Every time we visited Sedona, we always drove past the signs for Montezuma Castle and Montezuma Well. However, we hadn’t gotten a chance to visit until recently. The experience was much better than what we had expected. Montezuma Castle and Montezuma Well are two sections of the same monument, about 11 miles apart from each other. Each of these locations is fascinating in its own way, highlighting the history of the Native Americans. Both places also have a short, ⅓ miles trail, featuring archaeological ruins. While the Montezuma Castle is more popular, we actually prefer the more intimate feel of the Montezuma Well. Either way, we recommend visiting both of the places.
Both Montezuma Castle and Montezuma Well are located along I-17 in Arizona. They are about 11 miles (or 20 minutes) apart from each other. We put the address and GPS coordinates for them below. You should be able to GPS your way there without any issue. Both of these locations have paved parking lots; the one in Montezuma Castle is bigger. However, since Montezuma Castle is more popular, the parking lot tends to get full, especially on weekends.
Montezuma Castle National Monument
2800 Montezuma Castle Rd, Camp Verde, AZ 86322
34.611442, -111.839255
Montezuma Well
5512 County Rd 77, Rimrock, AZ 86335
34.648692, -111.754410
Montezuma Castle Entrance Fee
– $10.00/adult to Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot National Monuments for 7 days.
– Free for children aged 15 and under.
– You can also use the America the Beautiful Pass.
Montezuma Well
Free entry
Both Montezuma Castle and Montezuma Well are open daily from 9 am to 4:45 pm, except on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.
Pets are allowed on trails and where vehicles are allowed at Montezuma Castle and Montezuma Well. However, they have to be on a leash, 6ft or shorter, at all times. If you’re visiting during the warmer season, make sure to check the ground to see if it’s too hot for your pet. You can check by placing the back of your hand against the pavement for 7 seconds. If you can’t hold your hand there for a full 7 seconds, the ground is too hot for your pet to walk on. Dog boots are highly recommended in the summer.
Montezuma Castle is one of the few well-preserved ancient dwellings in Arizona. It is more likely the most impressive. There is a ⅓ mile paved, mostly flat trail that takes you to all the important areas of this monument. The trail starts at the Visitor Center. The Visitor Center is where you pay your fee and get more information about Montezuma Castle and Montezuma Well.
From the Visitor Center, it is a short distance before you reach the spectacular ancient dwelling. It is a 5-story structure built into the limestone, about 70 ft above the ground. There are 20 rooms, stacked atop each other. It resembles an imposing castle. When the ruins were first discovered, it was thought to be occupied by the Aztecs, hence the name. However, these ancient dwellings actually belong to the Sinagua Indian people. When we went, park rangers were hanging around, giving a history lesson. It was really cool to be able to learn more about this place.
After spending time at the main dwellings, we kept following the trail. The trail loops around and leads to more dwellings. It also led to a small replica of what the main castle looked like back then.
From the parking lot, it is a ⅓ mile loop trail that takes you through all the archaeological ruins. There are a couple of detours, one to the well and the other to the ancient canal system and Beaver Creek.
We went clockwise, ascending a gently rocky slope to reach the rim of the Montezuma Well. Montezuma Well is a giant limestone sinkhole fed by underground springs. The well is about 55 feet deep (probably more) and 368 feet across. There are about 1.6 million gallons of water that flow through two main vents at the Well’s bottom each day. The water temperature is a constant 74°F. The Well is nested right below the limestone cliff, sprinkled with cliff-dwellings and cave rooms. It is believed that the Sinagua, Hohokam, Hopi, Zuni, and Yavapai all used the well at one time or another over the centuries.
From the top, you can see the calm blue water, sparkling under the sunlight. However, there is a very different world that exists under the calm surface. Because the well’s water is rich in carbon dioxide and arsenic, there are no fish. Instead, thousands of freshwater leeches swim under the surface. At 55ft, fine sand boils up in swirling, cascading mounds. This sand creates a false bottom. The vents are another 65ft further down, making an exact measurement of the Montezuma Well’s depth difficult.
As we followed the trail further, we came to our first detour. There is a small sign for the “Swallet Ruins.” This detour descends 112 stone steps to the edge of the Montezuma well. It was interesting to feel the temperature drop the lower we went. The scenery was just breathtaking. As we went down, we could see the well from a different perspective. The trail winds along the side of the Montezuma Well and leads to some small rooms, carved into the limestone wall. These rooms sit right at the edge of the water.
If you look closely, you can see the 200-year-old graffiti on one of the walls. This graffiti has become part of the history of the area. However, this doesn’t mean that you can add your own. It is frowned upon and illegal to do so. So, don’t be “that guy”! Here, we also found the beginning of the swallet, an underground stream. We could see where the water leaves the well to go underground before flowing to the nearby creek.
After getting back to the main trail, we continued on our way. The Montezuma Well trail goes past a small ruin before reaching the second detour. There are a few stairs at this second detour, leading down to the Beaver Creek. There isn’t any creek access here, and swimming isn’t allowed. Here, we could see the ancient canal system. Since the water in Montezuma Well is unsuitable for drinking, the Native Americans used it for agriculture.
We found Montezuma Well and Castle fascinating. Both locations are interesting in their own ways. We highly recommend visiting on your way to Sedona. If you’re looking for more things to do in Sedona, check out our 9 amazing hiking trails in Sedona. If you love offroading and ruins at the same time, you need to rent an ATV in Sedona to check out some of the ruins.
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These are the gear that we personally use and find helpful for this particular adventure. Don’t forget to check out our Recommended Gear section as well.
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This jacket is packable into a super small and light little ball. Perfect for when you just need a little…
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Our favorite hiking/travel jacket. It's warm and packable, perfect to bring on a hike or a road trip.
If you tend to have foot blisters on hikes, get this! We use this all the time.
These hiking poles are sturdy, and great to help keep your balance on short or longer hikes
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This is our go-to camera for all of our adventures. It comes with us everywhere!
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Hi! We are Dustin & Vy, the proud creators of Live That Adventure. We created this website because we wanted to inspire others to live their lives to the fullest. On here, you’ll find everything from hiking, canyoneering, kayaking, and snorkeling to adventure and travel tips, gear reviews, and bucket list items such as bungee jumping or wing walking. We’ll show you the ropes so you can do them too!
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