Checkerboard Mesa facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Checkerboard Mesa
North aspect, viewed from Highway 9
Highest point
Elevation	6,520 ft (1,990 m)
Prominence	520 ft (160 m)
Isolation	0.55 mi (0.89 km)
Parent peak	Crazy Quilt Mesa (6,760 ft)
Geography
Checkerboard Mesa Location in Utah Show map of Utah Checkerboard Mesa Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Zion National Park Kane County, Utah United States
Parent range	Colorado Plateau
Topo map	USGS Springdale East
Geology
Age of rock	Jurassic
Type of rock	Navajo sandstone
Climbing
Easiest route	class 2 scrambling

Checkerboard Mesa is an iconic 6,520+ ft (1,990+ m) elevation Navajo Sandstone summit located in Zion National Park, in Kane County of southwest Utah, United States. Checkerboard Mesa is situated immediately southwest of the park's east entrance, towering 900-feet (275 meters) above the Zion – Mount Carmel Highway. Its nearest neighbor is Crazy Quilt Mesa, one-half mile immediately west, and separated by Checkerboard Mesa Canyon. This canyon holds pools of rainwater which provide a vital source of water for resident bighorn sheep. This feature's name was officially adopted in 1935 by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names. The descriptive name stems from the cliff's distinctive multitudinous check lines in cross-bedded white sandstone which give the impression of a checkerboard. The horizontal lines are caused by cross-bedding, a remnant of ancient sand dunes. The vertical and sub-vertical lines formed by the contraction and expansion of the sandstone caused by temperature changes, freezing and thawing cycles, in combination with wetting and drying. This peak was originally named Checkerboard Mountain by the park's third superintendent, Preston P. Patraw. Precipitation runoff from this mountain drains into tributaries of the Virgin River.

Climate

Spring and fall are the most favorable seasons to visit Checkerboard Mesa. According to the Köppen climate classification system, it is located in a Cold semi-arid climate zone, which is defined by the coldest month having an average mean temperature below 32 °F (0 °C), and at least 50% of the total annual precipitation being received during the spring and summer. This desert climate receives less than 10 inches (250 millimeters) of annual rainfall, and snowfall is generally light during the winter.

Images for kids

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  Checkerboard Mesa detail

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  West aspect, viewed from Highway 9

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  Cross-bedded Navajo Sandstone with subvertical expansion-contraction cracks

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  West aspect, viewed from Highway 9

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  Zion National Park's East Entrance, Checkerboard Mesa to left

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  Checkerboard Mesa (left) and Crazy Quilt Mesa (right)

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  The south end of Checkerboard Mesa (Parunuweap Canyon side)