Tuzigoot National Monument Travel Guide

 Basaic Says:  Of course the Sinagua are long gone but you can still meet the locals in the form of the park rangers. This is Penny. She was very friendly and had good knowledge of the area. 

 Basaic Says:  The Sinagua obtained minerals for jewelry and trade goods from the nearby Mingus Mountains. Many years after they abandoned Tuzigoot settlers came to the area and dug many mines in the mountains to obtain copper, argillite, malachite and azurite. Settlements like the nearby... 

 Basaic Says:  The ruins require constant work to stabilize the walls and repair damage due to weather and other destructive forces. The rangers use a variety of more modern tools but they try to make the repairs as invisible as possible. 

 Basaic Says:  The Sinagua chose this location for the pueblo because it was located near the fertile land of the Verde River Valley. This land was ideal for growing crops and the water from the river also attracted lots of game for hunting. Its location along the river also made it a... 

 Basaic Says:  On the other side of the plaza is a grouping of seven rooms that formed an extension of the Tuzigoot Pueblo. These rooms are from the 1300s. 

 Basaic Says:  On one side of the Tuzigoot Pueblo is a flat open area that was used as a plaza. This plaza was a gathering area for the vilagers and was used for the preparation of food. In the middle of this plaza you can see more Metate. This area may also have been used for gatherings... 

 Basaic Says:  The pueblo required constant upkeep to repair damage from weather or time. As the community grew, additions were made to the original pueblo. At its peak, Tuzigoot housed around 225 people. Most of the rooms were for single families and were used for sleeping and eating,... 

 Basaic Says:  The rooftops of the rooms were flat and served as additional living space. The breezes and open air of the rooftop must have been welcome during the hot summer months. The rooftops served as places for grinding meal, preparine food for cooking, repairing equipment, and... 

 Basaic Says:  This is the interior of an early room in the pueblo. The room frequently had a hole dug in the corner where the family would keep an earthen jar of drinking water. Entrance was gained by a ladder that descended from a hole in the roof. This hole also provided light and... 

 Basaic Says:  In some areas of the ruins you can approach quite close so you can observe details of how the pueblo was constructed and how the rooms connected to each other. 

 Basaic Says:  Inside the Visitors Center are several nice displays about the building of the pueblo and the Sinagua People. Take the time to walk through it before taking the trail to the ruins. 

 Basaic Says:  Your first stop at Tuzigoot National Monument will be the Visitors Center. Here you can get park brochures and any souvenir needs you may have (like postcards for your VT friends). They also have a pretty nice museum and they can provide any information you need about the... 

 Basaic Says:  Sometime around 1000 AD the Sinagua people built a large pueblo on the edge of the Verde Valley. They built an agricultural based society here and established hundreds of miles of trade routes with neighboring tribes. The pueblo was two to three stories high and had 110... 

 Yaqui Says:  Ok, we got the biggest kick out of our son. He waited very patiently to use the grinding stone because some other little girl was playing with it. It is located within an actual room that you can enter and they have corn available to let anyone who wanted to experience this... 

 Yaqui Says:  This is Cane Cholla (Opuntia spinosior) This cacti is a plant you don't want to be upfront and personal with. It is a very common plant in this area. So when you are hiking, climbing or just generally strolling around. Please be careful. It actually looks very soft in... 

 Yaqui Says:  This not alone just a beautiful monument, but the views from the top floor Pueblo afffords you 360 views of the whole surrounds area. Cottonwood, Clarksdale, and you can even see the red rock of Sedona. We stayed here for quiet some time just taking in the beautiful scenery.... 

 Yaqui Says:  As well with most parents we have to keep an eye on our children. My kids are no different. I had to repeatly remind the older not to wonder off and explore on his own and although the walls are made of stone, they are not indestructible. Plus, snakes love to curl up around...