Utah / San Juan County / Hovenweep National Monument

Hovenweep Campground

Open — Open year-round. All sites are reservable through Recreation.gov. Stage 1 fire restrictions are in effect; fires permitted only in designated fire grates. The park accepts only cashless payments. Water is available seasonally.

About

Hovenweep Campground is nestled within the sweeping landscape of the Colorado Plateau in Southeast Utah, at approximately 5,300 feet elevation. Located alongside two converging canyons and only 1/4 mile from the park's visitor center, the campground offers stunning views of mountains, canyons, and sandstone ledges adorned with desert plants. The campground is forested with beautiful, established Utah Juniper trees along with desert wildflowers and plants that dot the landscape with seasonal color, from spring's Veined Penstemon in pinks, blues and purples to fall's yellow rabbit brush. The 31-site campground is designed for tent camping, though a few sites will accommodate RVs up to 36 feet long. Each site includes a tent pad, fire ring, and picnic table with shade structure; there are no hookups available. Groups are limited to eight people and two vehicles. One campsite (Site 30) is wheelchair-accessible, though it is not designed for tent camping. All sites are fully reservable through Recreation.gov, including same-day bookings when available. The campground serves as an excellent base for exploring Hovenweep's archaeological treasures and hiking trails. The most popular hike is the Square Tower Group's 2-mile loop, which features the densest population of ancestral Puebloan structures within Hovenweep, allowing visitors to get within 5-10 feet of towers built between A.D. 1200 and 1300. The Holly Trail, conveniently located at the back of the campground, offers a more challenging 8-mile round-trip through slot canyons. Visitors can also enjoy Hovenweep's status as a certified International Dark Sky Park, with spectacular stargazing opportunities in this remote corner of the Colorado Plateau.

Directions

Do not use GPS to find your way. The Hovenweep Visitor Center is located 40-45 miles from Cortez, Colorado, and Blanding and Bluff, Utah. Turn-by-turn directions from Cortez, Blanding, or Bluff can be found at nps.gov/hove/planyourvisit/directions.htm. The nearest gas station is 20 miles away in Aneth, Utah.

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