The Witch Head
mountain in Zion National Park in Washington County, Utah, United States
The Witch Head is a 7,340-foot (2,240 m) white Navajo Sandstone mountain in Zion National Park in Washington County, Utah, United States, that is part of the Towers of the Virgin.
Description
The Witch Head is situated 2.5 miles (4.0 km) west of Zion's park headquarters, towering 3,300 feet (1,000 m) above the floor of Zion Canyon and the Virgin River, which drains precipitation runoff from this mountain. Its neighbors include The West Temple, The Sundial, Altar of Sacrifice, Meridian Tower, Bee Hive, and Three Marys. The first ascent of this feature was made in early March 1997 by Dan Stih and Ron Raimonde via the west face, which they rated a class 5.10 climb.
Climate
Spring and fall are the most favorable seasons to visit The Witch Head. 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.
The public source identifies “The Witch Head” as mountain in Zion National Park in Washington County, Utah, United States. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Witch, Head and mountain.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “The Witch Head”, the useful work is to connect “mountain in Zion National Park in Washington County, Utah, United States” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Maps, plans, fabric surveys and administrative records can establish how the site’s name, extent and function changed over time. The source revision retrieved here is dated Aug 16, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q104858581. Authority coordinates are 37.220, -113.019. None of the 1 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1997.
A single description cannot reconcile every naming convention, rebuilding phase or administrative transfer associated with a place. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “The Witch Head”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow The Witch Head primary sources, The Witch Head archive and Witch research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “The Witch Head”?
- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
- What physical evidence or contemporary plan supports the description?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “The Witch Head” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.