Point Lookout (Colorado) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Point Lookout |
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North aspect
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 8,427 ft (2,569 m) |
| Prominence | 607 ft (185 m) |
| Isolation | 3.39 mi (5.46 km) |
| Parent peak | Park Point (8,571 ft) |
| Geography | |
 Point Lookout
Location in Colorado
Point Lookout
Location in the United States
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| Location | Mesa Verde National Park Montezuma County, Colorado, U.S. |
| Parent range | Colorado Plateau |
| Topo map | USGS Point Lookout |
| Geology | |
| Age of rock | Cretaceous |
| Type of rock | Point Lookout Sandstone |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | class 1 hiking trail |
Point Lookout is a tall, rocky peak in Mesa Verde National Park in southwest Colorado. It stands 8,427 feet (2,569 meters) high. This amazing sandstone mountain is a famous sight in Montezuma County.
Point Lookout is about 2 miles south of the park entrance. It rises about 1,600 feet above the Mancos Valley. Long ago, soldiers from Fort Lewis used its high position. They sent messages using sunlight reflected by mirrors, a method called heliographic signals.
You can hike to the top of Point Lookout on a 2.2-mile (3.5 km) round-trip trail. From the summit, you get amazing views of the Montezuma and Mancos valleys. You can also see the La Plata Mountains in the distance. The name "Point Lookout" was officially recognized in 1934. This was done by the United States Board on Geographic Names.
How Point Lookout Formed
The main road into Mesa Verde National Park goes along the side of Point Lookout. This road climbs up the steep edge of the East Rim of Mesa Verde. Point Lookout is part of the Colorado Plateau, a huge area of high land.
This mountain is made of a rock called Point Lookout Sandstone. This sandstone layer is about 400 feet thick. It is the oldest of three rock layers that form the Mesaverde Group. This group of rocks is common in the Mesa Verde region.
Below the hard sandstone is a softer rock called Mancos Shale. This shale layer is 2,000 feet thick and goes all the way to the valley floor. Rainwater that falls on Point Lookout flows into the San Juan River.
Weather at Point Lookout
Point Lookout has a Humid continental climate. This means it has warm summers and cold winters. The best time to visit is from April through October. During these months, the weather is usually pleasant for hiking and exploring.
| Climate data for Mesa Verde Park Headquarters. Elev: 6877 ft (2096 m) | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 39.5 (4.2) |
43.1 (6.2) |
50.5 (10.3) |
58.6 (14.8) |
68.6 (20.3) |
79.6 (26.4) |
84.9 (29.4) |
82.1 (27.8) |
74.5 (23.6) |
62.3 (16.8) |
49.4 (9.7) |
39.7 (4.3) |
61.2 (16.2) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 28.6 (−1.9) |
32.0 (0.0) |
38.7 (3.7) |
45.5 (7.5) |
54.8 (12.7) |
64.6 (18.1) |
70.3 (21.3) |
68.3 (20.2) |
60.9 (16.1) |
49.5 (9.7) |
37.9 (3.3) |
29.0 (−1.7) |
48.4 (9.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 17.7 (−7.9) |
20.9 (−6.2) |
26.8 (−2.9) |
32.4 (0.2) |
41.0 (5.0) |
49.5 (9.7) |
55.7 (13.2) |
54.6 (12.6) |
47.3 (8.5) |
36.7 (2.6) |
26.5 (−3.1) |
18.3 (−7.6) |
35.7 (2.1) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 1.58 (40) |
1.48 (38) |
1.61 (41) |
1.21 (31) |
1.00 (25) |
0.53 (13) |
1.61 (41) |
2.12 (54) |
1.84 (47) |
1.64 (42) |
1.47 (37) |
1.45 (37) |
17.54 (446) |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 61.7 | 57.8 | 47.0 | 38.7 | 33.1 | 25.6 | 32.1 | 39.9 | 38.1 | 40.7 | 49.4 | 59.1 | 43.6 |
| Average dew point °F (°C) | 17.1 (−8.3) |
18.8 (−7.3) |
20.2 (−6.6) |
21.8 (−5.7) |
26.3 (−3.2) |
28.5 (−1.9) |
39.1 (3.9) |
43.0 (6.1) |
35.2 (1.8) |
26.6 (−3.0) |
20.6 (−6.3) |
16.5 (−8.6) |
26.2 (−3.2) |
| Source: PRISM Climate Group | |||||||||||||
Images for kids
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Mancos Valley and La Plata Mountains from Point Lookout
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