Sheep Rock (Arches National Park)

Sheep Rock
East aspect
Highest point
Elevation4,564 ft (1,391 m)[1]
Prominence254 ft (77 m)[1]
Parent peakTower of Babel (4,655 ft)[1]
Isolation0.20 mi (0.32 km)[1]
Coordinates38°38′22″N 109°36′22″W / 38.6394252°N 109.6062297°W / 38.6394252; -109.6062297[2]
Geography
Sheep Rock is located in Utah
Sheep Rock
Sheep Rock
Location in Utah
Sheep Rock is located in the United States
Sheep Rock
Sheep Rock
Sheep Rock (the United States)
CountryUnited States
StateUtah
CountyGrand
Protected areaArches National Park
Parent rangeColorado Plateau[3]
Topo mapUSGS The Windows Section
Geology
Rock ageJurassic
Mountain typeButte
Rock typeEntrada Sandstone
Climbing
First ascent1986
Easiest routeclass 5.8 climbing[1]

Sheep Rock is a 4,564-foot-elevation (1,391-meter) pillar in Grand County, Utah. It is located within Arches National Park and like many of the rock formations in the park, it is composed of Entrada Sandstone, specifically the Slick Rock Member overlaying the Dewey Bridge Member.[4] The tower is 440 feet tall,[5] and is approximately 0.15 mile (0.24 km) from the main park road. Sheep Rock is believed to be a remnant abutment of an ancient fallen arch.[6] Precipitation runoff from Sheep Rock drains to the nearby Colorado River via Courthouse Wash. This landform's descriptive toponym has been officially adopted by the United States Board on Geographic Names.[2]

  1. ^ a b c d e "Sheep Rock - 4,564' UT". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2024-09-14.
  2. ^ a b "Sheep Rock". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2024-09-14.
  3. ^ "Sheep Rock, Utah". Peakbagger.com.
  4. ^ Stanley William Lohman, The Geologic Story of Arches National Park, U.S. Government Printing Office, 1975, p. 65.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference AAJ was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Utah's National Parks, Ron Adkison, Wilderness Press, 2001, ISBN 9780899972428, p. 206.