Hovenweep National Monument

The Hovenweep National Monument contains many Ancient Pueblo Indian houses which were created between 1100 AD and the late 1200s AD. This ancient village is located about 20 miles North of Aneth and is along the Utah / Colorado boarder.

History

The Pueblo People lived in this area around 13,000 years ago, but did not start creating Kivas (or stone houses) until 1100 AD. These Kivas where being created at around the same time as the castles in Europe where being built.

By the late 1200s the villages were abandoned, possibly due to drought and resource depletion.

The Villages were found again when W. D. Huntington discovered them while leading the Mormons to Utah’s Southeast land. On March 2, 1923 the area was officially made a National Monument and protected by the government.

Traveling

The monument contains 6 villages in a 20 mile area. The only village which is accessible by a paved road is the Square Tower section.

This square tower section contains a main 2 mile hike with nearly 30 Ancient Pueblo Indian houses throughout the hike.

It is an easy flat hike with the acceptation of the ending, (or beginning depending on which way you go) where you must travel down a canyon and back up the canyon on the other side. This part of the trail can be a little steep, but it is not something the average person would have any trouble with.

The visitor information for the park is.

Hovenweep National Monument
McElmo Route
Cortez, CO 81321
(970) 562-4282

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