Are These RUINS or CASTLES? | Hovenweep National Monument | Utah

An impromptu stop at Hovenweep National Monument on our road trip led to a surprising discovery - some of the most unique structures from the Ancestral Puebloans that we've ever seen! With a mountain backdrop, these Indian ruins are magical.
Hovenweep National Monument was once called home to Ancestral Puebloan people from about AD 500 to AD 1300. The culture focused on farming, creating a landscape capable of growing food for an estimated 2500 people. To live and store crops they created masterful structures with impressive masonry - structures with numerous similarities to those found at other locations like Mesa Verde and Chaco Canyon.
Structures found at Hovenweep vary wildly. One can find buildings with squared corners, rounded corners, and D-shaped dwellings. The fact that these structures have stood the test of time perched on mesa edges and boulders is astounding.
There are six units that comprise Hovenweep National Monument spread out over 20 miles. Some of the remote locations are not as easily accessible. The Square Tower Group is the most accessible featuring the park's visitor center and a campground. The trail is 2 miles long that includes an 80 foot descent and ascent in and out of the canyon.
VIDEO FILMED: 04/10/2023
▬▬ R E L A T E D V I D E O S ▬▬
⚪ CHACO CANYON - • CHACO CULTURE NATIONAL...
⚪ AGUA FRIA - • Unseen Mysteries of AG...
⚪ MESA VERDE - • Self-Guided Rainy Day ...
▬▬ L O C A T I O N I N F O ▬▬
⚪ HOVENWEEP NATIONAL MONIMENT - www.nps.gov/hove/index.htm
⚪ Directions to HOVENWEEP NATIONAL MONIMENT - goo.gl/maps/zGQ3r2X7nE6LpBP17
▬▬ T I M E S T A M P S ▬▬
00:00 Square Tower Loop Descent
07:46 The Most Amazing Pueblos
13:25 Hello There, Mr. Rattlesnake
19:39 Hovenweep Castle
▬▬ L I N K S ▬▬
⚪ Gear we use - www.amazon.com/shop/thecactus...
⚪ See where we've been - www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mi...
⚪ Music from Epidemic Sound - www.epidemicsound.com/referra...
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Welcome to the Cactus Atlas! We are Glenn and Amy and invite you to join us as we visit all sorts of locations across the American West. We tour both natural and man-made attractions.
Our base of operations is in the Phoenix, AZ area. We do a lot of hiking, day trips, and campground reviews and hope that we will be a great resource if you are planning a trip to the American West. We also hope to delight you with our exciting adventures!

[@jersey63]

Thank you for your great work! I just got home from Island in the Sky at Canyonlands and Hovenweep after watching your videos. You have inspired me to explore and discover the wonders of the west and I am planning my next adventure based on your videos and experiences. Thank you so much and don’t ever stop filming!

[@CactusAtlas]

Oh my gosh! That's so awesome to hear! We're so glad to have inspired travel and hope many more memorable adventures are in the future. 😊

[@garyarnett1220]

Hovenweep has always been a magical, spiritual place for me. Glad yo enjoyed your visit.

[@candymcclure2476]

Glen, video like yours are the only way I can go exploring now days. I am 79, Gramma Candy

[@CactusAtlas]

Happy to bring our videos to you. 😊

[@candymcclure2476]

beautiful vistas when you descended the canyon. Gramma Candy

[@candymcclure2476]

What a great video. The "castle" was so cool. Gramma Candy

[@CactusAtlas]

Thanks so much!

[@gstiles7]

Another great trip and between the views and structures...stunning! Really glad you saw/heard that little turd before you got any closer!

[@CactusAtlas]

Right? Glenn almost stepped on it! 😅

[@SidetrackAdventures]

I've been reading a book called 1491, and it really gives you an appreciation of what was here for 1000s of years before Columbus. These look incredible and it would have been amazing to see them in their day.

[@CactusAtlas]

No kidding. Some of them are hard to figure out what purpose they had out how they were entered and used.

[@guswatts]

I wonder if the buffalo roamed in these areas and if some of the construction took this to mind. I’ve heard of the herds being seen for days.

[@Liz-gc6gn]

👍 love that book.

[@joywyse6996]

I worked at the Ute Indian Museum in Montrose, CO for a while but never got to Hovenweep. Thanks for the tour. I remember seeing the Sleeping Ute mountain on my trips to AZ. Also made some friends from the Ute Mountain Utes and the Southern Utes near Durango. Very cool tour including the snake.

[@CactusAtlas]

Very cool! Oh, you have to visit Hovenweep! It's a gorgeous place. 😊

[@iralien2]

Many of the round structures with small openings were used for food storage. The way they were built helped keep small animals and rodents out. They would dry beans , corn berries and other fruits that could be dried. Doing this provided food for the long winter months.

[@akwsterling]

My wife and I found Hovenweep during our trip in April driving between Moab and Durango. It turned into one of the highlights of our trip. Luckily we missed the snakes but have seen plenty over the years in NM and TX. Keep up the great work.

[@CactusAtlas]

Thank you! We will try! This was the first rattlesnake encounter that we've had. Been wondering for years when it would happen. 😅

[@granthryze2694]

Like I said before, I just got back from utah, Nev, Mohave Preserve, Arizona, and NM. Expecting to see a rattler, never saw one ! Was ready , though. Hovenweep is now on my list for another trip ! Thanks

[@CactusAtlas]

Glenn's usually on the lookout hoping to see a rattler... he finally got his wish! I mean he practically stepped on it! 😂

[@guswatts]

Great photography Glen. good catch on the sunbathing prairie maraca shaker 🐍. I lived in Cal desert and came across several Mohave greens. The sound is one you will never forget.

[@CactusAtlas]

Maraca shaker. 🤣 Oddly while editing it reminded me of cicadas. 😅

[@BD-zg7is]

hi glenn! another cool video. living the dream my dude!

[@CactusAtlas]

Thanks! Happy you enjoyed our video! 👍

[@jasonhansen7545]

My boys and I sure do enjoy your videos thank you

[@CactusAtlas]

That's awesome! Glad to hear it! Thank you!

[@Dany-ii5lu]

I´ll come back next time... for shure!!! I really appreciate your videos. A big hug from Germany for both of you 🤗

[@CactusAtlas]

Awesome! Thank you so much! 😊

[@leeguthrie2283]

Loved this one.

[@CactusAtlas]

So glad! Thank you! 😊

[@ENJIMEEREBAY]

Thank you for another excellent presentation.

[@CactusAtlas]

Thank you very much! 😊

[@lzwnn]

As always, the two of you really deliver a fantastic experience! What a cool and beautiful place. The spacing, designs, and purpose of all these buildings is such a mystery. The builders made deliberate and informed choices I’m sure, but it’s so hard to determine what they were about. Of course, 800 years from now when space travelers find old hard drives filled with videos of cats riding Roombas, they’ll wonder about us too.

[@CactusAtlas]

Aww, thank you! 😊 Hopefully those space travelers see the Roomba riding cats and realize they really are the rulers of our time. 😅

[@lzwnn]

@@CactusAtlas Dogs have owners, cats have staff. Truth.

[@CactusAtlas]

Absolute truth!

[@1953MMike]

I'm surprised that you don't have more views as your channel is excellent...I noticed you have 10 percent likes of your view numbers...I think you should remind viewers to hit the like button...😊

[@CactusAtlas]

Thanks! KZbin is a funny place. Some people grow quick and others... 🤷‍♀️ We just keep plugging away though. 😄

[@nationalparksprincess3216]

I find these sites so fascinating! 😊 What a neat place. You really show a great presentation of this area in this video 😊

[@CactusAtlas]

Thank you so very much! Much appreciated. 😊

[@carolguezen5829]

Have loved all your videos and explorations since first discovering your channel. Can't til the next one. Keep up the great work and awesome narrations!

[@CactusAtlas]

Aww, thank you so much! We appreciate your support. 😊👍

[@shirleyrichards2514]

Wow so many cool structures. Yikes rattlers 😮

[@CactusAtlas]

It was quite the surprise!

[@davidelack8809]

From a fellow "Wierd Al "fan ,thanks for the journey. Outstanding!

[@CactusAtlas]

Thank you thank you! 👍

[@SwiftyTravels]

That snake! Whoa! Startled me as well! This is a beautiful place to explore the ruins! This is definitely a place to add on my list!

[@CactusAtlas]

I can’t wait to go back!

[@SomeplaceOrAnother]

The ruins on this trail look so cool 😎 👍

[@CactusAtlas]

Totally unique, right? 👍

[@1-daydecorating8]

Adventury?! What a great word.

[@CactusAtlas]

Gotta love some made up words! 😅

[@ShelleeGraham]

GREAT 👍 video Amy & Glenn! You have captured the ancient Hovenweep so beautifully! Thank you! (A few years ago, my husband and I drove out to find this place and had to see it in a downpour of rain. Obviously, I’d like to return to experience Hovenweep again, sans ☔️ rain.) Love this content so much. Your appreciation of the Ancestral Puebloan cultures is similar to my own.) Cheers from central Oklahoma.

[@CactusAtlas]

Oh no! Seeing them in a downpour is no fun. Sounds similar to our experience with Mesa Verde. The weather wasn't cooperating. Hopefully you get a chance to see Hovenweep again with perfect weather! 😄🤞

[@Witchcraft467]

Haven't commented in while :) Great video as always. The sign you point out mentioning the sound of the resident's of the time reminds me of the Agua Fria/Perry Mesa area. As you are well aware that is such a wonderful place to go now as you can spend so much time there and not run into another person(my daughter and I running into you being something of a fluke! Ha ha)but at the time when the many ruins were built it would have been a bit of a metropolis. The Phoenix of the time if you will :)

[@CactusAtlas]

I imagine a lot of areas like these were quite a busy area at times. Lots of activity and daily chores to keep things running smoothly. Glad to hear from you! 😄👍

[@CJ-fz2fm]

Wiki says: Common names are prairie rattlesnake or Great Plains rattlesnake. Very cool encounter!

[@CactusAtlas]

It really was!

[@singingnomad5099]

😮😅that was wild! But glad you’re okay. 😊 loved the ruins too!

[@CactusAtlas]

Thanks so much! Appreciate it! 😊

[@michaelmccaffrey2731]

The one's without doorways, are silos. They used to farm.

[@stacyrector8515]

Great video, we’re going out west in a few weeks and I’ve been watching your videos of places on our itinerary. Don’t care to see the snakes but I know they are there!😖

[@CactusAtlas]

Hoping you have an entirely snake free experience! Have fun! 😊

[@mojavemike6522]

They were defensive structures to "Guard" if you will the water sources in the area. During the 1300's, there were nomadic people that put a strain on the meager resources available. The Zuni have a history of these people that essentially raided settlements. There is some evidence that Chaco Canyon was abandoned due to raiding parties.

[@robertjames4953]

Please hold camera on the signs for a few seconds so we can pause and read them. Thanks. Good tour.

[@susanschmidler3122]

I am thinking that the tiny "windows" were for air circulation. Great video!

[@CactusAtlas]

Thanks so much! 😄

[@user-qw6lq4rq7y]

Great video as always! One question. Any idea how they got water at these habitats? Did you see any remnants of where water could have ran through the area? I’m always curious of where these people got water to survive deep in the Arizona deserts 700 years ago. Thanks! 🙌🏽

[@CactusAtlas]

Not entirely sure about the water, however, I imagine the climate and landscape probably looked different all those centuries ago so I imagine there was water somewhere nearby.

[@mojavemike6522]

There are still seeps in the area and during good rainfall years, they flow more. You could call them springs.

[@robertjames4953]

Most likely periods of drought caused shortages and inevitably violence...sad but true...could happen anywhere, anytime. Best wishes for all!

[@keithsmith5998]

In my research, according to the KZbin channel Navajo Traditional Teachings, these were not houses, but graineries use by the ancient Navajo.

[@Eric-iq3ty]

That was dinner back in the day

[@CactusAtlas]

Indeed it would have been! 😄

[@johntuttle4486]

Never kill a snake, especially today! Snakes eat mice which is where Lyme Disease and Hanta Virus come from.

[@brianfow4666]

Could you not fly your drone around these ruins?

[@CactusAtlas]

Nope. National Monuments are federal land and drones are not allowed to take off, land, or fly around them. There are a lot of rules about where you can and cannot fly so that means the drone must stay packed up at a number of places we go.

[@muddgeeser]

this is Welsh they went to USA 1500 years ago

[@poloclubb]

These are Diné ruins for grain/food storage and defensive positions, they are not castles

[@CactusAtlas]

We aren't saying that they are castles. Merely comparing them given the other sites we have visited.

[@brookingsbeachcomber]

defense for the Spanish invasion and their quest for the cities of gold?

[@nabajojak8734]

These ruins are Navajo nothing to do with Chaco ... Snake country don't get bit!

[@trailmonstah1892]

Like the content but really don’t appreciate you using the term “Indians”. Please consider using a respectful term like “First Nations”, heck even “Native American” is better than “Indian” 🤦🏾‍♂️

[@CactusAtlas]

Thanks. We do strive to be PC on the channel, but it’s easy to overlook sometimes. We are taking your suggestion and updating the title of the video and agree with your point of view. Thanks for your feedback.

[@safepetproducts]

I've known plenty of Indians in my time, and every last one of them refers to themselves as an Indian. Let's not go overboard.