Hovenweep National Monument

Pioneering photographer William Henry Jackson in 1874 first used the name "Hovenweep," which is Ute/Paiute for "deserted valley." Today tall towers, outlines of multi-room pueblos, tumbled piles of shaped stone, small cliff dwellings, pottery shards, and rock art lie scattered across the canyon landscape. There is no doubt that a sizable population once lived in this ruggedly beautiful, high desert setting. Despite seven centuries of weathering, many large structures and tall tower walls still stand as tributes to their builders. Visitors can walk along quiet, primitive trails and imagine what these communities must have been like long ago. www.nps.gov/hove