Tall Tales From The Field

Buttes, Plateaus and Mesas- What’s the Difference?

The images below shot last week along the Arizona/Utah border show buttes, plateaus and mesas, geologic land forms that permeate America’s Desert Southwest. In general terms, buttes are smaller than mesas and mesas are smaller than plateaus. Buttes were probably once mesas but shrunk in size due to erosion. Plateaus are bigger than both mesas and buttes. But specific sizes of each land form are not normally defined.

 

Mesas, Buttes and Plateaus make up the landscape near Fredonia, Arizona

 

 

 

Storm clouds hover over Gooseberry Mesa in Southern Utah. The smaller hills at the base can be categorized as buttes.

 

 

 

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This entry was posted on September 21, 2017 by . It was filed under Arizona, Desert Southwest, Utah and was tagged with , , , , , , , .

3 responses

  1. Tobias Mann

    Brilliant Photographs the desert is where I am most at home. Thanks for taking me back!

    Like

    September 22, 2017 at 12:29 PM

    Reply
  2. Kamila Pala

    Great pics and unique scenery! Bye. Kamila

    Like

    October 10, 2017 at 7:18 AM

    Reply

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