Ancient Ruins

Road Canyon

What's high up there in the cliff?	A window that signals another world...	...ruled by a dog!
Though two windows are visible, there are actually three in this ancient structure built by Anasazi Indians	What did it used to be? Permanent residence? Vacation home?	Some think its small size and no doors mean that it was used as storage for extra food
Close-up reveals handprints in the mud walls	Road Canyon as seen from the cliff ruin

NEW! Moon House Ruins

I spy with my far-seeing eye...	A ruin with many rooms!	The view from the bottom of the canyon floor
Up close	Another view of this extensive ruin

Hovenweep National Monument

We race the dawn to get to Hovenweep for good photographs. The sky is grey already as we whip through small roads from Bluff.

Luckily we arrive in time to witness the "child of morning." Hovenweep's visitor centre is located at the Square Tower unit, one of the five far-flung units that ignore the border between Utah and Colorado. Square Tower's the most impressive unit, with a cluster of ruins around a canyon.

Where is this Square Tower anyway? Once standing three stories high, Square Tower sounds like it would make an ideal lookout spot. Instead we find it at the bottom, in the canyon.

Dawn at Hovenweep	Twin Towers stand tall across the canyon	Close-up of Twin Towers
Hovenweep Castle	Close-up of the Castle: the tower and another structure with a window and remaining log beam	The Castle tower
Corin at the Castle	That's Square Tower in the canyon below the Castle	It once stood 3 stories tall
Karl and Corin across the canyon from the Castle

Fourteen Window Ruin

Bridge over troubled waters? Hope not. The San Juan river below is quick-moving.	Fourteen Window ruin	A bridge too far? Maybe if it weren't so wobbly!

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