Tuzigoot National Monument

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.

Besøk Tuzigoot National Monument

Activities

Reiseguide til Clarkdale

Omvisninger og dagsturer

Se alle 34 opplevelser

Sedona rideturer på Dead Horse Ranch med River Crossing

Private og skreddersydde turer

Se alle 16 opplevelser

Sedona rideturer på Dead Horse Ranch med River Crossing

Vannaktiviteter

Se alle 6 opplevelser

Fra Cottonwood: Guidet kajakktur på Verde River

Gratis avbestilling

Populære steder å besøke

Verde Canyon Railroad

Sørg for å sette av tid til de interessante utstillingene i Verde Canyon Railroad, et museum med en spennende historie, på besøket ditt i Clarkdale. Området er kjent for de koselige kaffebarene sine, så her er det mye å legge til i reiseplanene dine!

Pine Shadows golfbane

Spill en runde golf ved Pine Shadows golfbane i Cottonwood. Dette familievennlige området har elveutsikt det er hyggelig å gå langs, eller du kan bli med på aktiviteter som ridning.

Jerome State Historic Park

Sørg for å sette av tid til de interessante utstillingene i Jerome State Historic Park, et museum med en fascinerende historie, på besøket ditt i Jerome. Dette familievennlige området er kjent for de koselige kaffebarene sine og sine mange restauranter.

Blazin' M Ranch

Ta med familien på tur til Blazin' M Ranch under reisen til Cottonwood. Området har elveutsikt som passer godt for en trivelig spasertur, eller du kan bli med aktiviteter som ridning.

Burning Tree Cellars

Bli med på vinsmaking eller en omvisning på Burning Tree Cellars under turen til Cottonwood. Området har elveutsikt det er hyggelig å gå langs, og er kjent for sitt gode utvalg av vin.

Arizona Stronghold vingårder

Bli med på vinsmaking eller en omvisning på Arizona Stronghold vingårder under turen til Cottonwood. Området har elveutsikt det er hyggelig å gå langs, og er kjent for sitt gode utvalg av vin.

De beste hotelltilbudene i Tuzigoot National Monument

Sjekk tilgjengelighet på hoteller nær Tuzigoot National Monument

Taawaki Inn - Cottonwood, an Ascend Collection Hotel

441 South Broadway Clarkdale AZ

Cliffside Castle - Hillside house with stunning views

Clarkdale AZ

The Tavern Hotel

904 N Main St Cottonwood AZ

Lux Verde Hotel

301 W. SR 89-A Cottonwood AZ

Summer Seclusion near Sedona

Clarkdale AZ

Modern Desert Suite in Boutique Resort

Clarkdale AZ

Boho 1-bedroom Suite in Luxury Resort

Clarkdale AZ

The Iron Horse Inn

1034 N Main St. Cottonwood AZ

SpringHill Suites by Marriott Cottonwood

565 SOUTH 6TH STREET Cottonwood AZ

Se alle 535 overnattingssteder i Tuzigoot National Monument

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.