{{short description|Rock formation in Utah, United States}} {{Use American English|date=February 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox mountain | name = Aztec Butte | image = Aztec Butte, Canyonlands National Park, Utah.jpg | image_caption = Southeast aspect, seen from Mesa Arch Trail | elevation_ft = 6312 | elevation_ref = <ref name=peakbagger>{{cite peakbagger|pid=31361|name=Aztec Butte, Utah|accessdate=2020-10-12}}</ref> | prominence_ft = 232 | prominence_ref = <ref name=peakbagger/> | isolation_mi = 1.54 | isolation_ref = <ref name="listsofjohn">{{cite web|url=https://listsofjohn.com/peak/22367|title=Aztec Butte - 6,312' UT|website=listsofjohn.com|accessdate=2020-09-19}}</ref> | parent_peak = Shaft Benchmark (6,329 ft)<ref name=peakbagger/> | map = Utah#USA | map_caption = Location of Aztec Butte in Utah | map_size = 230 | part_type = Protected&nbsp;area | part = Canyonlands National Park | country = United States | state = Utah | region = San Juan | region_type = County | coordinates = {{coord|38.39751|N|109.873838|W|type:mountain_region:US-UT_scale:100000_source:gnis|format=dms|display=inline,title}} | coordinates_ref = <ref name=peakbagger/> | range = Colorado Plateau | rock = Navajo Sandstone | age = Jurassic | topo = USGS ''Musselman Arch'' | first_ascent = | easiest_route = {{YDS|3}} scrambling<ref name="listsofjohn"/> }}

'''Aztec Butte''' is a sandstone summit, elevation {{Convert|6312|ft|m|abbr=off|sp=us}}, located in the Island in the Sky District of Canyonlands National Park, in San Juan County, Utah.<ref name="gnis">{{cite gnis|id=1425211|name=Aztec Butte|accessdate = 2020-10-12}}</ref> Aztec Butte is composed of white cross-bedded Navajo Sandstone, which is the remains of wind-borne sand dunes deposited approximately 170 million years ago during the Jurassic Period. It resembles the Pyramid of the Sun in Mexico, which was built by the Aztecs.<ref>Stewart M. Green, ''Best Easy Day Hikes Moab'', Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, 2020, pake 115.</ref>

Ancestral Puebloan people traveled to the Island in the Sky area to hunt and gather seeds, then stored their food in stone granaries near the top of Aztec Butte. These well-preserved granaries date to AD 1200–1300.<ref>Greg Witt, ''50 Best Short Hikes: Utah's National Parks'', 2nd ed., 2014, Wilderness Press, page 99.</ref> A half-mile hiking trail through flat grassland, followed by a quarter-mile scramble with 200 feet vertical gain, leads to the top of the butte and the granaries. The trailhead is located alongside the road to Upheaval Dome. In addition to Upheaval Dome, other nearby attractions include Mesa Arch which is situated less than {{convert|1|mi|km|abbr=on}} to the southeast, Muffin Butte to the south, Green River Overlook to the southwest, and Trail Canyon to the north. Precipitation runoff from Aztec Butte drains to the Green River.

==Gallery==

<div style="max-width: 500px;"> <gallery mode=slideshow> File:Puebloan Pantry.jpg|Aztec Butte granary File:Canyonlands from Ancestral Puebloan Granary at the Top of Aztec Butte.jpg File:Aztec Butte Home.jpg File:Aztec Butte in Canyonlands National Park, Utah.jpg File:Outcrop of Navajo Sandstone on the Island in the Sky District of Canyonlands, June 2005.jpg File:Aztec Butte Trail 06 (4105632044).jpg </gallery> </div>

==Climate== Spring and fall are the most favorable seasons to visit Aztec Butte. According to the Köppen climate classification system, it is located in a Cold semi-arid climate zone, which is defined by the coldest month having an average mean temperature below −0&nbsp;°C (32&nbsp;°F) and at least 50% of the total annual precipitation being received during the spring and summer. This desert climate receives less than {{convert|10|in|mm|abbr=off|sp=us}} of annual rainfall, and snowfall is generally light during the winter. {{Weather box | width = auto | single line = Y | location = Island in the Sky Visitor Center, elevation {{convert|5666|ft|m|0|abbr=on}}, 1981-2010 normals, extremes 1981-2019 | Jan record high F = 58.6 | Feb record high F = 69.0 | Mar record high F = 79.8 | Apr record high F = 86.1 | May record high F = 98.5 | Jun record high F = 103.9 | Jul record high F = 106.4 | Aug record high F = 101.1 | Sep record high F = 97.9 | Oct record high F = 86.9 | Nov record high F = 71.0 | Dec record high F = 59.2 | year record high F = 106.4 | Jan high F = 38.1 | Feb high F = 44.1 | Mar high F = 54.9 | Apr high F = 63.5 | May high F = 74.2 | Jun high F = 85.4 | Jul high F = 91.7 | Aug high F = 88.7 | Sep high F = 79.5 | Oct high F = 65.8 | Nov high F = 49.7 | Dec high F = 38.1 | year high F = 64.6 | Jan low F = 20.8 | Feb low F = 25.8 | Mar low F = 33.3 | Apr low F = 40.0 | May low F = 49.5 | Jun low F = 59.8 | Jul low F = 66.0 | Aug low F = 63.9 | Sep low F = 54.9 | Oct low F = 42.5 | Nov low F = 31.1 | Dec low F = 21.3 | year low F = 42.5 | Jan record low F = -8.0 | Feb record low F = -12.4 | Mar record low F = 10.4 | Apr record low F = 16.3 | May record low F = 26.0 | Jun record low F = 28.7 | Jul record low F = 46.0 | Aug record low F = 50.2 | Sep record low F = 27.6 | Oct record low F = 9.2 | Nov record low F = 6.2 | Dec record low F = -9.4 | year record low F = -12.4 | precipitation colour = green | Jan precipitation inch = 0.53 | Feb precipitation inch = 0.50 | Mar precipitation inch = 0.76 | Apr precipitation inch = 0.72 | May precipitation inch = 0.70 | Jun precipitation inch = 0.45 | Jul precipitation inch = 0.93 | Aug precipitation inch = 1.04 | Sep precipitation inch = 1.06 | Oct precipitation inch = 1.30 | Nov precipitation inch = 0.70 | Dec precipitation inch = 0.58 | year precipitation inch = 9.27 | Jan dew point F = 18.6 | Feb dew point F = 21.8 | Mar dew point F = 23.3 | Apr dew point F = 25.7 | May dew point F = 29.5 | Jun dew point F = 32.7 | Jul dew point F = 41.2 | Aug dew point F = 45.1 | Sep dew point F = 37.6 | Oct dew point F = 29.5 | Nov dew point F = 23.2 | Dec dew point F = 17.9 | year dew point F = 28.9 | source = PRISM<ref name=prism>{{cite web|url=http://prism.oregonstate.edu/explorer/|title=PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University|access-date=February 19, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190825085652/http://prism.oregonstate.edu/explorer/|archive-date=August 25, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>}}

==See also== * Colorado Plateau * Geology of the Canyonlands area

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{stack|{{commons category|Canyonlands National Park, Aztec Butte Trail|Aztec Butte}}}} * [https://www.nps.gov/cany/index.htm Canyonlands National Park] National Park Service * Aztec Butte: [https://www.yr.no/en/forecast/daily-table/2-5534632/United%20States/Utah/San%20Juan/Aztec%20Butte weather forecast]

Category:Landforms of San Juan County, Utah Category:Colorado Plateau Category:Canyonlands National Park Category:Sandstone formations of the United States Category:Buttes of Utah Category:Rock formations of Utah Category:One-thousanders of the United States