checkerboard mesa

Checkerboard Mesa is a pretty unique looking part of Zion but the real highlight of this side of the park is the Bighorn Sheep. We had multiple sightings of bighorn while on this side of the park. The 1st time near dusk while hiking the Canyon Overlook trail. The second time was early morning as we made our way to Bryce Canyon for the day. Since it was early and no one else was out yet we were easily able to find a turnout to pull over into so we could get out and watch & take pictures of a large herd uninterrupted by other visitors. The 3rd time was on our return from Bryce but now with many tourists out and about the sheep were causing a traffic jam, which was causing some impatient jerk motorists to put themselves and more importantly the bighorns at risk by passing the jammed traffic on the winding narrow road. Needless to say we advise visiting early to enjoy the area in solitude and idiot free!

Checkerboard Mesa is one of the most recognizable and photogenic landmarks in Zion National Park with its distinctive cross-hatching patterns on a cone-shaped White Cliffs formation, You can drive Route 9 through the Upper East Canyon can stop and view the formation at the parking lot just down the road from the East Entrance ranger station.

I agree with others that this is more a quick stop photo op than a must see destination. Interesting layers and vertical grooves in the mountainside giving it a unique checkerboard appearance from the right angle. Again, if you're coming from the east entrance, worth a quick stop, but I don't think I would drive a significant distance to view this.

We appreciate the geological significance of the Checkerboard Mesa, but as other reviews have stated it is one of the sights of Zion that one does not need to go out of their way to drive to. If you're going to be passing by, then by all means stop at the pullover and check it out and the intriguing patterns created on the rock by the passage of time. If you have a list of must-see places for Zion NP, you could probably pass on this one for time spent in other areas.

We stopped to see Checkerboard Mesa as we were leaving Zion National Park on Route 9 en route to Bryce National Park. The Mesa is quite interesting geologically and if you are driving that way, there is a small pullout to stop and have a quick look and take a photo but I'd have been disappointed to have driven 14 miles from Route 89 (or 32 miles from Route 17) to see it.

Zion National Park is about the experiencing nature at its best. The Checkerboard Mesa is a stop along the road in the park. The formations in Zion are monumental, and Checkerboard Mesa is unique as we see the "jointing" created by the millions of years of geological changes. The results of the weathering, geological changes, water, etc. are these groves that create this checkerboard pattern. This is only a photo stop, although there is a designated hiking train in the area.

Checkerboard Mesa and this whole area is stunning in a very different way from the main canyon, but equally amazing in my book. It's like a lunar landscape among the red rocks and grandeur of other areas. The patterns in rock reveal so much of how this area formed and are just fascinating.

We entered the park on the east side and were confronted with these strange geological striations right away. After driving on the Utah highway for a couple hours, these landforms will make you sit up and take notice. The lines are so evenly spaced they look almost man-made! Zion is full of natural wonders and this is just one of the incredible sights. The Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway is a fantastic drive -- do it if you can!

Checkerboard Mesa is an iconic part of the Zion experience, whether your are entering or leaving from the east, and is worth stopping at for a quick look. The small parking area near it is a good place to take a quick view and shoot a few photos is you are short on time however its worth getting out and exploring a bit if unique geological formations interest you.

I see there are mixed reviews but to me Checkerboard Mesa is almost iconic for the park, perhaps because it is included in many guides and geology textbooks. Furthermore, the character of the scenery to the east of the tunnel has smaller details with the weathering accentuating the ancient sloped dune beds in the sandstone and smaller erosional features. This is different from the scenery to the west of the tunnel which is dominated by large scale cliffs and monoliths of the main canyon. Yes, it's the same rock but different landscape character and it's worth stopping here a bit too to enjoy it.There is almost no reason not to stop and see Checkerboad Mesa, at least from the parking area (I don't remember seeing any other place from which to see it unless you were to hike cross-country). You can see it while driving past but then you get 45 seconds and if you're the driver and are attentive to the road as you should be then you get about 5 seconds to enjoy it. Not enough for me. Stop in the parking area for a few minutes.The parking area isn't very large and it is on the north side of the road.

These Mesas are one of my favorite landforms in Zion National Park. They are not the most majestic or mammoth, but I think they are the most interesting. The cracking in the rocks is caused by the slowly changing pressures as each layer is buried and exhumed. The colors, when viewed with the other pinks and the green trees are unforgettable. Eventually these Mesas will be nothing but a pile of white sand, so don't delay many thousands of years before you see them. To locate these Mesas, you merely have to pay attention and they will be one of the first things you see when you enter the Park driving from the East on Mt. Caramel Highway. Pull offs are plentiful for picture ops. Enjoy.

The Checkerboard Mesa is just inside the eastern entrance of Zion NP and will be the first attraction you reach arriving from the east or the last as you leave for points east. In either case, it is worth a short stop to see the unusual erosion pattern giving this mesa its name and which even geologists do not fully understand its creation. However, I would not spend too much time as, if you are just arriving, there are much better attractions ahead in Zion and if you are leaving heading east, you’ll want ample time at Coral Pink Sand Dunes, Red Canyon and/or Bryce Canyon.

It is a large sandstone hill with some cracks running up and down and across. It mackes a nice photo stop.

You can drive by this and take a look. No reason to stop and take a picture. Looks cool but you will see much better rock formations in the canyon and narrows. Cool to see if you dont pland on hiking at all.

Remarkable viewpoint to the east of the Tunnel. It's a tough climb that despite appearences definitely needs a rope and gear as it steepens towards the top.We then found some side canyons away frm the carpark where again it was very easy to get away from other tourists.