File:Checkerboard Mesa (Navajo Sandstone, Lower Jurassic; Zion National Park, Utah, USA) 1 (8290926905).jpg

Zion National Park is located at the western edge of the Colorado Plateau, in eastern Washington County, southwestern Utah, USA. Three areas of the park are readily accessible: 1) the far-northwestern corner (Kolob Canyons area) 2) the northwest-central area (along Kolob Terrace Road/Kolob Reservoir Road) 3) the southern area (vicinity of Zion Canyon)

The Zion area is dominated by relatively undisturbed, ~flat-lying sedimentary rocks of Mesozoic age (Triassic-Jurassic-Cretaceous). Erosion has carved deep canyons, resulting in spectacularly tall cliffs of stunning colors.

Shown above is Checkerboard Mesa, named in reference to the squarish structures formed by the intersection of horizontal to subhorizontal sandstone bedding planes and vertical to subvertical scour channels. The slopes of Checkerboard Mesa are cross-bedded quartzose sandstones of the Navajo Sandstone (~Upper Triassic to ~Lower Jurassic). Cross-bedding is quite apparent in the cliff here.