| Rooster Rock | |
| Elevation Ft: | 5985 |
| Elevation Ref: | [1] |
| Prominence Ft: | 575 |
| Isolation Mi: | 1.05 |
| Parent Peak: | Meridian Butte (6,430 ft) |
| Map: | Arizona#USA |
| Map Size: | 230 |
| Label Position: | bottom |
| Location: | Navajo Nation Apache County, Arizona, U.S. |
| Range: | Colorado Plateau[2] |
| Coordinates: | 36.9156°N -109.9855°W |
| Coordinates Ref: | [3] |
| Topo: | USGS Rooster Rock |
| Rock: | Sandstone |
| Type: | Butte |
| Age: | Permian |
Rooster Rock is a 5985feet summit in Apache County, Arizona, United States.
Rooster Rock is situated 8.25miles 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 nearly 900abbr=offNaNabbr=off above the surrounding terrain in 0.25 mile (0.4 km). The nearest higher neighbor is Meridian Butte, to the south-southwest.[2] The landform's descriptive toponym has been officially adopted by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names.[3]
Rooster Rock is a butte composed of two principal strata. The bottom layer is slope-forming Organ Rock Shale and the upper stratum is cliff-forming De Chelly Sandstone. The rock was deposited during the Permian period. The buttes and mesas of Monument Valley are the result of the Organ Rock Shale being more easily eroded than the overlaying sandstone.[4]
Spring and fall are the most favorable seasons to visit Rooster Rock. 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 90°F annually, and highs rarely exceed 100°F. Summer nights are comfortably cool, and temperatures drop quickly after sunset. Winters are cold, but daytime highs are usually above freezing. Winter temperatures below 0°F are uncommon, though possible. This desert climate receives less than 10abbr=offNaNabbr=off of annual rainfall, and snowfall is generally light during the winter.[5]