. They were never intended to be a permanent settlement as the people migrated elsewhere in the 1300s probably due to environmental factors. We were camping at nearby Dead Horse State Park and took some time to check out these ruins. The history behind it was fascinating and we enjoyed walking around the site. The views of the Valley from on top of this summit are beautiful. There was a really nice guide on hand at the visitor center that gave us details about the ruins. Inside the museum are a number of archeological artifacts that were removed from Tuzigoot. Checking out a monument that is a part of Arizona's rich history made for a nice day. read more

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If you want a nice easy hike or afternoon walk, I recommend Tuzigoot national Monument. The entry is $10 and also gains you entry to Montezuma Castle national Monument. Tuzigoot not only allows you to experience historical ruins, but also includes a long nature walk to the Tavasci Marsh Overlook with local flowers and plants. Along the path are information plaques by each plant to educate visitors of their food and medicinal purposes. read more

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Interesting history and a great archeological find but for the price of entry there is not a ton here to see. Lucky we have the park pass so our 30 mins or so visit was fine. The small display in the visitor center was well done and the restored site was worth the walk up the hill. Also a nice view from the top. A very short review for a very short visit. read more

This land is rich in Native American history, Tuzigoot National Monument gives you a glimpse into some of that history through its excavation and recreation of 1,000 year old 110 room hilltop pueblo. Hike just a 1/3 of a mile up the hill to see the prehistoric life in central Arizona of the Sinagua people. These nomadic people settled in the Verde Valley for a time, before moving on. These ancient people traveled widely across the continents, probably following game animals, the growth of edible plants, and other resources. The museum shows of ancient artifacts found, pottery, jewelry, clovis points and more help depict how life was for the Native Americans. As with other sites across the region, evidence of trading with other communities is clear from what was found on site. Even the construction of the pueblo has enough similarities to show interaction across tribes. During the excavation of Tuzigoot pueblo, trade items and materials from hundreds of miles away were found. Walking inside these reconstructed homes was really neat, the stair step style of building into the hillside complimented the land. Enjoy the history and peek into prehistoric lifestyle. read more

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We found out about Tuzigott when we stopped at Walnut Canyon National Monument and thought we would try to stop in while in the area. We stopped here about 1:30pm on a Friday while traveling from Sedona to Prescott. This is a National Monument and we were able to use our new "America the Beautiful" pass to access without charge. Tuzigoot is located between Cottonwood and Jerome and is well marked and easy to find. The Tuzigoot Visitors Center has a nice yet small museum which helps to explain the area and gift shop. We purchased a few items and walked the ruins. As we walked were very impressed with how they built on the high hill which would provide defense from all directions. We also learned about the copper mine tailings which were deposited in the area. Overall, this was another great visit of one our National Monuments. read more

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This is not only a great place to head out to when the traffic is crazy in Sedona, but it something very fun! I love being able to see how the early people in this area lived and this monument did not disappointed. The views are spectacular and majestic also! I highly recommend buying the National Park annual pass as it can be used for this monument as well had many places across the country. Bathrooms are clean here and staff helpful. read more

Tuzigoot National Monument - The view. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Clarkdale, Arizona

So I would not have stopped by except it was a slight detour enroute to Jerome. The views are stunning and they have unearthed a good portion of the original Sinaqua structures. Except for the tower, most of the other building are down to the footprint of the village. Tiny museum at the visitor center. $10 entrance unless you have a national park pass. read more

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There's nothing "wrong" with this place however there's not a whole lot to see or do and we found some conflicting information from their own information boards. Some say there were 110 people living here, some say 225, some say 400+. Some show which buildings were constructed first being on one side of the hill while another shows something different. For $10 a person to see some walls, it was a bit of a letdown. The hike is fairly easy unless you have limitations; the walkways are sometimes steep with no railings. There's a trail that leads to a dead end. But all trails are paved like sidewalks and are maintained. This is not handicap accessible. The museum and gift shop are quaint but overpriced. $32 for a coffee mug? No. I think it was interesting enough to see once. Friendly staff. read more

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we lucked out, weather-wise. This would be a little more challenging in the blazing sum. walking not difficult but there us stairs and hill. I would recommend read more

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This monument was pretty large. It was quiet and peaceful. Everyone there was mindful of others nearby. The gift shop had a lot of interesting historical facts that you can read with items from way back when. There was a fairly quick walk up to the ruins of the hilltop pueblo. As you walk towards the top, there are signs for you to read. You get to see the size of the room that a family of four would have had. Imagining how we live now, many probably wouldn't be able to handle the limited amount of space they had. Yet back in the day, it was just perfect for them. Some of the landscape is still part of the original. Once you get to the top of the hilltop, there is a person there who can answer any questions you may have and you can see the creek as well. read more

Tuzigoot National Monument - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Clarkdale, Arizona

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We were in the fortunate situation of having a few hours to kill so we fired up the map and saw a bunch of national monuments. After visiting Montezuma Well and Montezuma's Castle, we decided to head for Tuzigoot. We have a national parks pass, but I think I recall them saying that if you get a pass at one of those three I just mentioned, it's good for all three. We were pretty interested in the ancient inhabitants of the Verde Valley, so we probs would have sprung for it anyways, but that national pass is pretty nice. The Sinagua had quite the civilization. This is a pretty large pueblo on a hill, and there's a lot of research that's been done about when it was built. It wasn't all built at once, but rather over several phases. And of course, the great mystery that remains is why it (and so many others in the whole region) were abandoned. Walk along and pop into a few of the rooms. Read the signage. Imagine life here with your whole family in one room, butted up against the next family's room, and the next, and the next. Life would have been so different then and you really get a feel for that here in this place. Dogs are welcome, so the pup got to walk the grounds, too. On leash, of course. She's been able to sniff some pretty incredible places in her life we had a nice little walk. Not much of the inside part is doable now because of COVID, and though it's not a large building, I can't say for certain what you're missing out on. But the outside is what you're after. We had a lovely walk, and you probably won't spend more than an hour here (less with impatient kiddos, much more if you're really reading and pondering). It's a nice road trip stop. Speaking of road trips, here's an aside I just needed to document for my own sake. For reasons that cannot be explained by me, we started referring to this place as "The Goot" on our trip. The entire rest of the trip, it was The Goot. Today, it's still The Goot. I just love road trip lore. read more

Tuzigoot National Monument - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Clarkdale, Arizona

Enjoyed the ruins of the Tuzigoot Poeple. We also toured the Montezuma Case not far away. Maybe 30 miles. Easy walk to see the ruins and signage and the museum explain what you looking at. Go to the top and see the great views from their hilltop spot. You could see anyone, especially enemies approaching. I could make a cool condo of this place! Lol!! Worth checking out!! read more

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We visited Tuzigoot while traveling through the area. It was a good site and we enjoyed seeing the ruins. You can walk around them and you can even go inside one and climb up onto the roof, getting a good view of the site. The visitors center has some artifacts you can see. I think admission here also gets you into Montezuma Castle NM and vice versa. It's a good place to check out if you're in the area and is worth seeing if you visit the Sedona area. read more

Quick stop. A short walk to the ruins of a hilltop pueblo, previously occupied by the Sinagua people (a name meaning "without water" in Spanish which is actually inaccurate since they had access to ample water). We saw all the ancient dwelling ruins in the area (Montezuma's Castle, Walnut Canyon, Wupatki). The others made more of an impression on me (more elaborate structures) but Tuzigoot is still a fascinating piece of local history. I highly recommend checking out all the local ruins, if you have the time. I recommend buying the annual pass but there might also be a discount if you're visiting all the national monuments in the area. read more

I came here, somewhat on the spur of the moment, after visiting Montezuma's Castle Monument. I overheard the ranger telling the people in front of me that the entrance ticket was good for same-day entrance to Tuzigoot and the wheels in my mind started to turn. I have a national parks pass so I could have got into Tuzigoot for free anyway but since I didn't really have an itinerary set in stone I figured I'd head over to Tuzigoot. It's actually amazing how many of these native settlements are scattered all over Arizona. There are a few that have up to 1000 dwellings. I kind of wonder if there are settlements that haven't been discovered yet. Anyway, I drove the few miles from Montezuma to Tuzigoot and headed up the short trail to the main settlement. As you look over one of the edges, you can see how there were hundreds of rooms for the families that used to live there. The rooms are modest and small enough for an entire family. Compared to today's standards, yes they are small but life was simpler and people didn't need as much. The goal was just to survive. It was nice to walk the trail since there was a wonderful wind blowing to take the sting off the 108-degree heat and it made the walk quite pleasant. I encourage you to check out the interpretive center and gift shop. There is a ranger on-site and there are a lot of smaller more delicate items within the interpretive center like ceramics and fiber arts and even dyes that were created from the elements around. It's really cool to see how innovative the people of the town were and also the efforts that have been made to preserve the grounds using the same or similar techniques and resources that were once used before. This is a great quick stop. They have places to fill up your water bottles and restrooms as well. Even though it's a short hike, the dry desert air can leave you quite parched and dehydrated really quickly so make sure you bring water. read more

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My husband and I took a long weekend getaway in February 2020, right before COVID struck. We flew into Phoenix and drove up to Sedona to celebrate my birthday. This was an unexpected gem that we found along the way! We loved the history of the area and and opportunity get out of the car to stretch our legs. The interior portion the national monument houses a museum like set up with artifacts and rich history of the area. Great for adults, but not necessarily a place that would be overly exciting for kids. Clean and well cared for. Bring snacks, as food is not offered. read more

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Very interesting history and ecological site. Super staff and volunteers. Everyone was very approachable and knowledgeable. May have to make a visit to the partner property down the mountain- Montezuma castle. Thanks read more