Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Dunraven Pass
Between Tower and the dramatic Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is one of the most
nerve-racking and perhaps most beautiful drives in the park. Climbing up the flanks of
Mount Washburn, Dunraven Pass is the highest road elevation in the park. The spectacu-
lar summit of the road tops out at 8,859 feet and offers impressive views of Yellowstone's
caldera rim. Eagle eyes can also spot the nearby Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Hikers
will have no shortage of trailheads to start from. The whitebark pines that grow along the
road are a critical food source for grizzly bears, so keep your eyes open. Because of its ex-
treme altitude and relative exposure, Dunraven Pass is one of the last roads to open in the
spring and one of the first to close when bad weather hits. For current road information, call
307/344-2117.
MM Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
Yellowstone's most recent volcanic explosion, some 600,000 years ago, created a massive
caldera and subsequent lava flows, one of which was called the Canyon Rhyolite flow, in
the area that is now known as the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. This particular lava
flow was impacted by a thermal basin, which altered the rhyolite and created the beautiful
palette of colors in the rock through constant heating and cooling. Over time, lakes, rivers,
and glaciers formed in the region, and the relatively soft rhyolite was easily carved away.
Roughly 10,000 years ago, the last of the area's glaciers melted, causing a rush of water to
carve the canyon into the form it has today. The 20-mile-long canyon is still growing thanks
to the forces of erosion, including water, wind, and earthquakes. There are a number of ter-
rific lookouts on both the North and South Rims of the canyon.
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