29th & 30th March, 2016
29th March, 2016: We left Blythe in the morning driving through and visiting Wickenburg, AZ then drove up through Skull Valley on an alternate route and through to Prescott on our way to Camp Verde, AZ.
The drive was uneventful with changing views.
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| We continued on the Camp Verde on the alternate route highlighted. |
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| Almost there! What isMontezuma Castle National Monument? |
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| Our site at Desert Drums RV Resort |
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| This park has a lot of high end rigs Check out what this pusher is pulling! |
As we took our time getting to the RV Resort we relaxed for the remainder of the day without any further exploring. Jan walked the RV park looking at all the "rigs" while Craig laid low as his back was not doing well at all.
We were awaiting the arrival of good friends in their LTV Serenity who were scheduled to arrive the next day and were booked in next to us!
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30th March, 2016: our friends arrived early afternoon and once settled we took jumped in their Serenity (which has four seat belts vs two in our Unity) and went to see Montezuma Castle .
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| Two Leisure Travel Vans Unity and Serenity |
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The National Monument is only a short, like 10 minute drive, from Desert Drums RV Resort. The monument is a NPS site and there is RV parking on the far side of the entrance parkway after following the road past the Interpretation Centre.
Finally Jan was able get somewhere without driving.
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| Jan with the Serenity - not a driver! |
There is a fee to enter the monument and we found it was better to buy the yearly pass as we would be going on to the Grand Canyon, Zion & Bryce Canyon as well hoping to stop at additional National Parks.
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| Montezuma Castle National Monument |
This is an amazing stop which highlights the cliff dwellings in this area. The following from Wikipedia refers, just hover and one light click on the blue highlighted words to go to the site.
Montezuma Castle National Monument protects a set of well-preserved Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings near the town of Camp Verde, Arizona, United States. The dwellings were built and used by the Sinagua people, a pre-Columbian culture closely related to the Hohokam and other indigenous peoples of the southwestern United States,[4] between approximately 1100 and 1425 AD. The main structure comprises five stories and twenty rooms, and was built over the course of three centuries. Montezuma Castle National Monument protects a set of well-preserved Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings near the town of Camp Verde, Arizona, United States. From Wikipedia
Sycamore can grow to massive proportions, typically reaching up to 30 to 40 m (98 to 131 ft) high and 1.5 to 2 m (4.9 to 6.6 ft) in diameter when grown in deep soils. The largest of the species have been measured to 51 m (167 ft), and nearly 4 m (13 ft) in diameter. From Wikipedia
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| The Pueblo 45 - 50 room dwelling |
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| 800 years old! Amazing |
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| Of course if you live in Arizona you need water. The dwellings are close to a flowing creek. Sycamore trees are abundant here. |
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| American Sycamore Tree Shed's it's bark leaving a unique texture |
Sycamore can grow to massive proportions, typically reaching up to 30 to 40 m (98 to 131 ft) high and 1.5 to 2 m (4.9 to 6.6 ft) in diameter when grown in deep soils. The largest of the species have been measured to 51 m (167 ft), and nearly 4 m (13 ft) in diameter. From Wikipedia
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| Jan checking out the information plaques |
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| Interesting history please check more out at Cliff Dwellings on Wikipedia |
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| Another of the informative plaques |
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| These are some of the small Alcoves and Cavettes |
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| The depiction of the cliff dwelling layout Originally visitors were allowed to enter the dwellings |
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| Montezuma Castle National Monument |
This was an amazing stop.
Cliff Castle Casino
After visiting the cliff dwellings we went back to the RV Resort and later took the shuttle to the casino which is only a couple minutes away. We had a buffet dinner, played some slots and all of us came away with more than we started and enough to cover the meal. Can not complain at all!
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| The Cliff Castle Casino Photo from Trip Advisor |
Cliff Castle Casino
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