# Roan Cliffs

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The **Roan Cliffs** are a series of desert mountains and [cliffs](/source/Cliff) in eastern [Utah](/source/Utah) and western [Colorado](/source/Colorado), in the western [United States](/source/United_States)[1] that are distinct from (but closely associated with) the [Book Cliffs](/source/Book_Cliffs).[2][3]

## Description

While Roan Cliffs are "remote and inaccessible",[3] the Book Cliffs run along the edge of the [Castle](/source/Castle_Valley_(Carbon_and_Emery_counties,_Utah)), [Gunnison](/source/Gunnison_Valley_(Emery_and_Grand_counties,_Utah)), and [Grand](/source/Grand_Valley_(Colorado-Utah)) valleys[3] and are therefore readily visible from populated areas (i.e., [Price](/source/Price,_Utah) and [Green River](/source/Green_River,_Utah) in Utah and [Grand Junction](/source/Grand_Junction,_Colorado) in Colorado) and well traveled [transportation corridors](/source/Transport_corridor) (i.e., [I-70](/source/Interstate_70), [US-6](/source/U.S._Route_6), [US-50](/source/U.S._Route_50), and [US-191](/source/U.S._Route_191_in_Utah)). As such the Book Cliffs are much better known than the Roan Cliffs. In addition, the name Book Cliffs is often applied to both landforms, with Roan Cliffs being an alternate name.[4][3] Moreover, because of how far they are spread between Utah and Colorado, they are sometimes mistakenly believed to be separate landforms of the same name within each state.[5]

The Roan Cliffs are situated north of (in back of) and above, but run roughly parallel to, the Book Cliffs.[6][7][8] Stretching nearly 190 miles (310 km) from west to east, the Roan Cliffs begin on southern edge of the [West Tavaputs Plateau](/source/West_Tavaputs_Plateau), on the eastern edge of the [Willow Creek](/source/Willow_Creek_(Carbon_and_Duchesne_counties,_Utah)) (and the [US-191](/source/U.S._Route_191_in_Utah) corridor), north of [Emma Park](/source/Emma_Park), and northwest of [Helper](/source/Helper,_Utah) on the [Carbon](/source/Carbon_County,_Utah)‑[Duchesne](/source/Duchesne_County,_Utah) [county line](/source/Border).[7][9] (The Book Cliffs do not reach into Duchesne County, but do extend a bit further west to the [Price River](/source/Price_River).)[8][10] The Roan Cliffs then run southeast along the southern edge of the West Tavaputs Plateau (but north of [Whitmore Park](/source/Whitmore_Park_(Utah))), passing through the northeast corner of [Emery County](/source/Emery_County,_Utah) until it reaches the [Green River](/source/Green_River_(Colorado_River_tributary)) in the [Desolation](/source/Desolation_Canyon) and [Gray](/source/Gray_Canyon_(Utah)) canyons.[11] (The Green River divides the West Tavaputs Plateau from the [East Tavaputs Plateau](/source/East_Tavaputs_Plateau) and runs along the Emery‑[Grand](/source/Grand_County,_Utah) county line.)

Upon entering Grand County, the Roan Cliffs initially pass through the southern edge of the [Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation](/source/Uintah_and_Ouray_Indian_Reservation). The cliffs continue their southeast course along the southern edge of the East Tavaputs Plateau until they reach a point near the head of [Thompson Canyon](/source/Thompson_Canyon_(west-central_Grand_County,_Utah)) (about 12.5 miles [20.1 km] north of the community of [Thompson Springs](/source/Thompson_Springs,_Utah)). From that point the cliffs head northeast, but still along the southern edge of the East Tavaputs Plateau.[12] They continue northeast until, after passing partially and briefly back into Uintah County, they reach the Utah‑Colorado [state line](/source/Border).[13]

East of the state line, the Roan Cliffs continue a northeastern course in [Garfield County](/source/Garfield_County,_Utah) until they reach the [East Salt Creek](/source/East_Salt_Creek_(Garfield_and_Mesa_counties,_Colorado)) (and the [SH-139](/source/Colorado_State_Highway_139) [Douglas Road] corridor).[13] Beyond that creek, the Roan Cliffs run southeast along the southern edge of the East Tavaputs Plateau until they reach the [Colorado River](/source/Colorado_River) (and the [I-70](/source/Interstate_70_in_Colorado)/[US-6](/source/U.S._Route_6_in_Colorado) corridor) at a point about 2 miles (3.2 km) north of the [Town of De Beque](/source/De_Beque,_Colorado).[14] (The course of the Book Cliffs runs southeast to their eastern end at the Colorado River in the [De Beque Canyon](/source/De_Beque_Canyon), near the town of [Palisade](/source/Palisade,_Colorado) and just northeast of the city of [Grand Junction](/source/Grand_Junction,_Colorado). This is also the eastern end of the [Grand Valley](/source/Grand_Valley_(Colorado-Utah)).)

The Roan Cliffs then run briefly northeast again (along the Colorado River) to a point about 6.5 miles (10.5 km) west‑northwest of the [City of Rifle](/source/Rifle,_Colorado).[15] This is also near the highpoint for the Roan Cliffs, the Gardner Benchmark, with an elevation of 9,286 feet (2,830 m) and coordinates [39°34′02″N 107°54′36″W](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?params=39_34_02_N_107_54_36_W).[16] The course of cliffs then turns northwest to run along the southwest side of [Government Creek](/source/Government_Creek_(Garfield_County,_Colorado)) (and the [SH-13](/source/Colorado_State_Highway_13) [Government Road] corridor) until they reach their eastern end, just south of the Garfield‑[Rio Blanco](/source/Rio_Blanco_County,_Colorado) county line, about 62.8 miles (101.1 km) south‑southeast of the "mid-corner" of Rio Blanco County and about 11.2 miles (18.0 km) northwest of the City of Rifle.[1]

## History

The Roan Cliffs were originally called the **Brown Cliffs** by [John Wesley Powell](/source/John_Wesley_Powell) (the second Director of the [United States Geological Survey](/source/United_States_Geological_Survey)), but the name was officially changed in 1932 to Roan Cliffs, to better match the [roan](/source/Roan_(color)) color of the cliffs.[3][17][7]

## See also

- [List of mountains in Colorado](/source/List_of_mountains_in_Colorado)
- [List of mountains in Utah](/source/List_of_mountains_in_Utah)

## References

1. Chief, Branch of Field Surveys (13 Aug 1969). ["geonames.usgs.gov/apex/feat_folder?p_file=295226"](https://geonames.usgs.gov/apex/feat_folder?p_file=295226) (PDF). [United States Geological Survey](/source/United_States_Geological_Survey). Retrieved 18 Feb 2018.

1. [*Work Card: Book Cliffs*](https://geonames.usgs.gov/apex/feat_folder?p_file=1188895). [United States Geological Survey](/source/United_States_Geological_Survey). 1964. Retrieved 18 Feb 2018.

1. ["Geographical Names Information System: Feature Query Results: Roan Cliffs"](https://web.archive.org/web/20180913073942/https://geonames.usgs.gov/apex/f?p=138:2:0::NO:RP::). *geonames.usgs.gov*. [United States Geological Survey](/source/United_States_Geological_Survey). Archived from [the original](https://geonames.usgs.gov/apex/f?p=138:2:0::NO:RP::) on September 13, 2018. Retrieved 18 Feb 2018.

1. Van Cott, John W. (1990). [*Utah Place Names: A Comprehensive Guide to the Origins of Geographic Names: A Compilation*](https://books.google.com/books?id=z3Pqk9tazU4C&pg=PA318). Salt Lake City: [University of Utah Press](/source/University_of_Utah_Press). p. 318. ISBN 978-0-87480-345-7. [OCLC 797284427](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/797284427). Retrieved 18 Feb 2018.

1. Koltun, E. L. (9 May 1972). [*Domestic Geographic Name Report: Roan Cliffs*](https://geonames.usgs.gov/apex/feat_folder?p_file=833646) (PDF). [United States Geological Survey](/source/United_States_Geological_Survey). Retrieved 18 Feb 2018.

1. Koltun, E. L. (9 May 1972). [*Domestic Geographic Name Report: Book Cliffs*](https://geonames.usgs.gov/apex/feat_folder?p_file=593111) (PDF). [United States Geological Survey](/source/United_States_Geological_Survey). Retrieved 18 Feb 2018.

1. ["MyTopo Maps - Emma Park, Utah, USA"](http://www.mytopo.com/maps/?lat=39.8080&lon=-110.8221&z=12). *mytopo.com*. [Trimble Navigation, Ltd.](/source/Trimble_Navigation). Retrieved 18 Feb 2018.

1. ["MyTopo Maps - Kenilworth, UT, USA"](http://www.mytopo.com/maps/?lat=39.6882&lon=-110.8057&z=12). *mytopo.com*. [Trimble Navigation, Ltd.](/source/Trimble_Navigation). Retrieved 18 Feb 2018.

1. ["MyTopo Maps - Three Fords Canyon, Utah, USA"](http://www.mytopo.com/maps/?lat=39.3402&lon=-110.0393&z=11). *mytopo.com*. [Trimble Navigation, Ltd.](/source/Trimble_Navigation). Retrieved 18 Feb 2018.

1. ["MyTopo Maps - Steer Gulch, Utah, USA"](http://www.mytopo.com/maps/?lat=39.1921&lon=-109.7165&z=12). *mytopo.com*. [Trimble Navigation, Ltd.](/source/Trimble_Navigation). Retrieved 19 Feb 2018.

1. ["MyTopo Maps - Carbonera, CO, USA"](http://www.mytopo.com/maps/?lat=39.4588&lon=-108.9589&z=11). *mytopo.com*. [Trimble Navigation, Ltd.](/source/Trimble_Navigation). Retrieved 19 Feb 2018.

1. ["MyTopo Maps - De Beque, CO, USA"](http://www.mytopo.com/maps/?lat=39.3321&lon=-108.2151&z=10). *mytopo.com*. [Trimble Navigation, Ltd.](/source/Trimble_Navigation). Retrieved 19 Feb 2018.

1. ["MyTopo Maps - Rifle, CO, USA"](http://www.mytopo.com/maps/?lat=39.5448&lon=-107.7849&z=12). *mytopo.com*. [Trimble Navigation, Ltd.](/source/Trimble_Navigation). Retrieved 19 Feb 2018.

1. Retrieved 19 Feb 2018.

1. Kinney, Douglas M. (13 Sep 1972). ["geonames.usgs.gov/apex/feat_folder?p_file=295226"](https://geonames.usgs.gov/apex/feat_folder?p_file=295226) (PDF). [United States Geological Survey](/source/United_States_Geological_Survey). Retrieved 18 Feb 2018.

## External links

- [Image of Roan Cliffs on gigapan.com](http://www.gigapan.com/gigapans/104330)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Roan Cliffs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roan_Cliffs) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roan_Cliffs?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.