Montezuma's Well is a sinkhole, a collapsed underground limestone cavern filled with water. For at least 2,000 years, the outflow from Montezuma Well (which, is a misnomer, having no connection at all with the 16th Century Aztec ruler) has been directed through a channel to fields where Hohokam and Sinagua farmers tended corn, beans, squash, cotton and other crops. The ancient irrigation channel now empties into Beaver Creek. More than a million gallons of water a day flow continuously, providing a lush, oasis in the midst of a surrounding desert grassland. Montezuma's Well is about 368 feet across and 55 feet deep; it sits at an elevation of 3,618 feet. The well is a unique ecosystem containing leeches, amphipods, water scorpions, and turtles that live in it's closed ecosystem. This remarkable habitat is perhaps due to the receiving and the discharging of large quantities of warm (76� F) water that enters from underground springs, keeping the well's environment very stable. Due to it's high concentration of dissolved carbon dioxide, there is a lack of oxygen, which has precluded many aquatic animals from living in it's waters, especially fish. From about 900 to 1400 A.D., it supported a community of over 200 Sinagua Indians, and about 1.1 million gallons of water a day still flow from it. Built into Montezuma's Well's rock walls are several cliff dwellings typical of the Sinagua civilization, and other Sinagua stone structures dot the nearby lanscape. To get there take highway I-17, 11 miles north of Montezuma's Castle to Exit 293. Follow the signs to the Well.

If you are planning to visit Montezuma's Well and you are coming from outside of Arizona, you could fly into Phoenix and then rent a car. Montezuma's Well is on the scenic I-17 route between Phoenix and Flagstaff. There are hotels and motels all along the way in nearby towns. We have some links to Priceline.com on this page since they can arrange all of your air flights, hotels and car. You may need some outdoor clothing and equipment, if you plan to visit Montezuma's Well. We have some links to Altrec on this page since they are a good online source for outdoor gear. We of course, appreciate your use of the advertising on our pages, since it helps us to keep this page active.

Sinagua Storage Room	Small Sinagua Storage Room
Audrey DeLange & Bob Erdmann The Well Is A Collapsed Limestone Cavern Filled With Water.	Audrey DeLange & Bob Erdmann The Well Is A Collapsed Limestone Cavern Filled With Water.
George, North End Of Well	The West End Of The Well
Audrey DeLange At Sinagua Dwelling	Sinagua Dwelling
Trout In Beaver Creek	Lizard On Juniper Limb
Hohokam Pithouse, North Top	Hohokam Pithouse, East Top
George At The Well Outlet Into Beaver Creek	George At The Well Outlet Into Beaver Creek

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