Tuzigoot National Monument

Basic Information - Camping - Activities

Crowning a desert hilltop is an ancient pueblo. From a roof top a child scans the desert landscape for the arrival of traders, who are due any day now. What riches will they bring? What stories will they tell? Will all of them return? From the top of the Tuzigoot Pueblo it is easy to imagine such an important moment. Tuzigoot is an ancient village or pueblo built by a culture known as the Sinagua. The pueblo consisted of 110 rooms including second and third story structures. The first buildings were built around A.D. 1000. The Sinagua were agriculturalists with trade connections that spanned hundreds of miles. The people left the area around 1400. The site is currently comprised of 42 acres.

There are good views from the ruins of the surrounding area, and this should be included on a day trip to Sedona/Jerome from Phoenix. It is only a few miles down the road from Montezuma's Castle National Monument.

Basic Information

Operating Hours, Seasons
Open Daily. Summer hours are 8 AM to 7 PM Winter hours are 8 AM to 5 PM Closed on Christmas day.

Getting There
PLANE - Nearest commercial airports are located in Flagstaff, Prescott, and Phoenix, Arizona

CAR - Tuzigoot National Monument is 52 miles south of Flagstaff, Arizona via U.S. Alternate Highway 89A, or 90 miles north of Phoenix. Travel Interstate Highway 17, take Exit 287 and travel west on Highway 260 to Cottonwood. In Cottonwood take Main Street north towards Clarkdale.

Weather & Climate
Summers are generally hot and dry, winters mild.

Accessibility
The visitor center and the Tavasci Marsh Overlook trail are wheelchair accessible. Wheeled vehicles, such as wheelchairs and baby strollers, are not recommended on the Ruins trail.

Getting Around
Two trails are found at Tuzigoot-The Ruins Loop trail and the Tavasci Marsh Overlook trail. Both trails are a quarter of a mile in length. Pets must be on a leash to use any of the trails in the monument.

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Camping

None available within the monument

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Activities

Two trails are found at Tuzigoot -- The Ruins Loop trail and the Tavasci Marsh Overlook trail. These two self-guiding trails with wayside exhibits describe the cultural and natural history of the site. The Ruins Loop trail is paved, about 1/3 mile in length. It is steep and not recommended for wheeled devices such as wheelchairs. The Tavasci Marsh Overlook trail takes the visitor to an overview of Tavaschi Marsh, one of the few freshwater marshes in Arizona. This trail is accessible for wheeled devices such as wheelchairs. Rangers are available on the trail and programs are presented when staffing permits.

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