Ancient Towers on the Utah-Colorado Border: Exploring Hovenweep National Monument

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Step back in time with me as we explore the hidden archaeological wonders of Hovenweep National Monument, straddling the Utah-Colorado border. Few travelers discover this remote treasure, home to remarkable stone towers built by Ancestral Puebloans nearly 1,000 years ago.

My two-hour journey around the canyon rim revealed architectural marvels that continue to defy both gravity and time. Hovenweep Castle stands proudly at the canyon edge, its multi-story structure a testament to ancient engineering prowess. The Square Tower rises dramatically from the canyon floor, while the Twin Towers perch precariously on a rock ledge, somehow surviving centuries of harsh desert conditions. Each ruin tells its story: Stronghold House, Rimrock House, Tower Point - all positioned strategically across the landscape for purposes we can only theorize about today.

What struck me most was the sophisticated construction techniques employed by people without modern tools. These weren't simple rock piles but carefully designed buildings with specific functions – possibly homes, storage facilities, defensive structures, and ceremonial spaces. Conservation efforts have evolved significantly since the 1930s, when concrete was used for repairs; today's preservationists use acrylic-modified soil that better matches original materials, maintaining both stability and historical integrity.

The two-mile loop trail provides constantly changing perspectives of these ancient dwellings, each view more impressive than the last. For anyone fascinated by human ingenuity, archaeological mysteries, or simply beautiful desert landscapes, Hovenweep offers a contemplative journey through a truly deserted valley where the achievements of ancient peoples stand in silent testimony to their remarkable civilization. Have you explored ancient ruins that left you similarly awestruck? I'd love to hear about your experiences with archaeological wonders!

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning.
I'm at Hovenweep NationalMonument, located just across
the border from Colorado andUtah.
It's a multi-unit park spreadover about a 20 mile radius.
We're going to go hike to thedifferent ruins in the area of
the visitor center.

(00:20):
Here's the visitor centermarker and I'm going to go check
that out.
Come follow me.
I made it to the paved path,the canyon overlook.
You have several ruins here,which is pretty interesting to
look at.
This is the Stronghold House.
Then you have a number of ruinsspread out through the canyon

(00:42):
here, which is reallyinteresting.
Number of ruins spread outthrough the canyon here, which
is really interesting, andthey're all shown and named on
the panel here.
The one across the way iscalled the twin towers because
it's two similarly lookingtowers.
Right behind it is the rim rockhouse.
Below that is the erodedboulder house.
I guess this one right here isnot named and there's one out

(01:09):
there on the outcropping or thepoint.
It's called Tower Point.
Hovenweep Castle is this way,so we're gonna continue down the
path.
This is the famous HovenweepCastle and this is a pretty
interesting ruin.
Some repair work was done.
There was a picture over herein 1935 when they first were
investigating this area after ithad been designated as a

(01:32):
national monument.
They were trying to repair orshore up some of these buildings
that were falling down, andback then they used concrete.
Now they use an acrylicmodified soil to form the mortar
to put those bricks in, andback then they used concrete.
Now they use an acrylicmodified soil to form the mortar
to put those bricks in.
Pretty interesting.
Another view of Hovenweep Castle, ute Mountain over there in the

(01:56):
background, and this isHovenweep House.
That's what it's called.
Pretty neat Square Tower isright below the castle.
You can't really see it verywell from that side, but from
this side you can definitely seeit.
That's one of the more famousruins out here.

(02:19):
It's mind-blowing how theycould build something that
intricate and tall.
This is known as the RimrockHouse.
It's diagonally across fromTower Point and back there is
Hovenweep Castle and HovenweepHouse.

(02:44):
Right here is the Twin Towers.
It's perched on top of thisrock ledge or boulder area and
it hasn't fallen over.
It was probably built almost1,000 years ago.
I don't think they know howtall it was in the past, but it
definitely was pretty impressivefor the time, especially

(03:05):
considering what technology theyhad available and just the
construction of it in general.
You're directly across from someother ruins over there.
That one is the unit type house.
A little bit to the right youhave the stronghold house on the

(03:26):
end of the paved walkway to theoverlook and then over here you
have you found in the distance,crazy alrighty.
So I've come full circle hereto Canyon Overlook, which is
behind me.
A nice little trip took abouttwo hours.

(03:48):
Take a two mile trip around thecanyon rim.
There saw lots of interestingruins.
What did you think about thisvideo?
Did you like it?
Give it a thumbs up if you did.
If you have any questions orcomments, leave those below
until next time I'll see you onthe trail.
Thanks for watching.