Mesas

A mesa is a flat-topped hill with steep, cliff-like sides. Mesas are found in dry areas like deserts. They look like giant tables rising out of the land. The word mesa actually means table in Spanish.

How Mesas Form

Mesas start as part of a larger, flat area of land. Over millions of years, wind and water wear away the softer rock around them. The hard rock on top protects the layers below. What is left is a flat-topped hill standing alone above the surrounding land.

Where to Find Mesas

Mesas are common in the American Southwest. You can see them in Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado. Monument Valley has some of the most famous mesas and buttes. Mesas can also be found in parts of Africa, Spain, and other dry places around the world.

Fun Facts

• Grand Mesa in Colorado is one of the largest flat-top mountains in the world.
• Some mesas are so large that towns and roads are built on top of them.
• Mesas slowly shrink over time as wind and rain wear away their edges.

Did You Know?

The Hopi people of Arizona have lived on top of mesas for over a thousand years!