Hovenweep Towers

About this spectacle

Hovenweep National Monument preserves a remarkable collection of prehistoric towers, pueblos, and cliff dwellings built by ancestral Puebloan people roughly 700–800 years ago. Perched along the rims and talus slopes of shallow canyons on the Utah-Colorado border, the stone towers command sweeping views across the high desert plateau. Visitors walk a canyon-rim trail past the imposing Square Tower, Hovenweep Castle, and other masonry structures whose precise alignments with solstice and equinox sunrises have been documented by archaeologists. The silence is profound — wind, ravens, and the crunch of gravel underfoot are the dominant sounds. The landscape is open sage and pinyon-juniper scrub, and the night skies here, protected by the monument's remoteness, are among the darkest in the continental United States, making this a recognized dark-sky destination. The interplay of ancient stonework glowing amber in morning or evening light against the canyon backdrop rewards both casual walkers and photographers.

When to go

Jan — Dec, peak Sep — May

Getting there

Nearest airport: GJT. Nearest city: Cortez.

Booking options

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