Montezuma's Castle, a five story highrise, offers up a well preserved display of stonework and adobe construction. This area was home to Sinagua Indians for hundreds of years. The cliff dwelling is neatly fitted into a limestone shelf overlooking Beaver Ceek. Early migrating Europeans erroneously used the name Montezuma for this dwelling. Perhaps the well known Aztec ruler's civilization, located in northern Mexico, was close enough to Camp Verde, Arizona to make this association.
The park was established to protect against vandalism and was proclaimed a national monument in 1906. Montezuma's Castle National Monument is located in mid-state Arizona and is host to over one million visitors a year.