Hovenweep National Monument

Tucked away in the remote high desert plateaus of southeastern Utah is Hovenweep National Monument. The park contains a fantastic and well-preserved collection of Ancestral Puebloan ruins, often referred to as Anasazi. The Little Ruin Canyon hiking trail brings visitors on a two-mile journey through cliff dwellings and huts using the canyon’s features for impressively laid-out homes. The trail ultimately winds past Hovenweep Castle, one of the larger ruins found in the area. The park is also an International Dark Sky Park, meaning it has one of the most fantastic night skies in the world. Though out of the way, it should be high on anyone’s list interested in ancient cultures.