Ruin Canyon - Hovenweep National Monument - Utah
Posted by: 
94RedRover
N 37° 23.232 W 109° 04.773
12S E 670012 N 4139557
The area of Hovenweep National Monument here at the Little Ruin Canyon, is considered the Square Tower group in the whole conglemeration considered Hovenweep and the Canyons of the Ancients. This is the largest collection of ruins in the canyons.
Waymark Code: WM5TZM
Location: Utah, United States
Date Posted: 02/13/2009
Views: 8
"Ruin Canyon and its south fork, sometimes called Square Tower Canyon, contains the most numerous and important group of buildings in the Monument. The canyon heads about twelve miles north of the San Juan River and drains to it by way of McElmo Creek. Gregory speaks of Sage Plain as "deeply dissected by streamways that begin as canyons and continue as canyons all the way to the San Juan." Ruin Canyon fits this description; it appears without warning, 300 to 500 feet deep, and as sheer-walled as a sewer trench, It has no gradual beginning, but presents an abrupt drop from the mesa to its head. Along this ledge, in caves within the canyon wall, and along its base, are the prehistoric ruins."
--- Utah; A Guide to the State, 1941
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 trail around the canyon is a total of 2 miles, but 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.