Square Tower Group - Hovenweep National Monument, Utah
Posted by: 
94RedRover
N 37° 23.232 W 109° 04.773
12S E 670012 N 4139557
Hovenweep National Monument is a collection of ancestral puebloan ruins scattered throughout southeast Utah and southwest Colorado, dating from 250 AD through 1300 AD. This collection is called Little Ruins Canyon or Square Tower Group.
Waymark Code: WM6AJ4
Location: Utah, United States
Date Posted: 05/03/2009
Views: 10
The Little Ruin Canyon at Hovenweep National Monument, is also called the Square Tower, named after a unique square shaped tower at the canyon head.
Scattered throughout this valley are remains of a dozen or so different structures, indicating a population of some size inhabited this area, and evidence that the nearby mesa being farmed has also been excavated. There is evidence that this area may have been inhabited as early as 250 AD, but these structures that remain as a reminder of the past were built around 1230 to 1275 AD. Some of the structures involve creative structural features and mortars.
The Hovenweep Castle, is the remain of a grand scale...probably mutli-family dwelling. The Square Tower is unique in that the tower has a slight twist as the tower gets taller...probably increasing the staying power of the structure. The Boulder House, unique in shape, reminds me of the Flintstones. Everywhere you turn, you can imagine this valley as a metropolis.
There is a trail of 2 miles, that winds around the valley, giving views cross-canyona nd close-up of these fabulous ruins. The Tower Point Overlook could be bypassed to save .5 miles. My opinion...don't skip the chance to see the valley from this vantage point.
The trail loops around the chasm, heads down breifly into the valley, then back up a steep (and I mean steep) incline back ot the visitor center.
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