Hovenweep
- Alex Cabrero
- Jul 18
- 4 min read
Updated: Jul 28
(Southeast Utah) There are places in Utah that everyone seems to know about. Zion. Bryce Canyon. Arches. Canyonlands. Then there are places like Hovenweep National Monument.
Before visiting, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I knew Hovenweep was home to ancient stone towers built by the Ancestral Puebloans more than 700 years ago, but I figured it would be an interesting stop before heading somewhere else. Instead, it became one of the biggest surprises of my trip through southeastern Utah. I thought I would spend maybe a half hour to an hour there. Instead, it was probably closer to three hours. And I loved every minute of it.
As I walked the trail around the canyon, I kept asking myself the same question. Why isn't this place more popular? Maybe it's because Hovenweep sits well off the beaten path near the Utah-Colorado border. It takes a little planning to get here, and it usually isn't somewhere most people simply stumble upon. Honestly, I think that's part of its charm.
I visited on a weekday, and aside from a few campers near the campground, I had the whole place to myself. That almost never happens at a National Monument. As I made my way along the trail that does a loop past the stone structures, all I heard was a light breeze moving through the juniper trees, birds calling somewhere in the distance, and my own footsteps on the trail. I could hear my heart beating and every breath seemed louder than normal. It wasn't because I'm super out of shape (maybe a little), but because it was SO QUIET there.
Every now and then I'd stop walking just to listen to nothing. But here's the part that's hard to explain... the silence wasn't empty. It felt ancient. I know that doesn't make sense reading it. It's something you have to feel. Whether it was simply my imagination or something impossible to explain, it felt like the landscape still remembered.
The trail itself is easy to follow, winding around the canyon with small trail markers and rocks helping guide the way. I never felt rushed. I had my backpack, plenty of water, a few snacks, and all the time I wanted. That was one of my favorite parts. I could stop and study each tower, walk a little farther, then stop again. With no crowds around, there wasn't any pressure to keep moving or to rush. It was just me, the trail, and history.
The bright blue sky made the ancient sandstone towers almost glow against the green juniper trees surrounding them. Everywhere I looked, another incredible structure came into view. Some were right on the edge of the canyon rim. Others seemed to blend naturally into the landscape, as though they had always belonged there. In many ways, they have.
Standing there, I couldn't help wondering what life was like centuries ago. Families once lived here. Meals were cooked here. Children probably laughed and played somewhere around these towers. Life was almost certainly simpler than ours in some ways, but it was also undoubtedly much harder. That thought stayed with me throughout the hike.
The entire loop is only a little over a mile, but it's the kind of trail that rewards taking your time. Every overlook offers another perspective, another chance to notice a detail you might have missed if you hurried through. Sometimes slowing down is the whole point.
Utah's Mighty Five deserve every bit of the attention they receive, but places like Hovenweep remind me that some of Utah's most memorable experiences happen far from the crowds. Yes, it's off the beaten path, but I think some places should take a little effort to reach. Then again, "effort" is relative. You can drive here. The hardest part might be just deciding to take a different road. If you do, I don't think you'll regret it. Sometimes, that's the best part of wandering. For me, it turned out to be the right road.
LOCATION
Southeast Utah near Colorado Border near Montezuma Creek https://www.nps.gov/hove/planyourvisit/directions.htm
WEBSITE
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