Mexican Hat

Northeast of Monument Valley, in the southwest corner of Utah, is a 300-foot (90-meter) tall rock formation that may seem small compared to the mountains behind it but looks immediately distinctive. This rock formation is topped by a broad, flat, orange-red sandstone with a diameter of 60 feet (18 meters) that stands on a narrow pedestal of shale and siltstone. The balanced rock looks like an upside-down sombrero, leading to the rock formation being named the Mexican Hat.

The rock formation formed through different rates of erosion and weathering, with the softer layers of shale and siltstone being eroded faster from underneath the more resistant cap of sandstone. Such formations are generally temporary in geological terms, as continued erosion will eventually topple the Mexican Hat.

For now, though, the cap rock is sufficiently sturdy that experienced climbers can stand on its top, although reaching this location is challenging. Most other visitors, however, can still enjoy the view of the rock from the nearby roads or the trail that leads to the area right underneath the rock.