Things to do in Camp Verde

Camp Verde is the first Verde Valley town you reach from Phoenix on I-17, about 90 minutes north of the city. It is spread out along SR 260 and the Verde River, with the old town center on Main Street near Fort Verde. Most of what there is to do here is history, wildlife, and wine. Hours and fees below come from each place’s own site and were checked on the date above.

Ancient sites

Montezuma Castle National Monument is a five-story cliff dwelling built by the Sinagua people about 800 years ago. It is a short, paved, flat walk from the visitor center, so it works for strollers and wheelchairs. Open 9 AM to 4:45 PM daily. Entry is $10 per adult (16 and up) and covers both Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot for 7 days. Kids are free.

Montezuma Well is a separate unit of the same monument, about 11 miles away near Rimrock. It is a huge spring-fed sinkhole with small cliff dwellings around the rim. There is no entrance fee. Take I-17 exit 293 and follow the paved road 4 miles through McGuireville and Rimrock.

Verde Valley Archaeology Center and Museum explains the Sinagua and the other cultures of the valley. It is in the Verde Village shopping center on Finnie Flat Road, past Bashas’. Open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 AM to 4 PM, last admission 3 PM. $10 adults, $5 seniors, free under 18, for students, and for Native Americans.

Fort Verde

Fort Verde State Historic Park preserves an 1870s Army post right in the middle of town, with the original officers’ quarters still standing. It is the best preserved Indian Wars period fort in Arizona, with three house museums furnished as they were in the 1880s. Open 9 AM to 4:30 PM daily. $10 adults (14 and up), $5 ages 7 to 13, free under 7. Fort Verde Days, the town’s big annual weekend with a parade and reenactments, is October 10 and 11, 2026.

Wildlife

Out of Africa Wildlife Park is a large animal park and sanctuary on the SR 260 side of town, with big cats, a bus safari, and a zip line. Open 9:30 AM to 5 PM every day, though the admissions window closes at 4 PM, so arriving at half past four gets you nothing. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas. Admission is $42.95 for adults 13 and over, $27.95 for children 3 to 12, $40.95 for seniors 65 and over, and $35.95 for military with ID. No pets, and no service animals either, because of the free-roaming animals and the free-flight birds of prey.

Wine

Three wineries are in or near Camp Verde:

• Alcantara Vineyard, on the river toward Cottonwood, has a tasting room and restaurant and is open 11 AM to 5 PM daily.
• Clear Creek Vineyard, east on SR 260, has outdoor seating by a pond. Friday through Sunday, 11 AM to 5 PM.
• Salt Mine Wine, on Salt Mine Road. Friday through Sunday, noon to 5 PM.

The rest of the valley’s wineries are in the wine trail guide.

Saturday market

The Verde Valley Farmers Market sets up next to the Camp Verde Community Center at 75 E. Hollamon Street on Saturday mornings, 8 to 11 AM. The 2026 season runs May 9 through October 3. Details in the farmers market guide.

Nights and shows

Cliff Castle Casino Hotel, off I-17 at Middle Verde Road, is run by the Yavapai-Apache Nation. It has free live music Friday and Saturday nights at 8 PM, the outdoor Stargazer Pavilion for touring concerts, an event center, a nightclub (21 and over), and an RV resort. Concert dates show up on our events page.

The river

The Verde River runs through town, and Camp Verde is a common put-in for kayak and float trips. We do not yet hold the public access points or the outfitters as listings, so we are not going to name any here. Check current river conditions before you plan a float.

Getting around

Everything in Camp Verde needs a car. Montezuma Castle and Cliff Castle Casino are both off I-17 exit 289, which the Park Service puts at 90 minutes north of Phoenix and 45 minutes south of Flagstaff. Montezuma Well is exit 293, four miles further north. Fort Verde and the farmers market are together on Hollamon Street downtown, an easy pair.

For more, see the Camp Verde town page.