Hovenweep National Monument
Hovenweep protects six ancestral Puebloan villages on the Colorado-Utah border, known for stone towers built on canyon rims and balanced on boulders around 1200 to 1300. A loop trail circles the largest group, and a longer trail links two units through slot canyons.
Fast facts
- Established: 1923
- Size: about 785 acres (318 ha) in six units
- Signature features: Square Tower, Hovenweep Castle and Twin Towers
- Night sky: an International Dark Sky Park
- Gateways: Cortez, Colorado, and Blanding and Bluff, Utah, each about 40 miles (64 km) away
- Managed by: the National Park Service
The landscape
Small canyons cut into the sage-covered mesas of the Great Sage Plain, and at their heads, where springs seeped, people built towers, houses and walls. The masonry is precise, with round, square and D-shaped towers. The land is high desert at about 5,200 feet (1,580 m), with long views to Sleeping Ute Mountain.
Best time to go
Spring (April to May) and fall (mid-September to October), with highs of 60-80°F (16-27°C). Summer often exceeds 100°F (38°C), and winter nights drop to 0-20°F (-18 to -7°C).
Getting there and around
The visitor center is about 40-45 miles (64-72 km) from Cortez, Blanding and Bluff by paved roads; set your navigation to the visitor center, since some app routes use rough roads. The outlying units are reached by dirt roads that can be rough or impassable when wet.
Things to do
A paved path leads from the visitor center to an overlook of the Square Tower Group, and a 2-mile (3.2 km) primitive loop circles Little Ruin Canyon past Square Tower, Hovenweep Castle and eight other structures.
The Holly Trail, about 8 miles (13 km) round trip, crosses canyon floors and narrow slots to the Holly Group, a quieter walk away from the road. The outlying units, including Cutthroat Castle, make good day trips for those with a suitable vehicle.
Staying safe
Summer heat is dangerous on open trails, so carry water and start early. Canyon rims have unfenced drop-offs. Flash floods can run through the slots in storms. Walls are fragile and can collapse.
Know before you go
An entrance fee applies (America the Beautiful pass accepted). Trails are open only from sunrise to sunset. The campground has 31 sites by reservation. This page is a general overview, not a live conditions report, so confirm road conditions with the National Park Service before you go.
- Coordinates
- 37.3712, -108.9545
- Magnetic declination
- 9.1° E (2026)
Set this declination on your compass, then align it to the map's north lines; it is the angle between true north and magnetic north, refreshed each year.
How declination works, and how to navigate with a map and compass
A spread of the park’s main places shows straight away, and the rest appear as you zoom in. You can also search above, or pick any place from the lists below, and the map will go to it. Places in bold, marked , have a short description.
Getting there 2
Park entrance
Visitor centre
On the trail 1
Campground
Sights 15
Viewpoints
Heritage sites
Map data comes from third-party sources and may be incomplete or out of date, so carry a current official map (terms).
Looking for one of these closer to home?Destinations near me by trip type →
- Best seasons
- Spring, Fall
- Difficulty
- Easy to moderate
- Access / trailheads
- Paved roads from Cortez, Blanding and Bluff, about 40 miles (64 km) each; dirt roads to the outlying units.
- Water
- At the visitor center.
- Cell / satellite coverage
- Little to none.
- Nearest ranger / SAR / emergency
- Emergencies: 911. Visitor center: 970-233-9167.
- Permits & regulations
- Entrance fee (America the Beautiful pass accepted). Campground by reservation. Trails open sunrise to sunset.
- Leave No Trace
- Stay on trails, never climb on or lean against walls, and leave artifacts in place.
January
- Below-freezing nights
February
- Below-freezing nights
March
- Below-freezing nights
- Day-to-night swing of 31°F (17°C)Day-to-night swing of 17°C (31°F)
April
- Day-to-night swing of 33°F (18°C)Day-to-night swing of 18°C (33°F)
May
- Day-to-night swing of 35°F (19°C)Day-to-night swing of 19°C (35°F)
June
- Hot days
- Day-to-night swing of 37°F (21°C)Day-to-night swing of 21°C (37°F)
July
- Hot days
- Day-to-night swing of 35°F (19°C)Day-to-night swing of 19°C (35°F)
August
- Hot days
- Day-to-night swing of 34°F (19°C)Day-to-night swing of 19°C (34°F)
September
- Day-to-night swing of 34°F (19°C)Day-to-night swing of 19°C (34°F)
October This month
- Day-to-night swing of 34°F (19°C)Day-to-night swing of 19°C (34°F)
November
- Below-freezing nights
- Day-to-night swing of 30°F (17°C)Day-to-night swing of 17°C (30°F)
December
- Below-freezing nights
What to bring depends on your trip: how long you’re out, where you sleep, and how far you go from the road. The planner builds the list for yours.
Plan a trip here →Averages for 1991–2020 from NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, measured at the Hovenweep National Monument station, 7 miles (11 km)11 km (7 miles) away at 5,240 feet (1,597 m)1,597 m (5,240 feet). Higher trails run colder, by about 3.5°F for every 1,000 ft (2°C per 300 m)2°C for every 300 m (3.5°F per 1,000 ft) of climb. Daylight runs from sunrise to sunset on the 15th, on the park’s own clock, for a level horizon. Valleys and slopes facing away from the sun are in shade earlier.
Nearby parks
-
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument
Thousands of ancestral Puebloan sites in southwest Colorado, with short pueblo walks and the cliff dwellings of Sand Canyon.
-
Mesa Verde National Park
Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings built into the canyon walls of southwestern Colorado, including Cliff Palace.
-
Natural Bridges National Monument
Three giant stone bridges in southeastern Utah’s canyons, with a loop drive, short steep trails and the first International Dark Sky Park.
-
Bears Ears National Monument
Cliff dwellings, Grand Gulch backpacking and Indian Creek climbing in southeastern Utah’s canyon country.
Straight-line distance between park centres. Road distance is usually longer.
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