Hovenweep Campground

Hovenweep National Monument — hiking

Location: Cortez, CO, CO

Price: From $20 per night

Rating: 4.6 out of 5 (214 reviews)

Season: Year-round

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 (.4 km) from the park’s visitor center. Stunning views of mountains, canyons, and sandstone ledges adorned with desert plants make for a spectacular camping experience!

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Flush Toilets, Drinking Water, Showers, Dump Station, Firewood for Sale

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/hovenweep-campground to be notified when sites open up.

Hovenweep Campground offers stunning views of mountains, canyons, and sandstone ledges on the Colorado Plateau at 5,300 ft elevation, with direct access to historic ruins and a nearby visitor center. Campers praise the scenic sites, clean facilities, and excellent hiking trails.

Wildlife alert: Long-nosed Leopard Lizard, Great Basin Gopher Snake, Eastern Collared Lizard, Greater Roadrunner, American Beaver, and Ruby-crowned Kinglet present in the area.

Insider tips for Hovenweep Campground: Book reservations in advance—this is now a reservation-based campground, not first-come, first-served. Visitor center has WiFi and water is available at outdoor faucets with a 5-gallon maximum fill. Length of stay is limited to 7 consecutive or non-consecutive nights. Campground is only 1/4 mile from the visitor center and park trails lead directly to ruins.

Skip Hovenweep Campground if: You need RV hookups—no hookups available; only suitable for self-contained RVs.. You prefer spontaneous camping—book early, as this federal campground has limited availability..

Best time to visit Hovenweep Campground: Year-round — Campground operates year-round, though book early as it is a federal campground with high demand..

Nearby campgrounds: Mcphee Recreation Complex (Dolores, CO), Devils Canyon (Monticello, UT), Sand Island Recreation Area (Monticello, UT), House Creek (Dolores, CO).

Cell Phone Coverage at Hovenweep Campground

Cell signal at Hovenweep Campground (Cortez, CO): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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Hovenweep National Monument — hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Hovenweep Campground

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Cortez, CO, CO★ 4.6 (214 reviews)From $20/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

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 (.4 km) from the park’s visitor center. Stunning views of mountains, canyons, and sandstone ledges adorned with desert plants make for a spectacular camping experience!

Best for:HikersFamiliesSites:TentRV
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonYear-round
Stay limit14 days
Max RV58 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
ADA sites1 sites
ToiletsFlush toilets
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking WaterFirewood for Sale
Recreation
Picnic TablesShowers
Family & Pets
Flush ToiletsDump Station

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need RV hookups—no hookups available; only suitable for self-contained RVs.✕ You prefer spontaneous camping—book early, as this federal campground has limited availability.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book reservations in advance

this is now a reservation-based campground, not first-come, first-served.

Visitor center has WiFi and water is available at outdoor faucets with a 5-gallon maximum fill.

Length of stay is limited to 7 consecutive or non-consecutive nights.

Campground is only 1/4 mile from the visitor center and park trails lead directly to ruins.

Best: Year-round

Campground operates year-round, though book early as it is a federal campground with high demand.

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Long-nosed Leopard Lizard, Great Basin Gopher Snake, Eastern Collared Lizard, Greater Roadrunner, American Beaver, and Ruby-crowned Kinglet present in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
970-562-4282· Hovenweep National Monument
Getting there →

Turn by turn directions from Cortez, Blanding, or Bluff can be found on the Directions and Transportation page of Hovenweep's website.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Hovenweep National Monument fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Hovenweep National Monument before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Hovenweep Campground cost per night?+
Hovenweep Campground costs $20 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Hovenweep Campground open?+
Hovenweep Campground is open Year-round. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Hovenweep Campground have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Hovenweep Campground?+
Hovenweep Campground can accommodate RVs up to 55 feet.
How do I make reservations at Hovenweep Campground?+
Hovenweep Campground is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Hovenweep Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Hovenweep Campground is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Hovenweep Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
Hovenweep Campground is open Year-round. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
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●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$20 /night★ 4.6 (214)
SeasonYear-round
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Hovenweep Campground cost per night?+
What season is Hovenweep Campground open?+
Does Hovenweep Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Mcphee Recreation Complex

Dolores, CO

From $26/night

Devils Canyon

Monticello, UT

From $20/night

Sand Island Recreation Area

Monticello, UT

From $15/night

House Creek

Dolores, CO

From $32/night

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