
Round Trip Distance: 0.4 miles
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation: 5637 - 5711 feet
Cellphone: 0-3 bars
Time: 1 hr.
Trailhead: Ruin Point
Fee: none
Attractions: pueblo, pottery shards










In the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, southwest of Pleasant View, Colorado, Ruin Point extends off of Cajon Mesa overlooking Cross Canyon and Mclean Basin. Less than 500 feet from the Colorado/Utah border there are the ruins of a very large pueblo that wraps around the head of a side canyon with extensive ruins both above and below the rim of the canyon. In style and construction the ruins are similar to those of Hovenweep National Monument which is in the same area.
The turnoff to ruin point is along CR10, the Hovenweep Road, about 18.5 miles southwest of Pleasant View. For turn by turn directions you can enter 'Painted Hand Pueblo' into your driving app and when you get to the turnoff for that site instead of turning continue straight for another 1.3 miles. There will be a brown BLM mylar post with '472' which indicates the road number. We recommend that only high clearance 4wd vehicles should continue past this point due to a few ruts and a rather short steep hill.
About 2.9 miles from turning off of the pavement you will come to some more brown mylar markers. Most of them are indicating that the 4wd tracks that once continued all the way to the ruins are now closed for reclamation. The marker closest to the road reminds visitors that Archeological resources are fragile and irreplaceable and to 'Enjoy but do not destroy our shared heritage'. It is always nice to see reminders like those at these sites.
There is a nice pull out on the right just past these markers to serve as a trailhead.
From the edge of the canyon a few yards from the trailhead you can spot some of the ruins. As you can see they occupy a large area both above and below the rim.
After hiking around the rim for an hundred yards or so the first remaining walls begin appearing.
Rubble piles and short stub walls can be seen extending some distance back from the rim of the canyon.
It is interesting to note the difference in the colors of the rocks used in the construction. For this particular ruin the builders seem to have intentionally picked out the redder stones. If we were to differentiate this structure from the others we would probably call it the 'Orange House'. Massive piles of rubble show that this structure was very large when it was all standing.
Short walls continue along the rim past the Orange House for probably another hundred feet or more.
There are several places where a person can scramble down below the rim to get closer looks at more of the ruins. Be sure to stay off of the rubble piles themselves so as not to cause an avalanche of debri.
Most of the boulders below the rim had structures built upon them. This one is more intact than most of them.
It appears there may have been as many structures that were built below the rim of the canyon as on top.
From the edge of the canyon a few yards from the trailhead you can spot some of the ruins. As you can see they occupy a large area both above and below the rim.
After hiking around the rim for an hundred yards or so the first remaining walls begin appearing.
Rubble piles and short stub walls can be seen extending some distance back from the rim of the canyon.
It is interesting to note the difference in the colors of the rocks used in the construction. For this particular ruin the builders seem to have intentionally picked out the redder stones. If we were to differentiate this structure from the others we would probably call it the 'Orange House'. Massive piles of rubble show that this structure was very large when it was all standing.
Short walls continue along the rim past the Orange House for probably another hundred feet or more.
There are several places where a person can scramble down below the rim to get closer looks at more of the ruins. Be sure to stay off of the rubble piles themselves so as not to cause an avalanche of debri.
Most of the boulders below the rim had structures built upon them. This one is more intact than most of them.
It appears there may have been as many structures that were built below the rim of the canyon as on top.
Pretty much all of the pieces of pottery that we noticed were found scattered about below the rim. Most of it was corrugated or gray monochrome some of which was painted.
The Ruin Point Pueblo must have been a good sized town for its time. Unfortunately it was all built using dry stacked stones without any mortar to help glue it together. The huge piles of rubble almost boggle the mind when you try to mentally reassemble them into structures. Be sure not to climb on or near any of the remaining walls to help preserve what still remains. If you would like to see it for yourself then all you have to do is 'Take a hike'.
The Ruin Point Pueblo must have been a good sized town for its time. Unfortunately it was all built using dry stacked stones without any mortar to help glue it together. The huge piles of rubble almost boggle the mind when you try to mentally reassemble them into structures. Be sure not to climb on or near any of the remaining walls to help preserve what still remains. If you would like to see it for yourself then all you have to do is 'Take a hike'.