5. Hovenweep National Monument

Hovenweep NM is reached via some rural roads cutting across open land sprinkled with a few homes and a small town that seemed abandoned. The Visitor Center is located near a small canyon and stone structures called the Square Tower Group. At the head of the canyon is a spring that provided water for the former village. The Visitor Center was pretty sparse with a small assortment of items for sale and a few exhibits, mainly posters.

Ancient structures constructed within and along the edges of this small canyon.

Some of these structures are in good shape after around 700 years.

This site has lots to offer and I will return and complete the trail around the canyon. There are also other ancient pueblos to visit within the boundaries of Hovenweep NM.

Leaving Hovenweep NM, I had the option of heading north or south. I was planning to turn left because it seemed to be the shortest route to the next destination, the Anasazi Heritage Center in Dolores. However, there was a sign posted that indicated that the road to the north leads to Lowery Pueblo which is another ancient Puebloan Indian site within the Canyon of the Ancient National Monument. I thought why not? And took off to the right.

6. Lowery Pueblo – Part of Canyons of the Ancient National Monument

Near the Lowery Pueblo the high desert plains turn to cultivated fields. About a quarter mile from the site the asphalt road turns to gravel and dirt. The site does not have a visitor center, only a sign-in sheet and a box of brochures. A trail leads around the site, which contains a rectangle series of rooms with a large metal canopy that covers almost half the site.
The site would hold some interest to Archeologists but I don’t think the general public will find enough to interest them.