Notes

1 The Annual Recreational Visitation statistics are compiled by the National Park Service's Public Use Statistics Office.

2 For the 1936 travel year, the register was removed from the inside of the Castle and placed in front of the museum. It was found that between one-third and one-half of all visitors to the monument climbed the ladders into the Castle and signed the register books. Previous to this time, monument staff estimated visitor statistics by multiplying the number of register entries (signed by those who entered the Castle) by a factor of two or three. The decrease in visitation figures between 1935 and 1936 reflects the change to a more accurate counting system.

3 In May 1939, the National Park Service began collecting an entrance fee of 25¢ at eight Southwest National Monuments, including Montezuma Castle. Fees were collected at the checking station, which was moved from the museum to the grounds in front of the Castle. At this time, the monument staff also implemented a schedule of hourly guided trips through the Castle between 8:00 A.M. and 6:00 P.M. The entrance fee, which proved to be extremely unpopular, likely contributed to the decrease in visitation between 1938 and 1939. In July 1939, the Park Service changed its policy and charged the admission fee only to those who climbed the ladders to enter the Castle itself. In June 1940, the policy was amended once again and fees were charged only to visitors who took guided trips through the Castle. When the Park Service closed the Castle interior to visitors in 1951, admission fees were suspended.

4. Travel figures to Montezuma Well were figured into the official monument visitation counts beginning in May 1947. After this time, annual visitation statistics included counts for both Montezuma Castle and Well.

5. The annual visitation totals after 1960 were calculated by adding a percentage of the Well travel figures plus the total Castle travel figures. This calculation was decided upon in order to avoid double counting visitors who visited both sections of the monument on the same day.