Elephant Butte (Arches National Park) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Elephant Butte |
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North aspect, from Panorama Point
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 5,653 ft (1,723 m) |
| Prominence | 823 ft (251 m) |
| Isolation | 6.05 mi (9.74 km) |
| Parent peak | Dry Mesa (5,780 ft) |
| Geography | |
 Elephant Butte
Location in Utah
Elephant Butte
Location in the United States
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| Location | Arches National Park Grand County, Utah, U.S. |
| Parent range | Colorado Plateau |
| Topo map | USGS The Windows Section |
| Type of rock | Entrada Sandstone |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | 1953 |
| Easiest route | class 5.3 climbing |
Elephant Butte is a tall mountain peak in Grand County, Utah. It stands 5,653 feet high! You can find it inside Arches National Park, where it's actually the highest point. This amazing rock formation, like many others in the park, is made of a type of rock called Entrada Sandstone.
Elephant Butte looks like a flat-topped "cap" surrounded by many cool rock towers and fins. One famous group of these is called the Parade of Elephants. The well-known Double Arch is also part of Elephant Butte. It was even used in the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade! Water from Elephant Butte flows into the nearby Colorado River. The first people to climb to the top were Alex Cresswell and Fred Ayres on September 8, 1953.
How Elephant Butte Was Formed
Elephant Butte sits on top of a huge, hidden bed of salt deep underground. Over millions of years, this salt bed moved and shifted. This movement caused the ground above it to crack and break.
Rain, wind, and ice then worked on these cracks. They slowly carved out the amazing shapes we see today. These include the tall arches, pointy spires, and balanced rocks. The main rock here is Entrada Sandstone.
Weather at Arches National Park
The best times to visit Arches National Park are spring and fall. During these seasons, the temperatures are usually very nice. Highs are often between 60 and 80 °F (15-27 °C). Lows are typically between 30 and 50 °F (-1-10 °C).
Summers can be very hot, with temperatures often going above 100 °F (38 °C). Winters are cold, with highs around 30 to 50 °F (-1-10 °C). Lows can drop to 0 to 20 °F (-18 - -7 °C).
Because it's a high desert area, the temperature can change a lot in one day. The park gets less than 10 inches (25 cm) of rain each year.
Gallery
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South aspect, seen from Turret Arch
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Elephant Butte and Parade of Elephants
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Towers surrounding Elephant Butte
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Double Arch structure on Elephant Butte
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Elephant Butte exit rappel
