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Yellowstone Lake and Mountains Map

editor — Tue, 28 Jun 2016 02:40:00 +0000

Far left to right: Three sharp peaks of the Absarokas poke above the trees: Grizzly, Doane, and Ste- To the south are the Tetons, 60 miles away. Flat Mountain at the southern edge of Yellowstone Lake. To the right and behind Flat Mountain, Mt. Sheridan, with its fire tower. Frank Island, Yellowstone Lake’s largest island, heavily burned in a 2003 fire, and Dot Island, with West Thumb Bay to its right. Behind and between the islands is high, flat Thorofare country. To the far right is Stevenson Island, the long, narrow one that can become two islands when water is

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Lake View Panorama in Yellowstone

editor — Tue, 28 Jun 2016 00:00:00 +0000

If the day is clear you can see, left to right (north to south): West Thumb Bay’s northern edge in middle ground. Absaroka Range in the distance these are 50-million-year-old volcanic mountains. Absaroka was the name that the Crow called themselves, meaning children of the large-beaked bird and pronounced ab-SAHR-o-ka. Due east of the viewpoint are four closely grouped, pyramid-shaped peaks: Doane, Langford, and Stevenson are inside the park (and all more than 10,000 ft/3050 m high), and Plentycoups, the highest at 10,937 feet (3334 m), on the eastern border. Duck Lake in middle ground, West Thumb Bay’s eastern edge

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How Faithful Is Old Faithful?

editor — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 21:20:00 +0000

Old Faithful has never in recorded time erupted every hour on the hour, as you may have heard. Here are some figures given for average expected intervals between eruptions: 60 to 65 minutes, 1870 (Langford’s journal); 65.5 minutes, 1964 (Haynes Guide); 78 minutes, 1990 (Bryan’s Geysers ofYellowstone); and 92 minutes, 2008 (visitor center records). These figures do not show the range of intervals, which has always been on the order of 0.5 to 1.75 hours. Seismic activity can affect Old Faithful. Following the strong earthquake at Borah Peak, Idaho, in 1983, the average interval between eruptions became greater, at least

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In Praise of High Mountain Passes

editor — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 18:40:00 +0000

A Yellowstone experience that’s always a delight in good weather is the opportunity to sample a high pass in the Rocky Mountains. At three places in the park, the main road climbs above 8000 feet (2440 m). Besides Sylvan Pass, the other high passes are Craig Pass between Old Faithful Village and West Thumb Junction (8262 ft/2518 m), and Dunraven Pass, the highest (8873 ft/2704 m), between Tower Fall and Canyon Junction. What’s Different about Mountain Passes? You can tell you’re in a special environment even without getting out of your car. In June and early July, there are still

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CHIEF JOSEPH SCENIC BYWAY

editor — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 16:46:00 +0000

NOTE: Wyoming Highway 296 is described here from east to west. Instead of taking the Beartooth Highway, you may choose to reach the Northeast Entrance via another beautiful mountain pass, using Wyoming Highway 296, the Chief Joseph Highway. Dead Indian Pass (the former name for this entire route) is nearly 3000 feet (900 m) lower than Beartooth Pass, so this route receives somewhat less snow and is plowed (though not daily) in winter. Why Was This Route Named Dead Indian Pass? The marker at the summit of the Chief Joseph Highway attributes the name Dead Indian Pass to an incident

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Solitary Geyser Side Loop

editor — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 16:00:00 +0000

Just over the bridge and partway up the hill begins the trail to observation Point, a climb of about 150 feet (45 m) in elevation in less than half a mile (0.8 km). Observation Point gives you an excellent view overlooking much of Upper Geyser Basin, and it’s a fine place to watch Old Faithful. You can continue to Solitary Geyser on this trail, which rejoins the Geyser Hill walkway, or you can retrace your steps down from Observation Point. Like Chinese Spring near Old Faithful Geyser, Solitary Geyser was misused in earlier days, but in this case, the misuse

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FROM DUBOIS TO MORAN JUNCTION

editor — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 10:40:00 +0000

Instead of traveling via Jackson from the south, you may choose to reach the South Entrance via the southeast, from Dubois. Dubois, Wyoming Dubois Municipal Airport Population: 950 3.5 mi. (5.5 km) NW A small western town with one main street, Dubois (called DOO-boys by residents) is about 83 miles (134 km) from the South Entrance on an excellent road over high Togwotee (TOE-guh-dee) Pass. Dubois has inexpensive motels, several restaurants, and the National Bighorn Sheep Interpretive Center, where tours can be arranged to visit the sheep’s fall and winter range. U.S. Highways 26 and 287 Outside the town, once

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Recent research on the Yellowstone hot spot

editor — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 10:04:00 +0000

Plumes have been thought to come from the top of the earth’s metallic core, 1700 miles (2700 km) below the earth’s surface, and to rise to the surface of the earth. Some geologists have recently questioned the idea that such a giant plume created Yellowstone, with all its extraordinary volcanic features. There are two reasons for this recent questioning. The first is that geophysi A 1.2-million-year-old basalt lava flow near Calcite Springs extends across the middle of the photo. Vertical lines in the flow are the columns of basalt formed when the lava cooled and shrank. cists have refined the

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Short trails at Tower Fall

editor — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 07:50:00 +0000

An easy, paved walkway (about 0.3 mi/0.5km round trip) takes you out to a platform at the canyon edge, where there’s a fine view of Tower Fall and an interpretive sign about its hanging valley. The trail down to the base of Tower Fall and into the canyon to the junction of Tower Creek and the Yellowstone River is dicult to maintain. In fact, the trail in both directions along the Yellowstone River had to be closed in 2004 due to major washouts. Tower Fall on Tower Creek Tower Fall is the only waterfall in the park ocially called fall

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LOWER TERRACES WALKING TOUR

editor — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 05:36:00 +0000

The Mammoth Terraces are constantly changing! You need to approach them closely to appreciate the variety of colors and the heat and power of the springs. Ask at the visitor center where to find the best hot spring activity. There are many steps, but it’s worth the effort and covers a total of about 1 mile (l.6 km). A pamphlet about the terraces is available from the box near the Liberty Cap parking area. NOTE: Upper Terrace Drive has a wheelchair-accessible boardwalk ( 269). Opal Terrace Park at one of the several areas at the foot of the terraces. The

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Yellowstone Approaches to the South Entrance

editor — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 05:20:00 +0000

You’ll be entering Yellowstone through the South Entrance if you include a visit to Grand Teton National Park in your travel plans. It’s also the closest entrance for those interested in water sports or in backcountry hiking in the relatively undeveloped southern one-third of the park. The spectacular Tetons loom above the valleys from east or west and afford splendid photographing opportunities. As much as nine thousand years ago, Native Americans left evidence that they were here. Then in the last two centuries, many colorful characters have passed through Jackson Hole. Beaver trappers came as early as the 1820s, and

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The Case of the Wandering Mountains

editor — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 01:08:00 +0000

A number of the peaks you see from the Chief Joseph Highway, including Heart Mountain, Steamboat Hill, and Cathedral Cliffs, are part of a geological enigma, the Heart Mountain detachment. By sliding along for large distances, blocks of rock have covered other sedimentary rocks, some of which were younger. Several dozen such blocks, some in excess of 10 miles (16 km) across, are spread over an area 60 miles (97 km) long. It is thought that they slid southeastward along a nearly horizontal fault surface, which today has an average slope of only two degrees. It may be that this

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Yellowstone Approach to the East Entrance

editor — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Among the Wyoming gateway communities, the growing town of Cody is rivaled only by Jackson for its complete range of tourist attractions and facilities. Cody has the advantage of having considerably lower-priced accommodations than does Jackson. William Frederick Cody, who, with George Beck, founded the town in 1896, was world famous as Buffalo Bill, a name he won as a young man by killing more than 4000 buffaloes in a few months’ time. His prowess as a hunter and Indian scout was exceeded only by his fame as a showman. From 1883 well into the 20th century, he toured the

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Why Are There Fish Fossils on Top of the Mountain?

editor — Sun, 26 Jun 2016 20:40:00 +0000

The Beartooth Plateau is part of the large block of mountains, the Beartooth Range, which is about 75 miles long and 40 miles (120 by 65 km) across. The plateau was uplifted along nearly vertical faults and is mostly composed of very ancient granites and gneisses that are about 2.7 billion years old. When the uplift started about 50 million years ago, these ancient rocks were buried under about 12,000 feet (3660 m) of younger sedimentary rocks. These younger rocks have largely been eroded away but remain in a few areas, such as Beartooth Butte. The strata in the cliff

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Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces

editor — Sun, 26 Jun 2016 18:26:00 +0000

active at least since 1871. The formation is estimated to be about 2500 years old. Travertine may have sealed the small orifice at the top or, when the cone reached a certain height, perhaps the water pressure was insucient to lift the hot water to the top. Another extinct cone to the left up the walkway is named Devil’s Thumb. Not long ago a small boy commented as he passed, Devil’s Big Toe would be a better name! Adjacent to Devil’s Thumb is Palette Spring. Active in recent years, this colorful spring was so vigorously active in 2006 that part

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The Eight Plateaus Yellowstone

editor — Sun, 26 Jun 2016 16:00:00 +0000

Over the years of Yellowstone Park’s history, explorers and geologists have discovered and named eight plateaus within the much larger Yellowstone plateau (see map for approximate locations). Four were created by volcanic flows; the other four simply fit the definition of a plateau; that is, an extensive raised land area that is relatively flat. 1. Pitchstone Plateau is a geologically new expanse of rhyolite lava that flowed out of the caldera only 70,000 years ago in the most recent of the 30 or so relatively small eruptions of lava and ash since the last great caldera explosion. Since rain and

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Buffaloes, Wolves, and Coyotes

editor — Sun, 26 Jun 2016 13:58:00 +0000

As you pass the ranger station and Yellowstone Institute buildings you might ponder the coexistence in the Lamar Valley of three of Yellowstone’s larger mammals. This was the site of the Lamar Buffalo Ranch from 1907 into the 1950s, a part of the park’s efforts to revive the population of the nearly extinct buffalo (called that when the park was new, although zoologists prefer to call them bison). Here the animals were kept in corrals and were fed hay cut in the valley. The imported plains herd interbred with native mountain bison, and some of their descendents live in the

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FROM MORAN JUNCTION TO THE SOUTH ENTRANCE

editor — Sun, 26 Jun 2016 13:20:00 +0000

One of two Teton Park entrance stations is located at Moran Junction, just north of where U.S. 26/287 joins U.S. 89/191. Going north for about 3.5 miles (5.5 km) takes you to Jackson Lake Junction, where the Teton Park Road joins the U.S. highway. South of the junction is Jackson Lake Dam, first completed in 1911 and rebuilt in 1989. The dam has raised the water level of Jackson Lake as much as 39 feet (12 m). In August and September of dry Mt. Moran rises majestically over Willow Flats and years, drawdown for irriga- Jackson Lake. tion creates ugly

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Why Are There No Geysers at Mammoth?

editor — Sun, 26 Jun 2016 11:44:00 +0000

Two factors essential to create geysers are missing here: geysers require superheated water, and they need rock harder than the limestone to provide the required plumbing and buildup of pressure. Colors and Patterns in the Terraces Some of the bright colors in the runoff come from mineral deposits, but most come from microorganisms that thrive in hot water. These microorganisms begin to appear just a few days after a new spring is born. The resident bacteria and algae help extract some of the carbon dioxide from the hot spring water. Calcium carbonate is precipitated on top of the organisms, which

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Precautions for Your Geyser Walks

editor — Sun, 26 Jun 2016 08:00:00 +0000

There is no drinking water available at any point on these trails. The only restroom is a chemical toilet near Morning Glory Pool. Stay on the walkways and watch children vigilantly; the water is hot and the crust near the hot springs and geysers is thin and brittle. Do not touch the water, since you can be scalded at 120°F (49°C) and the temperature in these pools and geysers ranges from 142° to 205°F (61-96°C). Planning your geyser walk Here are some ways to visit the geysers: 1. Join one of the ranger-interpreter led tours (1.5 or 2 hours long)

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