Chimney Rock (Jackson Butte) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chimney Rock |
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Jackson Butte | |
Southwest aspect
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Highest point | |
Elevation | 6,110 ft (1,860 m) |
Prominence | 690 ft (210 m) |
Isolation | 3.71 mi (5.97 km) |
Parent peak | West Ute Mesa (7,088 ft) |
Geography | |
Location | Montezuma County, Colorado, U.S. |
Parent range | Colorado Plateau |
Topo map | USGS Tanner Mesa |
Geology | |
Age of rock | Cretaceous |
Type of rock | Point Lookout Sandstone |
Climbing | |
Easiest route | class 5.x climbing |
Chimney Rock is an 6,110-foot (1,860 meter) elevation pillar located within the Ute Mountain Tribal Park, in Montezuma County of southwest Colorado. This landmark is situated one mile southeast of the junction of U.S. Route 491 and US 160, and towers 900 feet above the floor of the Mancos River Valley. This geographical feature is also known as Jackson Butte, named for William Henry Jackson (1843–1942), photographer and explorer famous for his images of the American West who visited this area during the Hayden Survey. He was the first to photograph the cliff dwellings in this Mesa Verde region of the Four Corners area.
Geology
Chimney Rock is located on the Colorado Plateau, and is composed of Cretaceous Point Lookout Sandstone, which is the oldest of the three formations that make up the Mesaverde Group which is common to the Mesa Verde region. The cliff-forming Point Lookout Sandstone overlays a pedestal of softer, slope-forming Mancos Shale. Precipitation runoff from this feature drains into the Mancos River watershed.