Mesa in Sedimentary Rocks
(c) 2000 Andrew Alden, licensed to About.com, Inc. (fair use policy)
Mesa is Spanish for table, and another name for mesas is table mountains. They have flat, level tops and steep, even sheer sides. This mesa shows both vertical and sloping flanks. Mesas form in arid climates in regions with nearly flat sedimentary rocks. Resistant layers protect the rock beneath them from eroding. Lava flows can also be the caprock for a mesa.
This mesa overlooks the Colorado River in northern Utah, where a strip of lush farmland follows the stream between its steep rock walls.
Fossils
Geologic Features and Processes
Glaciers and Ice
Landforms
Minerals
Rocks
Geology and Society
