Hovenweep National Monument

22Aug21

Every time I make a list of the national park sites I wanted to visit, Hovenweep National Monument never rises to the top. 

Heck, it barely makes it to the bottom of the list.

Honestly, if Hovenweep wasn’t a national monument, I doubt if I would have even considered visiting the Colorado park.

Why? Well it’s another park that features prehistoric ruins. Then it’s the park’s location. Situated in southwestern Colorado, it’s pretty much out in the middle of nowhere.

So, when I drove into the visitor center parking lot, I wasn’t expecting too much. Boy was I surprised.

Hovenweep National Monument turned out to be a hidden gem. Once home to over 2,500 people, Hovenweep includes six prehistoric villages built between 1200 and 1300. The remaining structures include multistory towers perched on canyon rims and balanced on boulders.

There are six different sites you can visit at Hovenweep. Taking the advice of the sole park ranger on duty, I decided to limit my visit to the Square Tower site, which is located at the visitor center. The ranger said the other sites were very similar and the only other one she would recommend, Cutthroat Castle, was closed.

The Square Tower site features a 2-mile loop trail that skirts the key ruins here. The trail is easy – almost all of it is on level ground – and is well marked and easy to navigate. 

That is except for about ¼ mile section that takes you deep into Little Rim Canyon and back up again. Heeding the park ranger’s advice, I did this section early. I’m glad I did because it’s pretty steep and I left my hiking stick in the car thinking this would be an easy trail. 

Well it was easy except for that one section.

Once I got out of the canyon and back on level ground I quickly came to the Twin Towers. The view of these structures was actually better on the far side of the canyon than close up but it’s impressive no matter where you look upon it.

Going this way on the trail I also passed Rim Rock House, Hovenweep House and Square Tower before coming to Hovenweep Castle, the site’s other impressive structure. Hovenweep Castle consists of two D-shaped towers perched on the rim of Little Ruin Canyon.

There are additional sites on this side of the trail but I concentrated on the view across the canyon.

I was surprised at how many people I came across along the trail, especially since it was early on a Sunday morning and Hovenweep is off the beaten path.

I’m glad I went. I’m sure the others who visited that day were just as pleased.

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