Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
often found in lodgepole forests. Geologist Arnold Hague, who spent many summers in the
park in the nineteenth century, advised rubbing arnica flower on sore muscles.
Not visible here due to the thick stand of trees is the western end of a wave-built sandbar in
the lake. A road along the shore used the sandbar as its roadbed for a few years, but it proved
too difficult to maintain—rangers later called it “Hard Road to Travel.” Water from the lake
flows through the sand below the sandbar to form the lagoon.
The intense fire damage you see for over a mile in this area was caused by the 2009 Arnica
fire.
6.5/14.1
Picnic area located in a partial burn.
7.4/13.2
Wide turnout where you can stop to walk along the east end of the natural sand-
bar.
7.9/12.7
Unmarked road to south, leading to Park Point picnic area. From the
picnic area, there's a beautiful view of the lake and the
Red Mountains
to the south. Their
highest peak is
Mount Sheridan,
(10,305 ft / 3,141 m), named for General Sheridan, Civil
War Union general, commander during the wars with Indian tribes, and a staunch supporter
of the park who paid several visits to the area.
The sandbar once used as a roadbed still graces Yellowstone Lake a century later.
8.7/11.9 Pumice Point,
with access to the lake. This point marks the northern boundary
of West Thumb Bay.
Pumice
is a porous form of volcanic glass that can be powdered and used
as an abrasive.
The closest mountain across the lake to the south is
Flat Mountain
(9,168 t / 2,794 m). It
marks the southeastern edge of the Yellowstone Caldera.
