Cajon Unit

Cajon is the quietest Hovenweep unit and is surrounded by the Navajo Nation.

NPS photo // Alexis Albrecht

Quick Facts

Location:

Cajon Unit

Significance:

ancestral Puebloan community

Amenities

1 listed

Scenic View/Photo Spot

The Cajon Unit’s structures are situated at the head of a small canyon and indicate that 80 to 100 people may have lived here. Under a ledge in the canyon below are several small structures that may have been built to protect and store water from the spring. On the western slope of the canyon stand the remains of a remarkable circular tower that conforms perfectly to the shape of three large, irregular boulders. This round structure on a completely uneven surface demonstrates the skill and determination of the ancestral Puebloans who lived at Hovenweep.

The unique stone towers and other buildings at Hovenweep are extremely fragile. To help preserve them, please remain on trail and do not enter or touch any structure.