Hovenweep National Monument

Hovenweep National Monument protects six prehistoric, Puebloan-era villages spread over a twenty-mile expanse of mesa tops and canyons along the Utah-Colorado border. Multi-storied towers perched on canyon rims and balanced on boulders lead visitors to marvel at the skill and motivation of their builders. Hovenweep is noted for its solitude and undeveloped, natural character.

Hovenweep National Monument straddles the Colorado-Utah border Northeast of Bluff, Utah, United States. President Warren G. Harding proclaimed Hovenweep a National Monument on March 2, 1923. The Monument consists of six clusters of Native American ruins. Four of these are in Colorado: Holly Canyon, Hackberry Canyon, Cutthroat Castle and Goodman Point. In Utah, the two sets of ruins are known as Square Tower and Cajon. The modest Monument headquarters is located at Square Tower Group between Pleasant View, Colorado and Hatch Trading Post, Utah.

The Square Tower Unit is located in Little Ruin Canyon and is made up of Square Tower, Tower Point, and Twin Towers ruin groups. Prominent structures are Hovenweep Castle, Hovenweep House, Square Tower, Rim Rock House,Twin Towers, Stronghold House and Unit-type house. These structures are part of larger community pueblos that surround the heads of canyons where springs are located. The Holly Ruin group is located at the head of Keeley Canyon. The five named buildings at the site are Tilted Tower, Holly Tower, Curved Wall House, Great House, and Isolated Boulder House. Holly is the site known for a rock art panel that has been interpreted as a summer solstice marker. Hackberry was a medium sized Pueblo III village in the east fork of Bridge Canyon. The group was thought to have about 250 to 350 inhabitants. Horseshoe Ruin was built in an east fork of Bridge Canyon as well, which had a damn at the rim to create a reservoir. Horseshoe House is a D-shaped structure containing three rooms surrounding a possible central kiva. The architectural style suggests ceremonial or public use. Cutthroat Castle Ruin is in an offshoot of Hovenweep Canyon. Cutthroat Castle, the largest of the remains, is located on the north side of the stream. Cutthroat is unique among the units due to the lack of a spring, the numerous kivas and the fact that much of the architecture sits below the rim. Cajon Is located at the head of Allen Canyon. It consists of a cluster of room blocks and the remains of a tower that was constructed on a boulder that sits below the rim of the canyon. Up to seven kiva depressions are located around the spring. Remnants of wall alignments below the rim on the talus represent possible terrace farming. Wiki

Photographs are courtesy the National Park Service - Thank-you!