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Drone Rules for Montezuma Castle National Monument

Camp Verde, Arizona (AZ) • United States
Montezuma Castle Rd, Camp Verde, AZ, USA
Lat: 34.6116 • Lng: -111.835
Ground Not allowed Last updated: May 28, 2026
Summary
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Drone operations are strictly prohibited at both Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot National Monuments under NPS regulations, controlled by the National Park Service. Both monuments are administered by the same superintendent and share operational oversight, creating a dual-monument restriction corridor in the Verde Valley.

Authorization Status

  • Recreational: ❌ 100% Banned (both monuments)
  • Commercial (Part 107): ❌ Not allowed without NPS Special Use Permit
  • Dual Monument Layer: ⚠️ Single superintendent oversees both — permit applications must address both sites if operating in Verde Valley corridor
  • Tribal Layer: ⚠️ Yavapai-Apache Nation — direct cultural affiliation; tribal THPO exercises active oversight
  • Archaeological Layer: ⚠️ ARPA maximum sensitivity — Montezuma Castle is best-preserved cliff dwelling in North America

Geographic Boundaries

Montezuma Castle National Monument:

  • Total area: ~858 acres (two units: Castle and Well)
  • Coordinates: 34.6117° N, 111.8356° W
  • Nearest city: Camp Verde, AZ (~3 miles south)
  • Terrain: Beaver Creek limestone cliff; 20-room five-story Sinagua cliff dwelling; Montezuma Well unit (limestone sink, ~1.5 miles north — separate detached unit)

Tuzigoot National Monument:

  • Total area: ~801 acres
  • Coordinates: 34.7731° N, 112.0278° W
  • Nearest city: Clarkdale, AZ (~1 mile south)
  • Terrain: 120-ft basalt hilltop; Verde River floodplain; 110-room Sinagua pueblo (~1000–1425 CE)
  • Both monuments in Verde Valley, ~19 miles apart
  • Yavapai-Apache Nation Reservation immediately adjacent to both monuments
  • Verde River corridor — important migratory bird habitat
  • Airspace: Class E above 700 ft AGL; surface Class G (both)

Regulations

  • NPS Management Policies § 8.2.2 prohibits UAS in all NPS units
  • 36 CFR § 1.5 — Superintendent's closure authority (both)
  • 36 CFR § 2.17(a)(3) — Prohibits air delivery/retrieval (both)
  • Archaeological Resources Protection Act (16 U.S.C. § 470aa) — Montezuma Castle is the best-preserved cliff dwelling in North America; five-story original masonry, wooden beams, and plaster intact; drone prop wash near cliff face threatens irreplaceable structural fabric; among highest ARPA enforcement priorities in Arizona NPS system
  • National Historic Preservation Act (54 U.S.C. § 300101) — both monuments listed on National Register of Historic Places; Montezuma Castle is a National Historic Landmark
  • American Indian Religious Freedom Act (42 U.S.C. § 1996) — Yavapai-Apache Nation maintains active ceremonial and ancestral relationship with both sites
  • Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (25 U.S.C. § 3001) — ancestral remains documented at Tuzigoot excavation areas
  • Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. § 703) — Verde River corridor; vermilion flycatcher; common black hawk; bald eagle winter presence on Verde River
  • Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (16 U.S.C. § 668) — bald eagle winter presence on Verde River at Tuzigoot
  • FAA 14 CFR Part 107 governs commercial operations nationwide

Penalties

  • NPS fines up to $5,000 per violation per monument
  • Misdemeanor charges under 36 CFR § 1.3
  • ARPA violations: fines up to $20,000 + 2 years imprisonment; Montezuma Castle cliff face disturbance = among most serious ARPA violations possible at any AZ NPS site
  • NHPA civil penalties for National Historic Landmark damage
  • NAGPRA violations: federal criminal prosecution
  • MBTA violations: fines up to $15,000 + 6 months imprisonment
  • BGEPA violations: fines up to $100,000 + 2 years imprisonment
  • FAA civil penalties up to $27,500 per violation per day
  • Equipment confiscation by NPS rangers

Special Permissions

  • NPS Special Use Permit required; single permit may cover both monuments if issued by Verde Valley superintendent
  • Yavapai-Apache Nation THPO consultation mandatory for any cliff dwelling or pueblo proximity operations at either site
  • ARPA federal research permit required; structural vibration assessment required before any low-altitude Montezuma Castle cliff face permit is considered
  • NAGPRA consultation required for Tuzigoot excavation area operations Submit requests to: Montezuma Castle/Tuzigoot NM Superintendent, PO Box 219, Camp Verde, AZ 86322 Yavapai-Apache Nation THPO: 2400 W Datsi Street, Camp Verde, AZ 86322
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Rule sources
  • https://www.nps.gov/moca/learn/management/lawsandpolicies.htm
  • https://www.nps.gov/articles/unmanned-aircraft-in-the-national-parks.htm
  • https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-36/chapter-I/part-1/section-1.5
  • https://www.nps.gov/moca/planyourvisit/rules.htm
  • https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-36/chapter-I/part-2/section-2.17 — NPS regulations under 36 CFR § 2.17(a)(3) for both monuments, ARPA best-preserved cliff dwelling in North America protections at Montezuma Castle (16 U.S.C. § 470aa), NHPA National Historic Landmark designation, AIRFA Yavapai-Apache Nation ceremonial affiliation, NAGPRA Tuzigoot excavation area protections, MBTA Verde River corridor protections, and BGEPA winter eagle presence ban all unauthorized drone operations, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
  • https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/part-107 — NPS regulations under 36 CFR § 2.17(a)(3) for both monuments, ARPA best-preserved cliff dwelling in North America protections at Montezuma Castle (16 U.S.C. § 470aa), NHPA National Historic Landmark designation, AIRFA Yavapai-Apache Nation ceremonial affiliation, NAGPRA Tuzigoot excavation area protections, MBTA Verde River corridor protections, and BGEPA winter eagle presence ban all unauthorized drone operations, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
  • https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1510/arpa.htm — NPS regulations under 36 CFR § 2.17(a)(3) for both monuments, ARPA best-preserved cliff dwelling in North America protections at Montezuma Castle (16 U.S.C. § 470aa), NHPA National Historic Landmark designation, AIRFA Yavapai-Apache Nation ceremonial affiliation, NAGPRA Tuzigoot excavation area protections, MBTA Verde River corridor protections, and BGEPA winter eagle presence ban all unauthorized drone operations, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
  • https://www.nps.gov/subjects/sound/uaspolicy.htm — NPS regulations under 36 CFR § 2.17(a)(3) for both monuments, ARPA best-preserved cliff dwelling in North America protections at Montezuma Castle (16 U.S.C. § 470aa), NHPA National Historic Landmark designation, AIRFA Yavapai-Apache Nation ceremonial affiliation, NAGPRA Tuzigoot excavation area protections, MBTA Verde River corridor protections, and BGEPA winter eagle presence ban all unauthorized drone operations, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
  • https://faa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=9c2e4406710048e19806ebf6a06754ad — NPS regulations under 36 CFR § 2.17(a)(3) for both monuments, ARPA best-preserved cliff dwelling in North America protections at Montezuma Castle (16 U.S.C. § 470aa), NHPA National Historic Landmark designation, AIRFA Yavapai-Apache Nation ceremonial affiliation, NAGPRA Tuzigoot excavation area protections, MBTA Verde River corridor protections, and BGEPA winter eagle presence ban all unauthorized drone operations, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
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