Hovenweep National Monument
Activities & Programs
Plan Your Visit
Visitors to Hovenweep enjoy short hikes, natural quiet and some of the finest examples of ancestral Puebloan architecture in the southwest. The trail system provides access to each of the cultural site units. All units are open to the public but most are in remote locations and can be difficult to reach. The Square Tower Group is an ideal place to begin your exploration of Hovenweep. Stop by the visitor center, attend an interpretive program, and be sure to hike all or part of the two-mile self-guiding trail around Little Ruin Canyon.Outdoor Activities
Camping
There is a small campground near the visitor center which is open year round on a first-come, first-served basis. The sites are designed for tent camping, though a few sites will accommodate RVs up to 36 feet long. Sites include tent pads, fire grills and picnic tables with shade structures. The fee is $10 per night. Flush toilets and running water are available.
Hiking
The trail system at Hovenweep provides visitors excellent views of all the archeological sites. The Square Tower Group features a two mile loop that begins at the visitor center and is a perfect starting point for any visit. Between the visitor center and the first overlook (a distance of roughly 300 yards), the trail is paved and may be traversed by visitors in wheelchairs with assistance. Most visitors spend an hour exploring the area, with the full two-mile loop taking at least 1.5 hours.
Visitors may also explore the outlying sites, which include Cajon, Cutthroat Castle, Goodman Point, Holly and Horseshoe/Hackberry. Most areas have very short (a half mile or less one-way) trails which are primitive and lightly maintained. Backpacking is not permitted at Hovenweep.
Interpretive Programs
Rangers conduct short patio and overlook talks on a regular basis spring through fall. Subjects vary from season to season. Please contact the park or ask at the visitor center for current schedules. Contact the park in advance to schedule guided walks and other interpretive programs for large groups.
Stargazing
There are many compelling stories told about Hovenweep. One story observes that several of the structures and rock art panels seem designed to mark major celestial events such as the summer solstice. While this is largely conjecture, the open skies of Hovenweep certainly draw one's attention, and fortunately the night sky is about as dark today as it was 700 years ago.
Hovenweep In Depth
News from the Parks
Light Pollution Harms Not Just Stargazers
December 2, 2008 - 1:03pm
For students of astronomy, Sunday and Monday night is the equivalent of a World Cup Final, a new Mac operating system, and a Zeppelin reunion show all rolled into one. That’s because, as Horizons guest blogger Pete Spotts noted in his post Sunday, Jupiter, Venus, and the moon will gather to direct a lopsided frown at North America, an arrangement that won’t happen again for another 44 years.
December 2, 2008 - 1:03pm
For students of astronomy, Sunday and Monday night is the equivalent of a World Cup Final, a new Mac operating system, and a Zeppelin reunion show all rolled into one. That’s because, as Horizons guest blogger Pete Spotts noted in his post Sunday, Jupiter, Venus, and the moon will gather to direct a lopsided frown at North America, an arrangement that won’t happen again for another 44 years.
Tourists Bite on ‘Twilight’ Vampire Tours of Forks, Washington
December 2, 2008 - 12:59pm
Fans of the hit movie “Twilight,” inspired by Stephenie Meyer’s vampire series, are swarming tiny Forks on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, where the novels are set, and checking out “Twilight”-themed tours, hotel packages and even food.
December 2, 2008 - 12:59pm
Fans of the hit movie “Twilight,” inspired by Stephenie Meyer’s vampire series, are swarming tiny Forks on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, where the novels are set, and checking out “Twilight”-themed tours, hotel packages and even food.
Crowds Observe World AIDS Day In GG Park
December 2, 2008 - 12:56pm
People from across the country gathered in Golden Gate Park's National AIDS Memorial Grove Monday to observe the 20th annual World AIDS Day.
December 2, 2008 - 12:56pm
People from across the country gathered in Golden Gate Park's National AIDS Memorial Grove Monday to observe the 20th annual World AIDS Day.
Grounded in God, Green and Glaciers
December 2, 2008 - 12:37pm
Remember when Arizona Sen. John McCain criticized spending millions of taxpayer dollars to fund the DNA of grizzly bears in Montana during one of the presidential debates? “That’s us,” said David Restivo, a Roberts Wesleyan College alumnus and visual information specialist at Glacier National Park in Montana.
December 2, 2008 - 12:37pm
Remember when Arizona Sen. John McCain criticized spending millions of taxpayer dollars to fund the DNA of grizzly bears in Montana during one of the presidential debates? “That’s us,” said David Restivo, a Roberts Wesleyan College alumnus and visual information specialist at Glacier National Park in Montana.
Smokies' Formation Began 500 Million to 600 Million Years Ago
December 2, 2008 - 12:35pm
As the Great Smoky Mountains National Park prepares to celebrate its 75th year, students of history and geology are pondering questions that go back much farther than the park's creation in the 1930s. The most fascinating queries to them concern the actual formation of the mountains, their age and topography.
December 2, 2008 - 12:35pm
As the Great Smoky Mountains National Park prepares to celebrate its 75th year, students of history and geology are pondering questions that go back much farther than the park's creation in the 1930s. The most fascinating queries to them concern the actual formation of the mountains, their age and topography.
