| Phoenix and the Old West Phoenix to Crave Creek, Arizona Interested in the "old days," pardner? Sure you are. Everybody is. What was it like back then and how did it all get started? That's what folks want to know. Head out north of Phoenix, Arizona for a day trip and you can visit a very interesting re-creation of earlier times. But was it all cowboys and pioneers? No, sir. There was another side of Old West Arizona that's sometimes overlooked: the ancient peoples who established their cultures here long before Europeans arrived. This trip includes both the pioneering world and the Native American world. And at the end of the day, you can find a place to have a meal with an Old-West feel. Use our route planner to find hotels for your next trip.
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| Montezuma Castle National Monument 2800 Montezuma Castle Highway Camp Verde, AZ 86322 Call (520) 567-3322  |  | Montezuma Castle is actually a misnomer for this dwelling, situated about 100 feet up on a cliff. When the ruins were first noted by 19th-century Arizona settlers, it was thought that the limestone structure had been built by the Aztecs. The Sinagua Indians were the actual architects of Montezuma Castle, which was built around 1150 and expanded from three or four rooms to 20 rooms over a 250-year period. The five-story structure was home to approximately 50 people; the base of this cliff once supported a larger, six-story structure with 45 rooms. Time and erosion have all but wiped out the base structure. An overhang above the structure protected inhabitants from violent weather and hot sun while at the same time allowing early morning sunlight in for warmth during winter. Fire destroyed most of this site shortly after the Sinaguan departed the area at the beginning of the 15th century. Although the tribe left behind few clues, historians speculate that drought and overpopulation may have been the reasons they abandoned Montezuma Castle. | | ||||||||
| Pioneer Living History Village 3901 W Pioneer Rd Phoenix, AZ 85086 Call (623) 465-1052 |  | This is no ghost town. With costumed interpreters going through their daily chores, it's a fine place to get to know the everyday life of the Old West. This living history museum has 25 historical buildings on 90 acres of land. You might watch the blacksmith pounding horseshoes on his anvil or meet the schoolmarm in the one-room school house. They also have a church, an opera house and other buildings. Pioneer Living History Village is open Wednesday through Sunday, 9am-5pm from October to May; 8am-2pm from June to September. | | ||||||||
| Cave Creek Cave Creek, AZ 85327 Call (480) 488-1400 | | At the end of a day of reliving the life of the Old West, stop off in Cave Creek, Arizona, where the early days are very much alive. This town hangs on to tradition through its leather goods and western wear stores. For a satisfying bite, try Harold's Cave Creek Corral, 6895 E. Cave Creek Road or Satisfied Frog at Frontier Town, 6245 E. Cave Creek Road. | | ||||||||
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Phoenix and the Old West