Today will be hot, and I have some hiking on the schedule, so I leave Blanding at 0635 local. 14 miles on a good road, followed by 30 miles on variable, but paved, roads, takes me to Hovenweeep National Monument. I arrive at 0735 and commence my hike on a nice, paved trail; this is followed by up-and-down over slickrock. Hovenweep features a concentrated group of ruins along the upper reached of a small canyon.
Twin Towers
Twin Towers showing 2 other units
five visible tower/units
Hovenweep Castle with Hovenweep House
I leave after 2 hours, split between hiking and recuperating. The road to Aneth is good. It’s also high – I can see Ship Rock in the distance. The shot-up roadside signs on the Rez show that sign-shooting folks out here don’t mess with mere shotguns.
As I approach Aneth I see that more families in this area still have hogans. Some hogans have windows and even a little cupola with skylights as well as the traditional chimney. I guess Changing Woman would approve, as long as the door opens to sunrise.
I see a couple of small groups of possibly-wild horses, each with a dominant stallion, his posture leaving no doubt who is in charge.
NM-262 becomes CO-41 at the state line. I turn onto US-160 for a visit to the Four Corners Monument. This is a Navajo Tribal Park - $8 per person entry fee, please. The marker itself is flanked on each state’s side by vendor booths, presumably staffed by people from that state. People line up to have their pictures taken straddling the marker. Yes, it’s a tourist trap, and I heartily approve of the Dine’ peoples’ entrepreneurism, bringing money to a rather desolate area.
US-160/491 heads toward Cortez, but I take a side road to collect a little known National Monument, Yucca House. There is little choice in parking; the boardwalk leading to the site is entered from a farmer’s driveway. His sprinklers are going providing a cool shower to those who don’t navigate the boardwalk quickly enough.
I eschew US-160/491 and use County Road 21 to reach the edge of Cortez. Like so many other towns in the area, it has exploded in tourism-related businesses. I’m way too early to attempt to check in, so I take a side trip to Canyons of the Ancients National Monument. Alas! The museum is closed today, but I had a nice chat with a couple staffing an information kiosk – the lady hailed originally from Springfield (MO).
Back in Cortez, I’m able to check into my HIE about 1330. A superb pollo verde at Margarita’s and I’m finishing up well before 1700.
For the day: 164.8 miles, for the trip 3845.8.
Tomorrow: La Junta via Chimney Rock Nat’l Monument and Wolf Creek Pass.
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