| Smithsonian Butte | |
|---|---|
 Smithsonian Butte, north aspect | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 6,780 ft (2,070 m)[1] |
| Prominence | 1,400 ft (430 m)[1] |
| Parent peak | Canaan Mountain (7,363 ft)[1] |
| Isolation | 3.21 mi (5.17 km)[1] |
| Coordinates | 37°06′50″N113°04′47″W / 37.1138722°N 113.0796642°W /37.1138722; -113.0796642[2] |
| Geography | |
  Smithsonian Butte Location in Utah Show map of Utah Smithsonian Butte Smithsonian Butte (the United States) Show map of the United States | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Utah |
| County | Washington |
| Protected area | Canaan Mountain Wilderness |
| Parent range | Colorado Plateau |
| Topo map | USGSSmithsonian Butte |
| Geology | |
| Rock age | Jurassic |
| Rock type | Navajo sandstone |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | class 5.3climbing[1] |
Smithsonian Butte is a 6,780-foot (2,070 m) elevationsummit located in theCanaan Mountain Wilderness ofWashington County in southwestUtah, United States.[2]
Smithsonian Butte is situated four miles (6.4 km) southwest ofRockville and four miles south ofZion National Park, and can be seen fromUtah State Route 9.Topographic relief is significant as it rises 2,000-feet (610-meters) in one mile on its south side, and 3,000 feet in three miles above theVirgin River on its north aspect which drains precipitationrunoff from this mountain. Its nearest higher neighbor is Zion Butte, 3.2 mi (5.1 km) to the southeast, andEagle Crags are four miles to the east-northeast.[3] The uppermost part of this mountain is composed of light-coloredJurassicNavajo Sandstone which overlays the deep-red sandstone of theKayenta Formation. This geographical feature was named by geologistClarence Edward Dutton (1841–1912) for theSmithsonian Institution which had sponsored an exploration of the region, and the toponym was officially adopted in 1934 by theU.S. Board on Geographic Names.[2] From 1875 to 1877, Dutton's field party mapped 12,000 square miles (31,000 km2) of the high plateaus of southern Utah.[4] The saddle between Smithsonian Butte and its parent Caanan Mountain is named Dutton Pass, after him.[5] Access to this mountain is via the Smithsonian Butte National Back Country Byway.[6]
Spring and fall are the most favorable seasons to visit Smithsonian Butte. According to theKöppen climate classification system, it is located in aCold 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. Thisdesert climate receives less than 10 inches (250 millimeters) of annual rainfall, and snowfall is generally light during the winter.[7]
