Red Butte facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Red Butte |
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Red Butte from the south
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 7,329 ft (2,234 m) NAVD 88 |
| Prominence | 956 ft (291 m) |
| Geography | |
 Red Butte
Location in Arizona
Red Butte
Location in the United States
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| Location | Coconino County, Arizona, U.S. |
| Parent range | Coconino Plateau |
| Topo map | USGS Red Butte |
| Geology | |
| Age of rock | Mesozoic |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | USFS trail on west side |
Red Butte is a unique landform located in the Kaibab National Forest in Coconino County, Arizona. A butte is like a tall, flat-topped hill with very steep sides. It's an important landmark in the area.
The Havasupai people, a Native American tribe, have a special name for Red Butte: Wii'i Gdwiisa. This means "clenched fist mountain." They consider it a very important and sacred place.
Red Butte stands out on the Coconino Plateau, which is a large, flat area of land. It's located between the San Francisco volcanic field and the famous Grand Canyon. The butte is made of different layers of rock. Its bottom part is made of sandstone, and above that are other rock layers. The very top of Red Butte is covered with volcanic rocks, which came from ancient volcanoes.
Exploring Red Butte
You can hike to the top of Red Butte! There's a trail that goes up the west side of the butte. From the summit, you get an amazing view of the San Francisco Peaks, which are tall mountains in Arizona.
Because of how the Coconino Plateau slopes, you can only see the very top edge of the Grand Canyon's North Rim from Red Butte. Still, it's a great spot to see the surrounding landscape.
The Fire Lookout Tower
At the very top of Red Butte, there is a special tower called the Red Butte lookout tower. This tower is used to spot wildfires in the forest. It's so important that it's listed on the National Historic Lookout Register. This means it's recognized for its historical value in protecting forests.
The tower has a specific design. It has a 14-foot by 14-foot room with tinted windows to help protect the people inside from the sun. There's also a metal walkway around the outside. Two large tanks are on the tower to hold water for the staff who work there.
