Defiance Plateau

Defiance Plateau
Region
Defiance Plateau, south of Chinle Valley, and east-northeast of Painted Desert-(light tan & arc-shaped) (Puerco River & valley, from New Mexico attached at southeast of desert)
Country	United States
States	Arizona, New Mexico
Regions	Painted Desert, (southeast)-Colorado Plateau & Navajo Nation
Counties	Apache, McKinley, San Juan
Borders on	Black Mesa-NW Chinle Valley & Creek-N Lukachukai Mountains & Red Rock Valley (Arizona-) New Mexico)-NNE Chuska Mountains-E & SE Puerco River-S & SE Painted Desert-SW, W, & WNW
Communities	Chinle, AZ, Window Rock, AZ, Navajo, NM, Nazlini, AZ, Sawmill, AZ, Ganado, AZ
Landmark	Canyon de Chelly National Monument
Creeks	Chinle Creek & Black Creek (Arizona)
Coordinates	35°53′48″N 109°09′31″W / 35.89667°N 109.15861°W / 35.89667; -109.15861Coordinates: 35°53′48″N 109°09′31″W / 35.89667°N 109.15861°W / 35.89667; -109.15861
Highest point	Fluted Rock (Arizona)
- location	(near center)-Defiance Plateau
- elevation	8,304 ft (2,531 m)
- coordinates	35°53′09″N 109°14′56″W / 35.88583°N 109.24889°W / 35.88583; -109.24889
Length	75 mi (121 km)
Width	45 mi (72 km), (see text)
Defiance Plateau (at Sawmill, AZ) of Arizona and New Mexico

The Defiance Plateau, part of the geologic Defiance Uplift, is an approximately 75-mile (121 km) long, mostly north-trending plateau of Apache County, Arizona, and its east and southeast perimeter, are parts of San Juan and McKinley Counties, New Mexico.

The west and southwest of the plateau region borders the east, southeast of the Painted Desert, where the Puerco River enters the desert, flowing southwest from New Mexico then meeting the Little Colorado River which flows northwest through the Painted Desert-(light tan & arc-shaped), to the Colorado River-(at the northeast of the Grand Canyon). The Puerco River is the plateau's border on the south and southeast; at the northwest, the Black Mesa is the northwest border, and the north of the Defiance Plateau is bounded by the south of the Chinle Valley, where Chinle Creek flows north to meet the San Juan River in southeast Utah.

The north terminus region of the Defiance Plateau contains three canyons, with watercourses flowing due-west, as headwaters of Chinle Creek. The canyons are the Canyon de Chelly National Monument; two other canyons are southwest, part of the five canyon system, Little White House and Three Turkey Canyons.

The Defiance Plateau is part of the Navajo Nation. At the plateau's southeast, on Black Creek lies the site of Window Rock, Arizona, the Navajo Nation capitol.