Tower Point

Tower Point sits at mile 389 of the Trail of the Ancients, at 5,217 feet, with the terrain facing 120° and dropping 107 feet over the next 600 meters. The view takes in the canyon and its side canyon, along with Sleeping Ute Mountain and the surrounding landscape. In the side canyon, alcoves are visible just below the rim, some open rock and others with stonework remains, once used as granary rooms for storing crops such as corn, beans, and squash. Because the orientation faces roughly toward sunrise, sunrise and sunset times shift with the season, from a 05:57 sunrise at the June solstice to a 07:28 sunrise at the December solstice. Cortez lies 27.2 miles east, Blanding 27.5 miles northwest, and Monticello 36.8 miles north-northwest. Canyon Overlook precedes this stop, and Muley Point Overlook follows. Visitors are asked to remain on marked trails, avoid entering or touching any structure, and leave all artifacts, including pottery sherds, arrow points, and rock art, undisturbed, since the stonework and towers in this area are fragile and easily damaged.