Elephant Butte (Monument Valley)

Elephant Butte is situated southeast of the Monument Valley visitor center on Navajo Nation land. Precipitation runoff from this butte's slopes drains into Gypsum Creek which is a tributary of the San Juan River. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises above the surrounding terrain in 0.25 mile (0.4 km). The nearest higher neighbor is Three Sisters, to the southwest. ==Geology==

Elephant Butte is a butte composed of three principal strata. The bottom layer is slope-forming Organ Rock Shale, the next stratum is cliff-forming De Chelly Sandstone, and the upper layer is Moenkopi Formation. The rock ranges in age from Permian at the bottom to Early Triassic at the top. The buttes and mesas of Monument Valley are the result of the Organ Rock Shale being more easily eroded than the overlaying sandstone. ==Climate==

Spring and fall are the most favorable seasons to visit Elephant Butte. According to the Köppen climate classification system, it is located in a semi-arid climate zone with cold winters and hot summers. Summers average 54 days above annually, and highs rarely exceed . Summer nights are comfortably cool, and temperatures drop quickly after sunset. Winters are cold, but daytime highs are usually above freezing. Winter temperatures below are uncommon, though possible. This desert climate receives less than of annual rainfall, and snowfall is generally light during the winter. ==Gallery==

File:Monument Valley Elephant Butte.jpg|Northwest aspect File:North Window Viewpoint.jpg|Looking north through Monument Valley's North Window Viewpoint.South aspect of Elephant Butte to the left. File:Elephant Butte in Monument Valley.jpg|East aspect File:Road to the Valley, Spearhead Mesa, Elephant Butte and Camel Butte (46733088621).jpg|Spearhead Mesa (left), Elephant Butte (center), Camel Butte (right) File:Monument Valley 4.JPG|Southwest aspect File:Merrick and Elephant Butte.jpg|Merrick Butte (left) and Elephant Butte (right) File:Elephant Butte.jpg|WSW aspect File:Monument Valley panorama (33447523091).jpg|Elephant Butte (right) viewed from John Ford Point File:North Window Overlook.jpg|Southeast aspect of Elephant Butte viewed from North Window Overlook File:West-southwest aspect Elephant Butte.jpg|West-southwest aspect Elephant Butte ==See also==