TopographyThe central Utah area is a part of the Colorado Plateaus physiographic province. It is characterized by high plateaus bounded by steep cliffs cut by deep canyons, by precipitous rock ridges, by rock pinnacles and monuments, and by isolated mountain peaks. These are described briefly below.At the north edge of the area is the Roan (or Tavaputs) Plateau, which is divided into east and west parts by the canyon of the south-flowing Green River (called Desolation Canyon to the north and Gray Canyon to the south).The plateau is bounded on the south by the precipitous Book Cliffs.Elevations on the plateau reach nearly 3,140 m above sea level west of the Green River and 2,900 m east of the river. The plateau is dissected by deep canyons that contain streams tributary to the Green River or that flow generally southward across the Book Cliffs.At the west edge of the area is the Wasatch Plateau, which is bounded on the east by high cliffs similar to the Book Cliffs. Elevations on the higher drainage divides of the Wasatch Plateau range between about 2,900 m and 3,445 m above sea level.At the southern end of the area are the north-northwest-trending Henry Mountains, which are characterized by high domal peaks several miles apart separated by broad dissected saddle areas. Mount Ellen, the northernmost and highest peak, is 3,540 m above sea level. In the central part of the area is the north-northeast-trending San Rafael Swell, an uplifted area about 40 km wide and 113 km long marked by bare rock ridges, pinnacles, and narrow

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