Tuzigoot, pronounced 2 Z goot. According to the volunteer at the National Monument this is a gibberish word in the native language. When the archeologists began studying this place they learned the name incorrectly and it stuck. It is close to the Apache name for “crooked water”, but not quite.
This ancient pueblo was built by the Sinagua people long ago and excavated in the 1930s. Now you can walk through the remains of the ancient village.
The cost of admission is $5 per person, or use your National Parks Pass to get in for free. You could spend an hour here or half a day, depending on how interested you are in the history of the people. The walk around the pueblo is only about 1/3 of a mile. The visitor center is a museum full of artifacts from the native people. Kids can do a Jr. Ranger book and earn a badge and they even have an easy book for kids under 5. If you are feeling more adventurous you could go down the hill and explore the marsh and the river and explore all the hiking trails.
This area in Arizona is filled with lots of remains from ancient dwellings and they are all fascinating to explore. We are able to learn something new from each site we visit.
