Betatakin Canyon is carved in the Jurassic-age Navajo Sandstone and the underlying Kayenta Formation. The ruins are in a large natural stone amphitheater that formed basically at the boundary between the two rock formations (NPS, 2007). Many small springs and seeps occur along the boundary between the formations. The top of the mesa is about 7,200 feet, whereas the base of the nearby canyon is about 6,400 feet . This view is from the Betatakin Overlook at the end of a half-mile hiking trail that starts at the Visitor Center. |