Cope Butte

Cope Butte is a 3,754-foot (1,144 m) prominence adjacent the course of the Colorado River, in the Grand Canyon and sitting on the south side of Granite Gorge. The butte is roughly 4.5 miles (7.2 km) northwest of Grand Canyon Village of the central Grand Canyon. The butte has a triangular footprint, and contains a northwest-by-south slightly arcuate ridgeline spire. The prominence is near the north terminus of the sharp ridgeline, and is composed of white Surprise Canyon Formation.

Cope Butte
(view due-north)-Cope Butte on Granite Gorge, opposite Ninetyfour Mile Creek & Canyon, and Tower of Set
Highest point
Elevation	4,528 ft (1,380 m) [1]
Prominence	388 ft (118 m) [1]
Parent peak	Whites Butte
Isolation	2.02
Coordinates	36.0875°N 112.1074°W
Geography
Cope Butte
Location	Grand Canyon Coconino County, Arizona. U.S.
Topo map	USPS Grand Canyon
Geology
Age of rock	Pennsylvanian down to Proterozoic
Mountain type	sedimentary rock:
Type of rock	Surprise Canyon Formation? Redwall Limestone Tonto Group _3-Muav Limestone _2-Bright Angel Shale _1-Tapeats Sandstone Vishnu Basement Rocks

Cope Butte drains west into the Hermit Canyon watershed (Hermit Creek); the east side of the butte sits on the terminus canyon of Monument Creek (Grand Canyon). Because Cope Butte sits on Granite Gorge (Tonto Platform, south side) the Tonto Trail traverses northwest-to-southeast around the butte’s base. The Hermit Trail, from the south, and from Hermits Rest viewpoint (South Rim), excursions down Cathedral Stairs (red Supai Group units), and courses down the southwest base of the butte, to enter Lower Hermit Canyon.

Cope Butte, west aspect from Tonto Trail.
This feature honors American paleontologist Edward Drinker Cope

See also

• Geology of the Grand Canyon area
• Dana Butte

References

1. "Cope Butte, AZ - 4,528' AZ". Lists of John. Retrieved January 15, 2021.