Gunsight Butte

Gunsight Butte is a 4,678-foot (1,426 meter) elevation sandstone summit located in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, in Kane County of southern Utah.[2] It is situated 12 miles (19 km) northeast of the town of Page. Gunsight Butte is an island that towers nearly 1,000 feet above Lake Powell when the lake is full. This iconic landmark of the Lake Powell area is a butte composed primarily of Entrada Sandstone, similar to Padres Butte 3 miles (4.8 km) to the east-southeast, and Dominguez Butte 4 miles (6.4 km) to the southeast. The Entrada Sandstone of Gunsight Butte is overlain by Romana Sandstone, and capped by Morrison Formation.[3] The Entrada Sandstone, which was originally deposited as sandy mud on a tidal flat, is believed to have formed about 160 million years ago during the Jurassic period as a giant sand sea, the largest in Earth's history. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Gunsight Butte is located in an arid climate zone with hot, very dry summers, and chilly winters with very little snow.[4]

Gunsight Butte
South aspect
Highest point
Elevation4,678 ft (1,426 m) [1]
Prominence1,018 ft (310 m) [1]
Parent peakRomana Mesa[1]
Isolation2.46 mi (3.96 km) [1]
Coordinates37°03′41″N 111°20′08″W [2]
Geography
Gunsight Butte
Location in Utah
Gunsight Butte
Gunsight Butte (the United States)
LocationGlen Canyon National Recreation Area
Kane County, Utah, U.S.
Parent rangeColorado Plateau
Topo mapUSGS Gunsight Butte
Geology
Age of rockJurassic
Type of rockEntrada Sandstone

See also
  • Gunsight Butte seen from the west at Alstrom Point
  • Gunsight Butte seen from Alstrom Point
  • Below the south peak of Gunsight Butte
  • Gunsight Butte centered in lake

References
  1. "Gunsight Butte - 4,678' UT". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2020-11-13.
  2. "Gunsight Butte". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2020-11-13.
  3. T.C. Chidsey, Jr., D.A. Sprinkel, G.C. Willis, P.B. Anderson Lake Powell Geologic Guide, page 63
  4. Peel, M. C.; Finlayson, B. L.; McMahon, T. A. (2007). "Updated world map of the Köppen−Geiger climate classification". Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. 11. ISSN 1027-5606.
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