ANCIENTS To truly understand Arizona means walking ancient paths. Take time to learn about the first peoples that populated the land as you explore prehistoric dwellings, the weathered remains of entire villages, artwork etched into rocks, relics and artifacts that are all part of the archeological legacy left behind by different cultures. These are the stories that shaped Arizona. BY ROGER NAYLOR STORIES OF THE No one forgets their first sighting of the ancient high-rise of Montezuma Castle National Monument . Tucked in an alcove in a limestone wall, the imposing five-story cliff dwelling perches above the Beaver Creek floodplain at the edge of Camp Verde. Early settlers believed it belonged to Aztec emperor Montezuma, and the name stuck. A paved trail meanders beneath the shade of graceful sycamore trees and leads to scenic viewpoints of the towering cliff house built by the Sinagua people more than 800 years ago. building techniques and materials used by these resourceful people. On the quiet prairie north of Flagstaff, the pueblos of Wupatki National Monument rise like red-boned ghosts above sway-ing grasses. The dwellings were the work of Ancient Puebloans through the centuries, including the Hohokam, Cohonina, Kayenta and Sinagua cultures. They were constructed from thin blocks of Moenkopi sandstone, giving them their distinctive red color. Most were built more than 900 years ago. A paved trail curves past Wupatki Rock walls crown a hilltop above Pueblo—at three stories and nearly the Verde River in Cottonwood and 100 rooms, the largest structure in spill down the ridgeline. Tuzigoot the park. National Monument protects the Walnut Canyon National remnants of this ancient Sinagua pueblo built between AD 1125 and Monument is an upside down Wupatki. Instead of large multi-1400. Walk the loop trail to savor room pueblos skylined above the wraparound views of the lush Verde Valley framed by rising moun-open prairie, the smaller dwellings of Walnut Canyon are secreted tains. The National Park Service away in this forested gorge east has restored a two-story room at of Flagstaff. The Sinagua people Tuzigoot (Apache for “crooked utilized the natural contours of the water”) so visitors can admire the 18 VISITARIZONA.COM
Arizona Official State Travel Guide Arizona 2021-22: Page 18
