Montezuma Castle and Montezuma Well - Sedona, Arizona UNESCO Heritage Sites

Montezuma Castle and Montezuma Well are historic Native American sites located just south of Sedona, Arizona. They have both been designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites because of their believed cultural significance to the natives who once inhabited the land.

​Nowadays, we have no idea how either location was actually used or who used them. All we have are a few educated guesses based on the little remains that still stand about life hundreds of years ago.

These were just two stops during our trip to Sedona, read our entire itinerary, here!

Montezuma Castle is a large pueblo structure built high into the cliff face of riverside limestone rocks. This formation is believed to have been built between the years 1,110-1,400. It is one of hundreds of formations discovered along the lush 800 mile-long Verde Valley, but it is one of the best preserved. ​

The signs in the park discuss how the construction was named by explorers long after its inhabitants had abandoned the area. They are now referred to as the Sinagua people. Sinagua means “no water” in Spanish, because the watersheds were believed to be dry when the Spanish explorers arrived. ​

Learning about the assumed lifestyle of the time as we walked around the concrete walkways that line the park boundaries was extremely interesting. Sadly, the public can no longer explore the pueblo formations, and they can only be viewed from the ground below. What is more tragic, though, is that we learned some of the formations are recreations.

There is more than just the large multi-room dwelling in the cliff to observe, but some of them were actually built in the mid-1900’s based on what was believed to be there. Most of the recreations have been torn down, but some remain, because they contain original building pieces. As fascinating as the dwellings are, our favorite part of the park wasn’t what we learned about the ancient dwellings.

Instead, it was the infographics about the native plant life. They showed us how natives and people today use the various plants for medicinal and everyday purposes. The Sycamore trees in the area are stunning and massive, and some of the smaller trees were unlike anything we’d seen. We’d get another look at some of the same trees and bushes at our next stop.

Montezuma Well is a natural limestone sinkhole filled with carbon rich water, and it is another part of the UNESCO World Heritage site. It is also believed to have served everyday and ceremonial purposes. Plus, there is a legend that a large water serpent lives inside the well.

The well is the only place like this in this area, but just like Montezuma Castle there are ancient pueblos in the cliffside. Though these are much smaller and not as well preserved, they are located in the walls of the sinkhole itself. Just like before, the natural life of this area was more interesting than the ruins. ​

The most interesting part about Montezuma Well is that the well is home to some species of life that have never been found anywhere else! There are five unique organisms that call the oxygen-deprived water home. 

• Diatom
  • “Scientists think the three diatoms found within the Well may have appeared around 8,000 years ago” (nps.gov)
• Amphipod
  • “ The amphipod species that live in Montezuma Well become a keystone species because of its role in the food web.”
• Leech
  • “The three species of leeches that live in the Well hunt the amphipods, ascending to the surface to feed an hour or two after sunset”
• Water scorpion 
  • “Water scorpions live in the weed bed along the shore of the Well, entering the open water at night to feed.”
• Spring snail 
  • “This particular snail cannot survive outside the Well, requiring at least 50 mg per liter of carbon dioxide in the water - ten times that found in most standing waters.”​

Both Montezuma Castle and Well were very interesting to explore and learn about. We still have so many questions about the way of life back when the people of this area flourished. It also introduced us to more ancient sites to explore the next time we are in Sedona!

See more from our Sedona vacation below:

Read our Entire Sedona Itinerary 
Sunrise at Devil's Bridge
Finding Secret Caves in Boyton Canyon