Checkerboard Mesa, Sandstone mesa in Zion National Park, United States.
Checkerboard Mesa exhibits a distinctive surface pattern with alternating horizontal and vertical grooves formed in white Navajo sandstone at 2027 meters elevation.
The geological formation received its official name in 1935 from the U.S. Board on Geographic Names, following a proposal by the park's third superintendent.
The formation serves as a testament to the geological processes that shaped the American Southwest, representing millions of years of sedimentary rock evolution.
Visitors can access the mesa via the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway, where parking areas provide opportunities for photography and geological observation.
The surface pattern results from two natural processes: horizontal lines from cross-bedded ancient sand dunes and vertical lines from temperature fluctuations.
Location: Kane County
Elevation above the sea: 2,027 m
Made from material: sedimentary rock
GPS coordinates: 37.21665,-112.87855
Latest update: March 17, 2025 20:10
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Zion Human History Museum
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Grotto Residence
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East Entrance Residence
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Echo Canyon
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