Hovenweep Campground

Hovenweep National Monument

Hovenweep Campground is nestled within the beautiful, sweeping landscape of the Colorado Plateau in Southeast Utah, at an elevation of approximately 5300 ft. The campground is located alongside two converging canyons and is only 1/4 mile (.4km) from the park's visitor center. Stunning views of mountains, canyons, and sandstone ledges adorned with desert plants make for a spectacular camping experience!

Hovenweep Campground contains 31 campsites that are available for reservation. 10 sites are RV-specific (including 1 handicap-accessible site), while the remaining 21 sites have tent pads. Sites provide a wonderful opportunity for a variety of visitors to stay overnight in a peaceful national monument. The campground road is a paved, one-way loop with campsites located on the inner and outer sides, offering a variety of views for campers! Flush toilets are available, but there are no showers. Drinking water is available from May 1 - November 1 (water is available at the visitor center year-round). All campsites contain picnic tables and fire rings with grill grates. All but 4 campsites have shade structures over the picnic tables. The park does not have dump stations or any hook-ups for RVs. Firewood is not available at the campground. Trash, recycling bins, and a receptacle for pet waste bags are located by the restrooms.

Need to Know

Camping is only permitted in the designated campground. Each campsite is limited to 8 persons, 2 tents, and 2 vehicles (a trailer counts as one vehicle).
Flush toilets available year-round.
Wood fires in grates only. Wood gathering is prohibited. Do not leave garbage in fire grates. Charcoal cooking fires are allowed in fire pans and grills. Place ashes in fire grates. Properly extinguish all fires.
All motor vehicles must be parked on designated vehicle pads and must not extend into the roadway. Vehicle barriers may not be moved to enlarge the available parking space.
Campground ‘Quiet Hours’ are from 10pm-8am. Noise levels are to remain at a conversational level.
Campground ‘Generator Hours’ are from 8am-10am and from 4pm-8pm.

Natural Features

The campground is forested with beautiful, established Utah Juniper trees along with many desert wildflowers and plants, dotting the landscape and offering vivid color to the surrounding sandstone ledges and canyons. Spring reveals the majesty of Veined Penstemon, painting our park with pinks, blues and purples, while Fall sparkles with yellow rabbit brush accents. The park is within an arid, high desert environment with hot summers and cold winters. Hovenweep is home to many species of wildlife, ranging from antelope ground squirrels, ravens, and songbirds to coyotes, jack rabbits and lizards. Many nights and mornings are filled with the calls and songs of our local wildlife! This area piques the interest of many wildlife viewers, birders, and artists as they pull inspiration from the natural beauty and welcoming peace of Hovenweep!

Nearby Attractions

Hovenweep is located roughly 45 miles from the nearest town with restaurants and shopping. The closest gas station is located 20 miles from the park, in Aneth, Utah. Our park is located next to Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, which is managed by the Bureau of Land Management. Canyons of the Ancients offers mountain biking/horseback riding trails, as well as archaeological sites and other areas of interest for visitors to explore. There are also multiple state, national, and tribal parks located within an hour or two's driving distance from Hovenweep.

Recreation

Hovenweep offers multiple hikes, with the most popular being the Square Tower Group's 2-mile (3.2km) walking loop. This hike has the densest population of ancestral Puebloan structures within Hovenweep and allows visitors to get within 5-10 feet of them, creating an intimate and humbling experience with fantastic opportunities for photography. For visitors seeking a longer hike, the Holly Trail is conveniently located at the back of the campground and is roughly 8 miles (12.9 km) round-trip, traversing through 2 slot canyons within Keely Canyon and leading visitors to Hovenweep's outlying site, Holly. Additional hikes to Hovenweep's remaining outlying sites are also available, but generally require a higher-clearance vehicle to access and are subject to variable road conditions. Visitors can also enjoy the majesty and vastness of the dark skies and glowing stars here at our certified International Dark Sky Park!

Contact Information

Mailing

Hovenweep National Monument 00 McElmo Route Cortez CO 81321

Phone Number

For campground inquiries, please call: 970-562-4282

Rental Options

Learn more about gear rental options for your trip

Driving Directions

Turn by turn directions from Cortez, Blanding, or Bluff can be found on the "Directions and Transportation" page of Hovenweep's website: https://www.nps.gov/hove/planyourvisit/directions.htm.

Available Campsites

Photo Gallery

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