Features > Camping > Hovenweep National Monument Campground
Hovenweep National Monument is a great member of the US National Park system. It is 45 miles away from any small towns (Blanding, Utah and Cortez, CO) and it takes some intent and effort to get there. But if you are a tent camper or in an RV less than 25 feet, it's worth it.
The campground has 31 quiet sites for $10 as of our stay on June 2nd, 2007. Only a few are even capable of holding a small RV so please note that before planning to stay overnight. No hookups but there is a nice bathroom with flush toilets and drinking water faucet.
Almost immediately upon entering, we saw the campground host. He has been coming there for ten years now and was very nice and helpful. He even collected the money and posted the payment and slip for us. In the summer daylight, there are “no-see-ums” all over. These tiny bugs are quite annoying with their bite and can cause allergic reactions in some people. They disappear with dusk and come out again in the warm sun. The night sky is about as dark as you can find these days and filled with bright stars.
There are short hikes (from 2 miles to under a mile) that let you see some fantastic pueblo ruins still standing after 700 years. The visitor center is staffed with friendly, knowledgeable people as well. We only saw two other people on our weekend visit so it is a quiet out of the way place. You may see a rattlesnake by the trail or a lizard eating a large beetle. This is a place hardly touched by man in hundreds of years.
We also stopped at the Historic Hatch Trading Post on the way in from the west. This is a real locally active Trading Post with canned food and drinks. If you are looking for souvenirs or anything touristy, don't bother stopping. We were quite surprised during our very brief stop.
So go back in time, forget your hookups, look up at the night sky and listen to the natural desert sounds at Hovenweep National Monument.
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