Mount Washburn

Summit from the south

Location

Mount Washburn is located about 10 km north of Canyon Village and 20 km south of Tower - Roosevelt, East of the Dunraven Pass. Its summit can be reached via several trails from different directions.

Geology

With 3122 meters, it is the seventh highest mountain in the Gallatin Range. The summit lies on the edge of the Yellowstone Caldera. Mount Washburn is now a remnant of the former Absaroka - volcano and was formed some 50 million years ago.

History

The mountain was first described in 1870 by the Washburn - Langford - Doane Expedition. After Henry Dana Washburn, the head of this first systematic expedition to the Yellowstone area, he was also named. Due to its exposed position, he soon developed after the establishment of the national park a popular tourist destination. Also, a building was erected on its summit that serves as an observation post for forest fires. At the time of the New Deal was created in 1939-40 as part of the Civilian Conservation Corps, the present building. In the ground floor there is now a small visitor center with information on geology and ecology of the area, also is a publicly accessible viewing platform. The upper floors are still in a busy forest fire season around the clock fire observation post.