The Dolores River flows out of the San Juan Mountains going west, frequently following along Highway 145. This is a familiar route to and from Montrose, so I've seen this part of the river quite a lot. In Dolores, a dam blocks the river to create McPhee Reservoir, a popular lake for boating and fishing. Beyond the dam, the river has cut several canyons as it now flows north to join the Colorado River. This section is reported to be quite scenic, therefore something to see on this trip.
From a place called Bradfield Bridge, a gravel road leads back twelve miles to the dam. The canyon is very pretty, with high sandstone cliffs on either side. The flow of the river is controlled by the dam operation, and they try to maintain a consistently good flow for the benefit of people who want to float the river. Launch sites are located every twelve to fifteen miles. I would enjoy kayaking there, but two vehicles are needed to set up a shuttle. Maybe at some future date.
Reviewing the area map, I spotted a place called Sand Canyon Pueblo, site of an Indian ruin, about twenty miles away. Without any specific information, I set out to visit it. It was a very pleasant ride through the countryside, mostly farms and ranches. As it turned out, this site was partially excavated some years ago, then covered up again "to protect it". Consequently, there isn't much to see other than piles of rocks scattered about a fairly large site. It supposedly had 420 rooms and 100 kivas, making it the largest single Anasazi site in CO. That's impressive, but it would be great to see it!!!
Hovenweep National Monument, located on the Utah-Colorado State line, has some legitimate ruins. I know because I was there about ten years ago and saw two of the six units in the park. One unit has been closed due to a dispute with a property owner whose land is crossed by an access road. That leaves three units I haven't seen, and they are close together, about forty miles from my camp.
When I got up that morning, it was 45F with a forecast high of 90F. When I reached Hovenweep, it was 97F in the shade, but there was almost no shade. The hike was about 1.6 miles over slickrock and sand. I was dry almost before I got started.
The first ruin was situated on a peninsula that jutted out into the intersection of two canyons. A chain across the peninsula had a sign that said "Closed Area". Well, after so much effort to get there, I was determined to see the ruin from all angles, so I crossed the boundary and walked to the end.
The next ruin, called Horseshoe ruin for obvious reasons, was also built on the edge of the canyon. It has two semi-circular walls. Individual rooms were located between the two walls, leaving the center for common use. I can imagine the women working in a group, grinding grain or tanning hides, while the men made weapons from sticks and stones.
Note construction details that include small stones in the mortar, much as aggregate is added to modern cement to improve binding quality. Also, for defensive purposes, the structure opens only to the deep canyon and peep holes allow residents to observe anyone approaching from the rear.
The final ruin is called Holly, but I did not hike all the way to it. even though it was only a quarter mile away, I was spent from the previous hike, so settled for a distant photo. I could see the ruin is a square tower, which Hovenweep is noted for.
I chose a different route back to camp, also about forty miles, but went through the Navajo Reservation in Utah. Traveling through various canyons, I encountered two separate bands of wild horses. At that time, the temp was 100F, so it was understandable the horses weren't very active.
100 F . . WOW . surprised you aren't in some northern mountains . .can't imagine trying to hike in those conditions . .
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't a good idea.
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