# Aztec Butte > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Aztec_Butte > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Aztec_Butte.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aztec_Butte > Source revision: 1355616522 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{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 = {{cite peakbagger|pid=31361|name=Aztec Butte, Utah|accessdate=2020-10-12}} | prominence_ft = 232 | prominence_ref = | isolation_mi = 1.54 | isolation_ref = {{cite web|url=https://listsofjohn.com/peak/22367|title=Aztec Butte - 6,312' UT|website=listsofjohn.com|accessdate=2020-09-19}} | parent_peak = Shaft Benchmark (6,329 ft) | map = Utah#USA | map_caption = Location of Aztec Butte in Utah | map_size = 230 | part_type = Protected area | part = [Canyonlands National Park](/source/Canyonlands_National_Park) | country = United States | state = [Utah](/source/Utah) | region = [San Juan](/source/San_Juan_County%2C_Utah) | 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 = | range = [Colorado Plateau](/source/Colorado_Plateau) | rock = [Navajo Sandstone](/source/Navajo_Sandstone) | age = [Jurassic](/source/Jurassic) | topo = [USGS](/source/United_States_Geological_Survey) ''Musselman Arch'' | first_ascent = | easiest_route = {{YDS|3}} [scrambling](/source/scrambling) }} '''Aztec Butte''' is a sandstone [summit](/source/summit), elevation {{Convert|6312|ft|m|abbr=off|sp=us}}, located in the Island in the Sky District of [Canyonlands National Park](/source/Canyonlands_National_Park), in [San Juan County, Utah](/source/San_Juan_County%2C_Utah).{{cite gnis|id=1425211|name=Aztec Butte|accessdate = 2020-10-12}} Aztec Butte is composed of white [cross-bedded](/source/Cross-bedding) [Navajo Sandstone](/source/Navajo_Sandstone), which is the remains of wind-borne sand dunes deposited approximately 170 million years ago during the [Jurassic](/source/Jurassic) Period. It resembles the [Pyramid of the Sun](/source/Pyramid_of_the_Sun) in Mexico, which was built by the [Aztecs](/source/Aztecs).Stewart M. Green, ''Best Easy Day Hikes Moab'', Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, 2020, pake 115. [Ancestral Puebloan](/source/Ancestral_Puebloan) people traveled to the Island in the Sky area to hunt and gather seeds, then stored their food in stone [granaries](/source/Granary) near the top of Aztec Butte. These well-preserved granaries date to AD 1200–1300.Greg Witt, ''50 Best Short Hikes: Utah's National Parks'', 2nd ed., 2014, Wilderness Press, page 99. A half-mile hiking trail through flat grassland, followed by a quarter-mile [scramble](/source/scrambling) 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](/source/Upheaval_Dome). In addition to Upheaval Dome, other nearby attractions include [Mesa Arch](/source/Mesa_Arch) which is situated less than {{convert|1|mi|km|abbr=on}} to the southeast, [Muffin Butte](/source/Muffin_Butte) to the south, Green River Overlook to the southwest, and Trail Canyon to the north. Precipitation [runoff](/source/Surface_runoff) from Aztec Butte drains to the [Green River](/source/Green_River_(Colorado_River_tributary)). ==Gallery==
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
==Climate== Spring and fall are the most favorable seasons to visit Aztec Butte. According to the [Köppen climate classification](/source/K%C3%B6ppen_climate_classification) system, it is located in a [Cold semi-arid climate](/source/Cold_semi-arid_climate) zone, which is defined by the coldest month having an average mean temperature below −0 °C (32 °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{{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}}}} ==See also== * [Colorado Plateau](/source/Colorado_Plateau) * [Geology of the Canyonlands area](/source/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 --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Aztec Butte](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aztec_Butte) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aztec_Butte?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.