It is situated 7 miles (11 km) north of Kayenta on Navajo Nation land, and can be seen from Highway 163 perched on the east edge of Tyende Mesa, where it towers 1,000 feet (300 meters) above the surrounding terrain.

Precipitation runoff from this feature drains into El Capitan Wash, which is part of the San Juan River drainage basin.

The first ascent of Owl Rock was made in April 1966 by Fred Beckey and Harvey Carter by climbing cracks on the west face, and then bolting up a smooth south nose to the summit.

Here the member crops out and the resistant limestone beds form a series of jutting ledges that serve partly in protecting the underlying strata.

The limestone beds are very resistant to erosion, forming thin ledges interrupting the slopes weathered from the dominant siltstone interbeds.