Chimney Rock (Utah)

Chimney Rock is a 6,420-foot (1,960-meter) elevation summit located in Capitol Reef National Park, in Wayne County of Utah, United States.[2] This landmark is situated 2.5 mi (4.0 km) northwest of the park's visitor center, towering over 300 feet (90 meters) above Highway 24. Chimney Rock is also 2.5 mi (4.0 km) northwest of another of the park's landmarks, The Castle. Precipitation runoff from this feature ends up in the Colorado River drainage basin.[5] The Chimney Rock Trail is a 3.5-mile loop trail that takes hikers to a view of Chimney Rock from above Mummy Cliffs.

Chimney Rock
Chimney Rock, south-southwest aspect
Highest point
Elevation6,420 ft (1,960 m) [1]
Prominence80 ft (24 m) [1]
Parent peakMummy Cliff[1]
Isolation0.34 mi (0.55 km) [1]
Coordinates38°18′51″N 111°18′00″W [2]
Geography
Chimney Rock
Location in Utah
Chimney Rock
Chimney Rock (the United States)
LocationCapitol Reef National Park
Wayne County, Utah, US
Parent rangeColorado Plateau
Topo mapUSGS Twin Rocks
Geology
Age of rockTriassic
Climbing
Easiest routeclosed to climbing[3][4]

Geology

This feature is an erosional remnant composed of red sandstone of the Moenkopi Formation, topped with a Shinarump Conglomerate caprock of the Chinle Formation.[6] The Moenkopi Formation dates to about 245 million years ago, having formed during the Triassic. Long after the sedimentary rocks were deposited, the Colorado Plateau was uplifted relatively evenly, keeping the layers roughly horizontal, but Capitol Reef is an exception because of the Waterpocket Fold, a classic monocline, which formed between 50 and 70 million years ago during the Laramide Orogeny.[7]

  • South aspect
  • Looking WNW at Chimney Rock, Hwy 24, and trailhead
  • From west

Climate

Spring and fall are the most favorable seasons to visit Chimney Rock. 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 32 °F (0 °C), and at least 50% of the total annual precipitation being received during the spring and summer. This desert climate receives less than 10 inches (250 millimeters) of annual rainfall, and snowfall is generally light during the winter.

Climate data for Capitol Reef Visitor Center, elevation 5,653 ft (1,723 m), 1981-2010 normals, extremes 1981-2019
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 58.6
(14.8)		 68.3
(20.2)		 78.3
(25.7)		 84.4
(29.1)		 94.6
(34.8)		 100.2
(37.9)		 100.8
(38.2)		 97.9
(36.6)		 95.4
(35.2)		 86.1
(30.1)		 70.4
(21.3)		 61.5
(16.4)		 100.8
(38.2)
Average high °F (°C) 40.6
(4.8)		 46.4
(8.0)		 54.7
(12.6)		 65.0
(18.3)		 74.5
(23.6)		 85.3
(29.6)		 90.4
(32.4)		 87.9
(31.1)		 80.2
(26.8)		 66.1
(18.9)		 51.3
(10.7)		 40.6
(4.8)		 65.3
(18.5)
Average low °F (°C) 17.8
(−7.9)		 22.7
(−5.2)		 30.2
(−1.0)		 36.2
(2.3)		 44.7
(7.1)		 53.1
(11.7)		 60.4
(15.8)		 58.5
(14.7)		 50.4
(10.2)		 39.0
(3.9)		 27.6
(−2.4)		 18.2
(−7.7)		 38.3
(3.5)
Record low °F (°C) −4.2
(−20.1)		 −11.8
(−24.3)		 9.1
(−12.7)		 18.1
(−7.7)		 27.2
(−2.7)		 34.6
(1.4)		 42.4
(5.8)		 45.1
(7.3)		 29.9
(−1.2)		 11.7
(−11.3)		 8.0
(−13.3)		 −7.5
(−21.9)		 −11.8
(−24.3)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 0.52
(13)		 0.34
(8.6)		 0.53
(13)		 0.47
(12)		 0.59
(15)		 0.47
(12)		 0.91
(23)		 1.20
(30)		 0.80
(20)		 0.98
(25)		 0.49
(12)		 0.32
(8.1)		 7.62
(194)
Average dew point °F (°C) 17.3
(−8.2)		 20.8
(−6.2)		 23.0
(−5.0)		 24.5
(−4.2)		 29.1
(−1.6)		 32.0
(0.0)		 40.0
(4.4)		 41.8
(5.4)		 34.8
(1.6)		 28.2
(−2.1)		 21.9
(−5.6)		 17.5
(−8.1)		 27.6
(−2.4)
Source: PRISM[8]

See also

References
  1. "Chimney Rock - 6,420' UT". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2020-09-26.
  2. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Chimney Rock
  3. Caitol Reef Rock Climbing, Utah.com
  4. Capitol Reef Rock Climbing and Bouldering, nps.gov
  5. "Chimney Rock, Utah". Peakbagger.com.
  6. Rick Stinchfield, Capitol Reef National Park The Complete Hiking and Touring Guide, Westcliffe Publishers, 2010.
  7. Capitol Reef Geology, NPS.gov
  8. "PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University". Retrieved February 19, 2019.
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