Cajon Group, Hovenweep National Monument
The ruins of Hovenweep National Monument, in San Juan County,
Southeastern Utah, and in adjacent Colorado, protect some of the finest examples
of ancient stone architecture in the southwest.
Cajon Unit is one of the five
prehistoric Ancestral Puelboan village areas protected by the Monument. The
village was consrtucted in the early 1200s. Unlike the other units in the Monument,
Cajon is located at a lower elevation, in a mixed sage and sparse juniper forest.
The ruins are near the spring at the head of Allen Canyon. Modern access is via
a dirt road.
Cajon village enjoys views of the Abajo peaks and the stone spires
of Monument Valley.
A feature of the Hovenweep villages is towers
placed in surprising locations.
For 800 years, the ruin walls have endured storms and the freeze and thaw cycles,
an enduring testament to the masonry skill and care of the ancient builders.
GPS 37.29928, -109.18431
External Links
HOVENWEEP NATIONAL MONUMENT. The
official home page of Hovenweep National Monument maintained by the National
Park Service.
Learn About the Ancestral Puebloans. Crow
Canyon Archaeological Center's experiential education programs actively
engage students in real archaeological research and expose them to the
historical and cultural perspectives of the native peoples.
Natural Bridges National Monument
is located 80 miles west of Hovenweep between Blanding and Lake Powell.
Canyonlands
and Arches National Parks are located
about two hours northwest of the monument. |