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Tuzigoot National Monument

#roadtrip
#NationalPark
Tuzigoot National Monument

#roadtrip
#NationalPark
You wander around the desert outside Sedona and you're constantly amazed by all the natural formations poking up and undulating out of the landscape.  Then you come upon Tuzigoot, and your eyes fly cartoon-like out of your head.

Because there, on the top of a hill sits a nine-hundred year old chunk of stone put entirely there by people.  The structure contains the remnants of some 110 rooms and spans an area large enough so that a lot of the tourists pop their heads around and say "I'm good," and just head back to the visitor's center.

It's not a fair comparison, but while Europe was suffering a long, dark period of its civilization, here in the Americas, populations were thriving, and new technology of all kinds was being employed to accommodate them.

Here in the Verde River Valley, a group of people later named Sinaguan (without water), put together workable communities in some of the harshest conditions on the planet.  They were all to be abandoned later -- by some accounts because of extended droughts -- but what they did here is nothing short of miraculous.

I have plenty more to show from this site, but for now, take a gander at this spreading honeycomb of brick and clay, still standing (though patched and repaired by modern caretakers) nearly a thousand years after its construction.

And renew your appreciation for the native peoples of this continent.  They did not simply survive.  They built and fortified and settled and grew.  You may look for a culture gap between the new world and the old if you so choose.

But come to this place and you will have a hard time finding it.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuzigoot_National_Monument
Pretty cool to walk around for a short visit.
No doubt as fascinating for us today as it was for the people who first lived here, the structure at Tuzigoot almost defies credibility.  It sits in the middle of what you could arguably call "nowhere" and stretches for acres in all directions.

This turret on top is its crowning glory.  Archeologists theorize that the chamber inside was probably used for religious services and community gatherings, though there is hardly any evidence to support it.  It's not difficult to expand on that and posit that it must also have been used as a place from which to survey the valley, whether to check on the progress of the current crop or to keep an eye out for invaders.  Let me say that this latter hypothesis is strictly my own, though it can hardly be original.

As I mentioned before, this is probably one of the most important historical sites of pre-Columbian North America.  The Sinaguans are a mysterious people, who came and went with hardly a trace -- though several modern tribes claim them as their ancestors.  

What they built in that short time is a marvel (if not a miracle), and anyone who lives here should avail themselves of the opportunity to see what was accomplished in the harsh and unforgiving desert so many centuries ago.
Taawaki Inn - Cottonwood, an Ascend Collection Hotel

Taawaki Inn - Cottonwood, an Ascend Collection Hotel

2 out of 5
441 South Broadway Clarkdale AZ
Prisen er 1 223 kr per natt fra 1. feb. til 2. feb.
1 223 kr
1. feb.–2. feb.
inkludert skatter og avgifter
Du kan bo på dette hotellet med fasiliteter for forretningsreisende under oppholdet i Clarkdale. Stedet tilbyr følgende tjenester/fasiliteter: frokost (inkludert), ...
9,6/10 Exceptional! (353 anmeldelser)
breakfast was delicious

Anmeldelse skrevet 15. jan. 2026

Taawaki Inn - Cottonwood, an Ascend Collection Hotel
Hilton Vacation Club Sedona Summit

Hilton Vacation Club Sedona Summit

3.5 out of 5
4055 Navoti Dr Sedona AZ
Prisen er 965 kr per natt fra 28. jan. til 29. jan.
965 kr
28. jan.–29. jan.
inkludert skatter og avgifter
Du kan bo på dette hotellet under turen til Sedona. Stedet tilbyr følgende tjenester/fasiliteter: wi-fi (inkludert), parkering (inkludert) og 4 utendørsbassenger. ...
8,8/10 Excellent! (2 241 anmeldelser)
Veldig fint sted med god beliggenhet.

Anmeldelse skrevet 3. aug. 2025

Hilton Vacation Club Sedona Summit
Sky Ranch Lodge

Sky Ranch Lodge

3.5 out of 5
1105 Airport Rd. Sedona AZ
Prisen er 2 066 kr per natt fra 27. jan. til 28. jan.
2 066 kr
27. jan.–28. jan.
inkludert skatter og avgifter
Du kan bo i denne jakthytta under turen til Sedona. Stedet tilbyr følgende tjenester/fasiliteter: wi-fi (inkludert), parkering (inkludert) og utendørsbasseng. ...
9,4/10 Exceptional! (1 882 anmeldelser)
Fantastisk utsikt og hyggelige uteområder. Litt trekk pga ingen matservering og avhengig av bil eller shuttle ned til butikker eller restauranter.

Anmeldelse skrevet 23. mai 2024

Sky Ranch Lodge
Laveste pris per natt funnet de siste 24 timene, basert på et opphold på 1 natt for 2 voksne. Priser og tilgjengelighet kan endre seg. Ytterligere vilkår kan gjelde.
Sedona Pines Resort

Sedona Pines Resort

3.5 out of 5
6701 W State Route 89A Sedona AZ
Du kan bo i denne leiligheten med familievennlig profil under oppholdet i Sedona. Stedet tilbyr følgende tjenester/fasiliteter: wi-fi (inkludert), parkering ...
9,2/10 Wonderful! (1 855 anmeldelser)
Wonderful resort. We stayed for three nights during our trip across America, and honestly, we would have loved to stay longer.

Anmeldelse skrevet 27. juni 2025

Sedona Pines Resort
Junipine Resort

Junipine Resort

3.5 out of 5
8351 N Highway 89A Sedona AZ
Du kan bo på dette leilighetshotellet under turen til Sedona. Stedet tilbyr følgende tjenester/fasiliteter: wi-fi (inkludert), parkering (inkludert) og massasje ...
9,2/10 Wonderful! (2 265 anmeldelser)
The staff were excellent and the restaurant was great

Anmeldelse skrevet 19. jan. 2026

Junipine Resort
Highlands Resort at Verde Ridge

Highlands Resort at Verde Ridge

3.5 out of 5
625 Verde Santa Fe Pkwy Cornville AZ
Du kan bo i denne leiligheten med golfmuligheter under oppholdet i Cornville. Stedet tilbyr følgende tjenester/fasiliteter: wi-fi (inkludert), parkering (inkludert) ...
9,4/10 Exceptional! (1 168 anmeldelser)
The room was great. The amenities thoughtful...ie: soap, coffee/tea, extra blanket, super comfy bed. The hot tub was AMAZING! We even saw a squad of javelinas

Anmeldelse skrevet 12. jan. 2026

Highlands Resort at Verde Ridge
Laveste pris per natt funnet de siste 24 timene, basert på et opphold på 1 natt for 2 voksne. Priser og tilgjengelighet kan endre seg. Ytterligere vilkår kan gjelde.

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