Castle Dome (Zion National Park)

Castle Dome
Castle Dome
	Southeast aspect, from Zion Lodge
Highest point
Elevation	7,054 ft (2,150 m)
Prominence	540 ft (160 m)
Parent peak	Point 7180
Isolation	1.00 mi (1.61 km)
Coordinates	37°15′58″N 112°58′15″W / 37.2660965°N 112.9707089°W
Geography
	Castle Dome Location in Utah Castle Dome Castle Dome (the United States)
Country	United States
State	Utah
County	Washington
Protected area	Zion National Park
Parent range	Colorado Plateau
Topo map	USGS Temple of Sinawava
Geology
Age of rock	Jurassic
Type of rock	Navajo sandstone
Climbing
First ascent	2015, Stih and Purcell
Easiest route	class 5.2 climbing

Castle Dome is a 7,054-foot (2,150 m) elevation Navajo Sandstone summit located in Zion National Park, in Washington County of southwest Utah, United States.^[2] Castle Dome is situated northwest of Zion Lodge, towering 2,800 feet (850 m) above the lodge and the floor of Zion Canyon. It is set on the west side of the North Fork Virgin River which drains precipitation runoff from this mountain. It is wedged between Behunin Canyon and Heaps Canyon, with the popular Emerald Pools set at the southeast foot of this mountain. Its neighbors include Mount Majestic, Cathedral Mountain, The Great White Throne, Red Arch Mountain, Mountain of the Sun, and Lady Mountain. This feature's name was officially adopted in 1934 by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names.^[2]

Climate[edit]

Spring and fall are the most favorable seasons to visit Castle Dome. According to the Köppen climate classification system, it is located in a Cold semi-arid climate zone, which is defined by the coldest month having an average mean temperature below 32 °F (0 °C), and at least 50% of the total annual precipitation being received during the spring and summer. This desert climate receives less than 10 inches (250 millimeters) of annual rainfall, and snowfall is generally light during the winter.^[4]