About
Checkerboard Mesa is a dome-shaped sandstone formation in Zion National Park, in Utah, United States. Its surface carries a distinctive crosshatch pattern, which gives the mesa its name. The grid is the work of wind and water erosion acting over millions of years.
What you will see
The mesa rises as a rounded mass of rock, and its surface is cut into a fine lattice that is most visible when the light is low and angled across the stone. It is a formation you can understand quickly from the road, though the patterns reward a slower look.
Getting there
- It lies along the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway, which runs through the park.
- The park's address is Zion National Park, Springdale, UT 84767, United States.
- The park can be reached by phone at +1-435-772-3256.
Planning a visit
Checkerboard Mesa suits a visit that is shorter and more about the scenery than a full day of hiking. Because it sits on a scenic highway through the park, it fits naturally into a drive that takes in other sights in the area. Springdale, the gateway town at the park's entrance, is the natural base for visitors looking for places to stay and eat before or after a day in the park.