Mount Washburn
Mountain of the Rocky Mountains
title: "Mount Washburn" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["mountains-of-wyoming", "mountains-of-yellowstone-national-park", "mountains-of-park-county,-wyoming", "volcanoes-of-wyoming"] description: "Mountain of the Rocky Mountains" topic_path: "general/mountains-of-wyoming" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Washburn" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Mountain of the Rocky Mountains ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox mountain"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Mount Washburn |
| photo | YELLOWSTONE-2014 98.jpg |
| elevation_ft | 10219 |
| elevation_ref | |
| prominence_ft | 2323 |
| prominence_ref | |
| listing | Mountains of the United States |
| location | Yellowstone National Park, Park County, Wyoming, United States |
| map | USA Wyoming |
| coordinates | |
| coordinates_ref | |
| topo | USGS Mount Washburn |
| type | Stratovolcano |
| range | Absaroka Range |
| last_eruption | 631,000 years ago (collapse eruption) |
| first_ascent | August 29, 1870 (Washburn, others, first documented) |
| easiest_route | Hike |
| :: |
| name = Mount Washburn | photo = YELLOWSTONE-2014 98.jpg | photo_caption = | elevation_ft = 10219 | elevation_ref = | prominence_ft = 2323 | prominence_ref = | parent_peak = | listing = Mountains of the United States | location = Yellowstone National Park, Park County, Wyoming, United States | map = USA Wyoming | range_coordinates = | map_caption = | coordinates = | coordinates_ref = | topo = USGS Mount Washburn | type = Stratovolcano | range = Absaroka Range | age = | last_eruption = 631,000 years ago (collapse eruption) | first_ascent = August 29, 1870 (Washburn, others, first documented) | easiest_route = Hike
Mount Washburn, elevation 10219 ft, is a prominent mountain peak in the Washburn Range in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, United States. The peak was named in 1870 to honor Henry D. Washburn, leader of the Washburn–Langford–Doane Expedition. The Washburn Range is one of two mountains ranges completely within the boundaries of Yellowstone.
History
On August 29, 1870, members of the Washburn-Langford-Doane Expedition ascended the peak they named Mount Washburn after their expedition leader, Henry D. Washburn. A portion of Lt. Gustavus Cheyney Doane's description is quoted below:
Mount Washburn became a very popular tourist attraction early in the park's history. Many tourist accounts tell of a trip to the summit of Mount Washburn. In 1879, Mrs. Elizabeth D. Wickes of Boulder, Montana, in a party of eight men and five ladies, spent six weeks touring the park. Her account of Mount Washburn follows:
In 1914, two years before automobiles were allowed in Yellowstone, noted author Elbert Hubbard and his wife Alice spent two weeks touring Yellowstone. In a short article written after the trip—A Little Journey to the Yellowstone Hubbard described his visit to Mount Washburn.
Mount Washburn trails
Views from the summit include much of the northern section of Yellowstone National Park and on clear days, the Teton Range is also visible. The mountain trails are some of the most frequented in the park, so summer hikes can be crowded. With an altitude gain of 1,393 ft in 3 mi, the hike from Dunraven Pass to the summit is moderate. Another trail that climbs 1,491 ft in only 2.25 mi starts from the Chittenden parking area.
One of three active fire lookout towers in Yellowstone is located on the summit. There is a small visitor center and restrooms on the first floor, an observation deck on the second, and a ranger's residence on the top floor (closed to the public).
Geology
Mount Washburn is an ancient volcano. It collapsed in an eruption from either it or the nearby Yellowstone Caldera.
Closure
During 2021, all trails to the top of Mt. Washburn are closed due to construction projects in the Canyon Overlooks area.
|image = File:Washburn Summit.jpg |height = 230 |alt = Panorama taken from the fire lookout tower on the summit of Mt. Washburn. The center of the image looks south towards the Teton Range. |caption = Panorama taken from the fire lookout tower on the summit of Mt. Washburn. The center of the image looks south towards the Teton Range.
|title=Images of Mount Washburn |footer= |width=150 |File:HenryDWashburn.JPG|Mount Washburn's namesake, Henry D. Washburn |File:MountWashburnPostcard-Haynes.jpg|Postcard, Frank Jay Haynes |File:JacksonMountWashburn.jpg|Photographer and gear atop Mount Washburn, ca 1870s William Henry Jackson |File:MountWashburn1931.jpg|View from Mount Washburn looking south toward Hayden Valley 1931 |File:MountWashburnYNPJune2011.jpg|Mount Washburn from north rim of Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, June 2011
References
References
- "Data Archive Interface v1 | Data | UNAVCO".
- {{cite peakbagger
- {{cite gnis
- "Mount Washburn (U.S. National Park Service)".
- "Mount Washburn (U.S. National Park Service)".
- Chittenden, Hiram Martin. (1918). "The Yellowstone Park-Historical and Descriptive". Stewart and Kidd Company Publishers.
- Doane, Gustavus C.. (March 3, 1871). "The report of Lieutenant Gustavus C. Doane upon the so-called Yellowstone Expedition of 1870". U.S. Secretary of War.
- Whittlesey, Watry, p. 320
- "Hiking-Canyon". Yellowstone National Park.
- "Mount Washburn (U.S. National Park Service)".
- "Mount Washburn (U.S. National Park Service)".
- "Canyon Area Construction". National Park Service.
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