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.

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Vía ferroviaria de Verde Canyon

Si tu pasión es la historia, visita Vía ferroviaria de Verde Canyon y disfruta de unas vacaciones por Clarkdale de lo más interesantes. Y, ya que estás aquí, ¿por qué no saborear un delicioso café?

Campo de golf Pine Shadows

Si lo tuyo es el golf, acércate a Cottonwood y visita Campo de golf Pine Shadows. ¡No te arrepentirás! Y, puesto que esta es una zona familiar, ¿por qué no descansar a la orilla del río o montar a caballo?

Jerome State Historic Park

Si tu pasión es la historia, visita Jerome State Historic Park y disfruta de unas vacaciones por Jerome de lo más interesantes. Además de ser un destino familiar, aquí también podrás cenar fuera o saborear un delicioso café.

Complejo de entretanimiento Blazin' M Ranch

Si vas a viajar en familia, seguro que os interesa visitar Complejo de entretanimiento Blazin' M Ranch, uno de los rincones más populares de Cottonwood. Y, ya que estás en la zona, ¿por qué no descansar a la orilla del río o montar a caballo?

Bodegas Burning Tree Cellars

Aprovecha para acercarte a Bodegas Burning Tree Cellars y catar algunos de sus mejores vinos durante tus días por Cottonwood. Y, ya que estás en la zona, ¿por qué no descansar a la orilla del río o catar los mejores vinos?

Bodegas Arizona Stronghold

Aprovecha para acercarte a Bodegas Arizona Stronghold y catar algunos de sus mejores vinos durante tus días por Cottonwood. Y, ya que estás en la zona, ¿por qué no descansar a la orilla del río o catar los mejores vinos?

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Taawaki Inn - Cottonwood, an Ascend Collection Hotel

441 South Broadway Clarkdale AZ

Summer Seclusion near Sedona

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Boho 1-bedroom Suite in Luxury Resort

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Modern Desert Suite in Boutique Resort

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The Iron Horse Inn

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Lux Verde Hotel

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Schoolhouse Flat by Verde Train

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Ver los 537 alojamientos en Tuzigoot National Monument

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Tuzigoot National Monument

Viaja a Tuzigoot National Monument

Visitas guiadas y excursiones de un día

Paseos a caballo en Sedona en Dead Horse Ranch con cruce del río

Visitas privadas y personalizadas

Paseos a caballo en Sedona en Dead Horse Ranch con cruce del río

Actividades acuáticas

Tours en kayak por el río, viaje en UTV 4x4 hasta el río

Atracciones turísticas populares

Vía ferroviaria de Verde Canyon

Campo de golf Pine Shadows

Jerome State Historic Park

Complejo de entretanimiento Blazin' M Ranch

Bodegas Burning Tree Cellars

Bodegas Arizona Stronghold

Mejores ofertas de hoteles

Consulta la disponibilidad en hoteles cerca de Tuzigoot National Monument

Taawaki Inn - Cottonwood, an Ascend Collection Hotel

Summer Seclusion near Sedona

Boho 1-bedroom Suite in Luxury Resort

Modern Desert Suite in Boutique Resort

The Tavern Hotel

The Iron Horse Inn

Lux Verde Hotel

1917 Elegant Schoolhouse with Rose Gardens

Schoolhouse Flat by Verde Train