Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Point Sublime to a junction and goes straight on to Clear Lake Trail (see previous page) or left
at the junction to Lilypad and Ribbon Lakes.
Continuing on the Grand Loop Road
To reach Canyon Junction and Canyon Village when leaving the South Rim Drive, go north
after the bridge (that is, turn right onto the Grand Loop Road). For Fishing Bridge Junction,
go south (left).
13.7/1.7 Brink of Upper Falls Road to the east. Park at the end of the short side
road for a very short walk right to the top of Upper Falls, an exhilarating place to be.
From the parking area, you can also reach Crystal Falls on Cascade Creek. Walk back
along the side road, crossing over a small creek, to the North Rim Trail. Then walk an easy
200 yards (or meters) to Crystal Falls, which drops 129 feet (39 m) in three stages. When the
trail forks, take the right fork for the best views of the falls. The unmaintained trail to the left
crosses the bridge above the falls and continues on the North Rim Trail.
The cool green glen at the top of Crystal Falls was Superintendent Norris's favorite spot
in the park. In 1875 he gave the name Grotto Pool to the “broad, deep pool of placid water,
nearly hidden under the narrow shelf of rocks between the two leaps of the cataract.”
Canyon Colors
The colors in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone derive both from minerals and from
living organisms. There are infinite shadings of yellow and orange, and also reds and pinks,
off-whites, browns, greens, and black. Most of these colors result from the weathering of
the rocks and from the dissolved minerals that precipitated and deposited out of the hot
water that rose from below.
Rainwater and the oxygen in the air break down the rhyolite that is the predominant
rock of the canyon. At the same time, hot water and steam react with minerals in these
rocks. These processes convert some of the elements, such as iron and manganese, to new
minerals. The result gives us colors such as rust or brick red (iron oxide), black, or bright
yellow.
Some of the black shadings are probably magnetite, a jet-black iron oxide, while some
of the black is lichen growing on the rocks.
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