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 a famous rock formation in Zion National Park in southwest Utah, United States. It stands about 6,520 feet (1,987 meters) tall. This impressive mesa is made of a type of rock called Navajo Sandstone.

You can find Checkerboard Mesa right near the park's east entrance. It rises about 900 feet (275 meters) above the Zion – Mount Carmel Highway. Its closest neighbor is Crazy Quilt Mesa, located just half a mile to the west. A canyon called Checkerboard Mesa Canyon separates these two mesas. This canyon is important because it collects rainwater, which provides a vital water source for the bighorn sheep living in the area.

Why is it called Checkerboard Mesa?

The name "Checkerboard Mesa" comes from the unique pattern on its cliffs. It looks just like a checkerboard! This special look is caused by two things:

• Horizontal lines: These lines are remnants of ancient sand dunes. Over millions of years, layers of sand piled up and then turned into rock. This process is called cross-bedding.
• Vertical lines: These lines formed because the sandstone expands and shrinks. This happens due to changes in temperature, like when it freezes and thaws, or gets wet and then dries out.

The name was officially given in 1935 by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names. Before that, the park's superintendent, Preston P. Patraw, called it Checkerboard Mountain. Rainwater from the mesa flows into streams that eventually join the Virgin River.

Weather at Checkerboard Mesa

The best times to visit Checkerboard Mesa are in the spring and fall. The area has a "cold semi-arid climate." This means it's a desert climate, but it can get cold in winter.

The region gets less than 10 inches (250 mm) of rain each year. Most of this rain falls during spring and summer. Snowfall in winter is usually light.

Images for kids

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  A closer look at Checkerboard Mesa

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  The west side of Checkerboard Mesa, seen from Highway 9

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  Cross-bedded Navajo Sandstone with vertical cracks

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  Another view of the west side from Highway 9

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  Zion National Park's East Entrance, with Checkerboard Mesa on the left

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

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  The south end of Checkerboard Mesa, near Parunuweap Canyon