Solitary and undeveloped, the Hovenweep National Monument is an awe-inspiring destination for travelers interested in the ancient cultures that once populated the area. With six prehistoric Puebloan villages spread over a twenty-mile expanse of mesa tops and canyons, visitors will have no shortage of sites to discover and marvel at, such as the numerous multi-storied towers perched on canyon rims and balanced on boulders throughout the park.
The Square Tower Group, reached by a short hike on a two-mile loop trail, is Hovenweep's most well-known site and features the largest collection of ancestral Puebloan structures in the park, while the slopes of Little Ruin Canyon cradle the remains of nearly thirty ceremonial structures known as kivas. Several outlying sites, such as Cutthroat Castle and Horseshoe/Hackberry, offer visitors the opportunity to learn more about this fascinating area. A small campground is open year round and includes tent pads, fire grills, and shaded picnic tables.
