Lake Montezuma, Rim rock and McGuireville
are part of the Verde Valley, centered in Arizona's Yavapai
County. The Valley is surrounded by national forest lands with
Wet Beaver Creek flowing through it. Interstate 17 crosses the
Valley north and south connecting Phoenix (100 miles south)
and Flagstaff (50 miles north).
Lake Montezuma takes its name from the nearby famous
Montezuma Castle, Montezuma Well and Indian ruins.
Rim rock was named for a dude ranch that was located near
the community. Rim rock’s post office, established in 1929,
serves the area residents. McGuireville was for many years
called “The Station” due to the gas service Eugene McGuire
offered to travelers on their way from Camp Verde to
Stoneman Lake. These communities are unincorporated.
Lake Montezuma, Rim rock and McGuireville residents tradition-ally
had been retirees, however within the past three years
Increasingly young families are moving to the area due to
affordable housing and land costs. Verde Valley's dry, healthful
climate, recreational facilities and proximity to Phoenix and surrounding
metropolitan areas have made these communities an
ideal place to live. Income comes from a variety of sources
including home-based businesses, mid-level incomes and
retirement supplements.
The retail trade and service sectors benefit from the tourist
traffic because of the adjacency to the national monuments,
Montezuma Castle and Montezuma Well. The majority of the
businesses are proprietor owned and operated.
The Fort Verde State Park in Camp Verde features numerous military
artifacts, Indian relics and articles used by the early settlers.
Four of the original adobe fort buildings are still standing and
open to the public. On the second Saturday in October, Camp
Verde celebrates “Fort Verde Days” with a parade, rodeo, barbecue
and cavalry drills.
Montezuma Castle National Monument, a short distance
south of Rim rock/Lake Montezuma, is a two-unit national monument.
The main unit contains some of the best preserved
cliff dwellings in the United States. The Montezuma Well unit
features a large natural limestone sink, whose waters were used
for a network of prehistoric irrigation canals.
The Verde Valley area has scenic views of the San Francisco
Peaks, the red rocks of Sedona, Mingus Mountain and the green
valley of Lake Montezuma, along with numerous Indian Ruins
that dot the area, hiking trails and bird watching along the
creek.