Hovenweep, once home to over 2,500 people, includes six prehistoric villages built between A.D. 1200 and 1300. It contains a variety of structures, including multistory towers perched on canyon rims and balanced on boulders, whose construction and attention to detail reflect the skill and motivation of the builders. Hovenweep is part of the Colorado Plateau, a high desert region that experiences wide temperature fluctuations, sometimes over 40 degrees in a single day. Its temperate seasons are spring, from April to May, and fall, from mid-September to October, when daytime highs average 60 to 80 F and lows average 30 to 50 F. Summer temperatures often exceed 100 F, making strenuous exercise difficult, while winters are cold, with highs averaging 30 to 50 F and lows averaging 0 to 20 F.