Lovely Tuzigoot National Monument in Clarkdale
Many visitors will tell you that Tuzigoot National Monument in Clarkdale, Arizona, is one of the most picturesque Native American sites they've ever seen. The small, terraced pueblo sits high on a ridge with a dazzling view of Mingus Mountain and the Black Hills to the West and verdant Tavasci Marsh to the East. (The cattail marsh is one of the few fresh water marshes in Arizona and identified as an "important birding area" by the Northern Arizona Audubon Society.)
The stillness and beauty of the terrain is the ideal backdrop for Tuzigoot. Although the ruins are hundreds of years old - the first rooms were built around 1000 A.D. - the site seems to still resonate with the presence of the Sinaguans, who mysteriously abandoned the 110-room, condominium-like cluster in the 1400s. All rooms were built following the natural contours of the ridge. They faced east to take advantage of warm morning sun; many had rooftop entry for light and ventilation.
Visitors can peer into what's left of the pueblo, imagining what life must have been like so many centuries ago. There was one room per family for sleeping and eating. Some had stone or clay-lined fireplaces for cooking and warmth. A couple of trough-like stone metates (for holding grain) and manas (for grinding) remain.
Although most rooms no longer have walls or roofs, the National Park Service has restored one of the two-story limestone structures so visitors can climb inside and admire the resourceful building techniques. A staircase goes to the rooftop where there is a stunning 360-degree view of the Verde Valley.
The 1/3-mile trail to the pueblo, which is a little steep in places, is lined with exhibits that describe Sinaguan daily life. More information is available in the small museum located at the visitor center.
On the opposite side of the visitor center, away from the pueblo, a second trail - also 1/3 mile long - wraps around the marsh. Nature lovers will enjoy the rippling water, rustling reeds and the chorus of bird songs. The marsh is also home to beavers, muskrats, fowl and other wildlife. Exhibits along the way highlight the site's fascinating natural history.