Hovenweep National Monument

This was a FABULOUS hike. Wore me out but well worth it. Spectacular sights all the way around. Crossing it canyon was an adventure too. I love everything about this place. The air conditioned visitor center felt so good after an hour and a half in the hot sun.

Took so doing to get there but was worth the drive. Very few people. Nice hike around the canyon. Up close views of the ruins. Amazing they still stand after several thousand years. Rangers were very nice as well.

Great little hiking loop around the upper end of the canyon with some close and not-so-close views of architecturally unique towers and dwellings. While we did enjoy coming out here at least once, we felt more impressed by Chimney Rock and Aztec Ruins as they felt far more interactive and personal.

Out in the middle of nowhere land. BUT, such amazing examples of the talents of the ancient ones in building housing and water gathering. Rugged and hostile in the summer. Cold and difficult in the winter. Walking tour around the perimeter approximately 2 miles. Well worth the effort. Absolutely an amazing place!

This place is amazing. I hiked into Painted Hand Pueblo and Cutthroat pueblo. Absolutely breathtaking. I was able to take some amazing photos and it was so quiet and peaceful. There were no crowds. I saw six other people combined at both places and there were only a dozen or so people at the Visitors Center, including park employees, while I was there. This is a must see for anyone interested in the Ancestral Puebloan peoples... Or even if they are not.

The Square Tower loop trail at Hovenweep NM is an easy trail with multiple Ancestral Pueblo buildings along this canyon mostly within sight of each other. I love the one within the boulder since it's unique. I attended one of the ranger talks about it while I was there which was informative.

Very neat place to see pueblo ruins. Along the cliffs. A 2 mile loop allows you to see the whole pueblo. The 2 mile loop involves climbing down and up the canyon. Well done trail. Even has benches to rest. You will be in full sun with little shade.

Awesome experience. I can't say enough good about the Parks employees. They are knowledgeable and friendly. I have many questions and they answer them all. Hovenweep is beautiful. The trails are very well done and marked out well but not obtrusive. If you have any interest in history it is a must see.

If you like Mesa Verde, you'll love Hovenweep. Located on the Utah side of 4 corners, this compact stone powerhouse offers a 2-mile hike where you can get up and close to a variety of stone ruins that are accessible and awe inspiring. We stayed at the Mountain Ute Casino/hotel and it was a 75 mile round trip. Try to get there early in the morning to beat the heat and bring water.

Signage only exists coming from the west. If you are coming from the east (most likely after visiting Canyon of the Ancients) be sure to check signs in the opposite direction or you might pass a needed turn and have to double back to get here. It's a pretty long drive from anywhere so be sure you are actually interested in seeing what is here - and have a couple of hours to walk around to get the most out of coming. The visitors center is closed.

The Visitor's Center was closed when we got here but one can still take the self-guided tour. What a magical place! We walked around as much of it as we could before it started raining. It's a bit over an hour away from Mesa Verde. Not a bad drive at all and lovely countryside n the late spring. Many desert flowers blooming.