Visit to Canyons of the Ancients and Hovenweep NM

Yesterday was the first real 'nice' day, sunny and temps in the mid 60s so we ventured out to see Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, just west of Dolores. We were going to visit 2 pueblos and then another day visit Hovenweep but a little later I explain why we did it all.

We had gotten literature on visiting 2 ancient pueblos - Painted Hand and Lowry.  Lowry was the first stop.  Very impressive, you could go inside but not too far, to see what the inside of a pueblo.

Allowed into a small portion of it

Center - notice the metal supports?

You see this sign on the way OUT, not in

This is what they think Lowry Pueblo looked like

The Pueblo is quite large

See the Great Kiva from the Pueblo

The sweet smell of sage is wonderful

To get idea of how large - see Dave standing on rim?

Near the Lowry Pueblo was a great kiva, the scholars think it was used for ceremonies and gatherings, although they are not sure.

Residents 

The ruts for FEET deep, we passed

More local residents

Drove on to Painted Hand Pueblo and was stopped right at the entrance off the road.  The last couple days of snow and rain made the road very impassable and did not want to risk getting the car stuck, so we dove on to Hovenweep National Monument.  Why had we not visited this place 4 years ago when we were at Mesa Verde?  Amazing place!  The Hovenweep is a Paiute/Ute word for deserted valley, named by photograph pioneer William H. Jackson who visited the area in 1874.

Our hike to see the ruins

Listened/watched the movie on Hovenweep at the visitors center, came back to the car and changed into hiking gear and off we went to explore the ancient ruins.  We traveled the 2 1/2 mile loop around the top rim of the canyon where the ruins were perched, crossed down and through the canyon and back up the other side to view them from a different vantage point.  Very impressive. We chose the hardest part first - climbing down into the canyon and back up - then continuing counter clock-wise on the loop.  Glad we did.  We were exhausted by the time we got back to the car.

Well marked path

Cliff roses just beginning to bloom 

And then the path got a little crazy

Going down into the canyon - where are we going?

Where's the path?

At bottom looking up - see ruins on both sides?

Climbing back up out of the canyon to other side

Look at all the little stones in-between!  Amazing

Twin towers

We did not realize until we got back to the RV that Hovenweep was in Utah.  We did not feel the speed bump of the state line, but the scenery was stunning.  Came back into Cortez through the McElmo Canyon where wineries, bed and breakfast establishments, and really stunning homes were perched down in the canyon.

Purple lupines blooming