Hovenweep Towers

Another ancestral village plus

Interesting rocks, beautiful flowers, and a thunderstorm.

Hovenweep lies alongside The Canyon of the Ancients on the Colorado-Utah border.

Stronghold House

Twin Towers. The people who lived here were really into their towers.

Rimrock house with Eroded Bouder House below.

Eroded Boulder House is my favorite. What a cool place.

 

Tom said "Wave" so I did.

 Another view of the Twin Towers.

 Closeup of another tower.

Interesting and colorful lichens on the rocks.

The other side of Eroded Rock House.

Hovenweep House.

The only door to the castle is on the back at the edge of the cliff. We have to think that this was defensive. Combined with the towers you wonder who they were afraid of.

Yes, it was cold. Not long after this picture was taken we were pelted by hail so fierce that we had to turn our backs and face the canyon. We were on the high bare side and decided to high tail it back the way we came so as not to be struck by lightning. 

After the shower the water pooled in the depressions in the nonporous rocks.

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Wherever we go it seems we are watched by a sentry.

Indian Ricegrass. You can easily separate the small seeds from the husks by rubbing. Yes, I tasted it.

Some different views on our way back. 

Another shot of the Twin Towers and Eroded Boulder House.

A newly created stream and waterfall. 

The most fragrant of flowers.

We looped back to Cortez through a portion of Canyons of the Ancients and along Ute Creek. This colorful mesa was along the way.