Lake Montezuma, Arizona
Lake Montezuma is a community of 4,929 people in Yavapai County, Arizona.
Why visit Lake Montezuma
Townapedia lists 2 museums and landmarks, 1 park or trail, 2 places to eat and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Montezuma Castle National Monument, Montezuma Castle and Montezuma Castle National Monument.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 101°F; December lows average 25°F.
Weather in Lake Montezuma
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Lake Montezuma
Lake Montezuma is a census-designated place (CDP) in Yavapai County in the U.S. state of Arizona. The population was 5,111 at the 2020 census. The CDP includes the communities of Rimrock and McGuireville. Located along Interstate 17, it is 20 miles (32 km) south of Sedona and 8 miles (13 km) north of Camp Verde in central Arizona's Verde Valley.
From the Wikipedia article Lake Montezuma, Arizona (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Museums and landmarks2
Montezuma Castle National Monument
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.8 mi
Archaeological site in the United States
2800 North Montezuma Castle Highway, Camp Verde
Parks, trails and playgrounds1
Restaurants and cafes2
X marks The Spot
Restaurant · 0.8 mi
2110 East Beaver Creek Road, Rimrock
Th 11:00-20:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-23:00; Su 09:00-20:00
El Patio Bar & Grill
Restaurant · 0.9 mi
1955 East Cornville Road, Rimrock
Tu-Su 11:00-20:00
History
The community was originally known as Beaver Creek as ranchers and farmers settled along the banks of the creek named for the prolific numbers of beavers found there.
Wales Arnold, the first settler along Beaver Creek, came to Beaver Creek in 1870 and lived at what became known as The Montezuma Well Ranch. Arnold, who came to Arizona as a member of the California Column during the Civil War ultimately became the sutler or civilian merchant of the firm Arnold and Bowers at Camp Lincoln following his discharge from the Army at Fort Whipple August 29, 1864. His partner in this enterprise was George Bowers who was killed by Indians near the head of Copper Canyon while en route to Prescott alongside a young soldier named Robert Nix. Arnold held several hay contracts with the Army at Camp Lincoln (renamed Fort Verde in 1868) and grew the first alfalfa known to be grown in the Verde Valley. The Montezuma Well Ranch served as a way station where mail riders changed horses when the mail began to be carried from Fort Whipple to Fort Wingate.
By 1879 there were several children along Beaver Creek and what became Beaver Creek School started when Ed Mulholland began teaching school there then.
From the History section of Lake Montezuma, Arizona on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Shopping2
Gas and EV charging1
Schools, colleges and libraries8
Vacte - Camp Verde Unified School District
School · 4.6 mi
1326 N Montezuma Castle Hwy, Camp Verde
Map of Lake Montezuma
18 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 60°F | 26°F | 1.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Feb | 65°F | 29°F | 1.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Mar | 72°F | 35°F | 1.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Apr | 79°F | 40°F | 0.5 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 88°F | 47°F | 0.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 98°F | 54°F | 0.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 101°F | 64°F | 1.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 98°F | 63°F | 2.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 93°F | 55°F | 1.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 82°F | 43°F | 0.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 69°F | 32°F | 0.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 59°F | 25°F | 1.5 in | 0.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Montezuma Castle Nm (3 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Yavapai County has had 20 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for fires.
- 2022-04-19: Crooks Fire (Fire)
- 2021-05-27: Spur Fire (Fire)
- 2020-04-04: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2018-05-11: 89 East Fire (Fire)
- 2017-06-25: Goodwin Fire (Fire)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Cottonwood Airport (CTW) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 15 miles away.
- Camp Verde 6 mi southwest, about 9 min by car
- Cornville 9 mi northwest, about 15 min by car
- Verde Village 12 mi northwest, about 20 min by car
- Cottonwood 13 mi northwest, about 21 min by car
- Clarkdale 17 mi northwest, about 27 min by car
- Dewey-Humboldt 27 mi west, about 43 min by car
- Prescott Valley 30 mi west, about 48 min by car
- Chino Valley 35 mi west, about 57 min by car
- Prescott 37 mi west, about 59 min by car
- Flagstaff 39 mi north, about 1 h by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Montezuma Castle National Monument 02, Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 3.0
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