Hovenweep's stone towers sit on the Colorado-Utah line

Hovenweep National Monument is best known for its main set of ruins just across the line in Utah, but several of its units sit inside Montezuma County, Colorado. The monument is spread across six separate clusters of sites that straddle the state border.

What makes Hovenweep stand out is its towers. Around AD 1200 to 1300, Ancestral Puebloan people built multistory stone towers perched on canyon rims, balanced on boulders, and tucked beside springs at the heads of small canyons. Some are square, some are round, and some are D-shaped. The masonry is careful and tight, and growth rings in a wooden beam from one tower point to a tree cut in the late 1200s, near the end of the time people lived here.

The Colorado-side units, including Goodman Point, Holly, Horseshoe, and Cutthroat, are quieter and more remote than the main Utah group. Reaching them often means gravel roads and walking, with little shade, water, or cell signal. They reward people who plan ahead and tread lightly.

The monument was set aside in 1923 to protect these places. As with all sites in the area, the towers are fragile and protected by law, so visitors stay on trails, leave everything in place, and do not climb on walls.

Before visiting, check the National Park Service Hovenweep pages for which units are open, road conditions, and current rules.