Last updated: September 10, 2021
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Tuzigoot Yoga
The scenery, history, and resilient plants and animals at Tuzigoot can be simply awe-inspiring. Since it’s not always possible to visit Tuzigoot in-person, we came up with some nature-inspired yoga poses to help you relax and stay grounded wherever you are.
Pro-tip: Head outside to do these poses and create your own unique poses inspired by your surroundings.
Pro-tip: Head outside to do these poses and create your own unique poses inspired by your surroundings.
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Mountain Pose
The scenery of Tuzigoot includes the hilltop where the pueblo was built, the marshy floodplain of the Verde River below, and the distant Black Hills mountain range located beyond the monument's boundaries. Learn more!
Pose: Stand tall with legs hip-width apart, feet facing forward, and straighten your arms alongside your body. Imagine you are a mountain grounded into the earth!
NPS Photo
Flying Bird Pose
A bird-watchers paradise, many species of birds can be found at Tavasci Marsh at different times throughout the year. These birds take advantage of the year-round water and food sources found at this spring-fed fresh-water wetland. Learn more!
Pose: Stand tall with legs hip-width apart, feet facing forward, and lift your arms parallel to the ground. Imagine you are a bird and flap your wings!
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Greet the Sun Pose
Weather at Tuzigoot can vary greatly with the time of year. Summertime brings hot days that can exceed 110°F and winter lows averaging 15°F. No matter when you visit, we recommend using sunscreen in all weather conditions at all times of the year. Learn more!
Pose: Stand tall in mountain pose, look up, and reach your arms up towards the sun!
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Coyote Pose
The coyote is one of the many animals that live at Tuzigoot. The marsh provides excellent habitat for coyotes to hunt, den, rear pups and sleep. Their den can be a burrow dug into the ground, or under a tree or a bush. When they wake up, they stretch their body. Learn more!
Pose: From mountain pose, bend down and place your palms flat on the ground. Step your feet back to create an upside-down V shape with your "tail" high in the air. Straighten your legs, relax your head and neck, and look down between your legs. Can you stretch like a sleepy coyote?
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Lizard Pose
If you visit Tuzigoot during the summer, you are sure to see lots of lizards. You might spot them sunbathing on rocks or chasing insects with their lightning-quick reflexes. Learn more!
Pose: From coyote pose, step your right foot forward to rest on the inside of your right hand. Keep a flat back, gaze forward, and imagine you are a lizard! Switch sides.
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River Pose
The Verde River is a precious source of water for the plants and animals that live within the monument, as well as the people who live beyond our boundaries throughout the Verde Valley. The river hosts native and non-native populations of fish, which provides an important food source for bald eagles and other birds of prey. Learn more!
Pose: Step back to balance on your palms and on your bent toes, keeping your arms straight and your back long and flat. Pretend to be a flowing river.
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Roadrunner Warrior Pose
Roadrunners are fierce warriors. They will eat pretty much anything they can catch, including mice, lizards, scorpions, rattlesnakes, and other birds. This iconic bird is one of the many bird species that can be found at Tuzigoot. Learn more!
Pose: From mountain pose, step one foot back, placing the foot so that it is facing slightly outwards. Take your arms up in parallel to the ground, bend your front knee, and look forward with your warrior face on.
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Peaceful Path Pose
The trails at Tuzigoot National Monument will lead you along the Verde River, to the edge of Tavasci Marsh, or along the top of the ridge where the Tuzigoot pueblo was built. Sometimes spending time in nature can bring a sense of peace and calm. Learn more!
Pose: From Roadrunner Warrior pose, flip your front palm, slide your back arm down your back leg and extend your front arm overhead. Gaze toward your hand or down at the ground, and take a moment to notice how you feel.
NPS Photo
Lightning Bolt Pose
The weather at Tuzigoot is constantly changing. During late summer - early fall, we experience afternoon thunderstorms and heavy rains. We call this monsoon season, an important time for the desert to receive much needed moisture. Thunderstorms produce dangerous lightning, so when thunder roars go indoors! Learn more!
Pose: Stand tall in Mountain Pose with your feet hip-width apart, bend your knees, and lift your arms towards the sky by your ears. Notice how your body feels in this pose, imagine you are electric like a bolt of lightning!