During our time near Sedona, Arizona, we visited Tuzigoot National Monument, which is located in the beautiful Verde Valley. From the road and Visitor’s Center, Tuzigoot looks like a typical desert hilltop. The short walk up an easily traversed path, however, reveals a massive stone-built structure with several stories containing rooms which served as home to numerous thriving communities dating back 13,000 years–thirteen thousand years.
The Visitor’s Center has in-depth information about the history of excavation of the site, including a display of pottery bits, hand-hewn weapons, and beautiful beaded jewelry found in the unearthing. In the early 1920s, archeologists Caywood and Spicer started the excavation of what Tuzigoot is today. The name was suggested by a Tonto Apache named Ben Lewis–Tu’ zighoot (pronounced TWO-zi-WHOODT) meaning crooked water. Caywood and Spicer mispronounced the name as Tu-ZI-goot which is nonsense in Apache, but the name sadly stuck. The local Yavapai tribal elders still call the area crooked water in their language, which is Aha Gahlahkvah. The area was home to several bands of peoples over the years, including the Hopi and Zuni, and is a place of great respect for the spirits of the many tribes who made Tuzigoot home as they migrated.
For Hopi, Tuzigoot is a place to reconnect with the past. It reminds us we survived and we became better people for it. We all need these types of places.
…Micah Loma’omvaya, The Hopi Tribe
What I found interesting is Tuzigoot was not a permanent home except for those who could no longer travel. It seemed to be a stop in a larger migration of Native American tribes and other ancient people.
Maybe being restless staying in one place is a human condition passed from generation to generation. There is so much to learn from the past and these migrating tribes. Their nomadic quests were for simple survival and the need for basic necessities such as food and water, but did the traveling spirit pass down to the current generation? Could our nomadic behavior be a carry-over from the ancient wanderers who have lived and thrived thousands of years before us?
…the people that used to live here are still thriving. They didn’t abandon their places, they are still connected spiritually.
…Jerome Zunie, Pueblo of Zuni
Tuzigoot brought up many more questions than it answered. I listened to the wind blowing through the desert fauna and watched the shadows of clouds moving over the mountains in search of whispers answering my many questions. I heard none that day, but I know they’re there.
Have you been to Tuzigoot? Do you think we’ve taken on behaviors for survival from our brave ancestors without knowing why we have the desire? Do you hear answers on the wind? Those are a lot of random questions, I know.
Safe travels, my nomadic friends.
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I LOVE Tuzigoot! I’ve only been there once. Would love to go back.
Thank you for all your posts. I’m having the best time ‘traveling’ along with you.
I loved it, too. Such a unique place. We also went to Montezuma’s Castle (upcoming post), which was equally as fascinating.
History is so fascinating!
It is–and I love to keep learning. Walking on the same soil makes it all come alive.
We have not been to Tuzigoot, Dawn, nor had we ever heard of it. What an interesting place!
It was a hidden gem, for sure. I would not have known about it if I didn’t have the national park passport book. Once we planned our visit, a neighbor in the RV park told us what a beautiful place it was. I’m glad we had the opportunity to visit.
We are not likely to get to Tuzigoot, so I’m very happy to have read about it and seen your lovely photos.
Thanks, Anne. It was a hidden gem, for sure.
Gorgeous pictures. You guys look great. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks! It was a great visit with lovely views.
Wow, what an interesting place. I’m sure our wandering hearts have roots in tribes like that, we are all looking for something. They looked for food, water, shelter…we look for adventure, history and answers.
Agreed. I’m always searching for answers.
What a cool place! We think their way of life was hard, but it must have been so much simpler. Like you, I’ve looked for answers on the wind and I’ve never found them. Perhaps it’s why we wander too.
Very good points. I hope to someday hear the answers on the wind. In the meantime, I still love the wandering.
This is simply amazing. How they built this and the setting and your photos. I am not a nomad type. I am a rooted in place type.
Many of my family members are the rooted in place type, also–and I might end up that way once we start having grandchildren. For now, I truly enjoy going from place to place.
What an interesting place. Great post, thanks for sharing this!
It’s definitely worth the stop, especially if visiting the national parks and monuments are on your list. We enjoyed the history as well as the beautiful views.
Great photos! We stayed at Dead Horse Ranch State Park just down the road from Tuzigoot and were pleasantly surprised at how much there was to see and do in that area. Beautiful!
It was a beautiful area. We stayed at the Thousand Trails in Cottonwood. There were so many places to see for day trips. I loved it there!
Amazing photos, as usual! Another place to put on “the list.”
It was an educational (and pretty) place to visit, that’s for sure.
Mike and Dawn– so so fun to read through this post!! We visited Tuzigoot with my family when I was about 10 years old (55 years ago!) and it was wonderful to see your bright clear photos!! Looks like you had a great time there! thanks.
We did enjoy it–the entire state of Arizona, in fact. I can’t imagine how fun it would be seeing it as a child.
wonder where you’re headed next???
We are currently in Amarillo, TX, and we’re headed to Springfield, MO, to see my daughter. Then, we are going to the midwest farm country in Ohio for a family function (but I’ll make a stop in Illinois to do some family research). After that, we aren’t quite sure, but we’ll be moseying back west for a function in north Texas in October. We don’t usually zigzag this much, but it’s been worth it.