The Cascades Volcanoes
The Pacific Northwest has a vibe all of its own. Trendy metropolitan cities, pulsing with their own energy. Thick forests of vibrant green and field strewn with wildflowers. Crashing ocean waves. And magnificent volcanoes that command the attention of the entire landscape.
The Cascade Arc is home to 20 very big and badass volcanoes, most of which are composite volcanoes, and over 3,000 smaller vents. Volcanic fields dot the landscape of the Pacific Northwest and have made it what it is today.
Yellowstone: Geyser Basins
Vital Stats
Name: Yellowstone
Type: Supervolcano
Eruption Status: Active
Last Eruption: Approximately 640,000 years ago
Location: Black Sand Basin, Biscuit Basin, Midway Geyser Basin, and Lower Geyser Basin
Approx. 44.4600° N, 110.8292° W
Northwestern Wyoming/Southeastern Idaho
Now that we’ve gotten to see some very impressive geyser action, I’m hooked! I’m stoked to explore the rest of the thermal features in Yellowstone National Park. You too? Well, then, let’s go!
The next stretch of our journey will take us west and north along the southern loop road toward Madison Junction. We will head through four distinct thermal areas: Black Sand Basin, Biscuit Basin, Midway Geyser Basin, and Lower Geyser Basin. Our first stop is only a mile up the road, and I’m ready to explore!
Yellowstone: Canyon
Vital Stats
Name: Yellowstone
Type: Supervolcano
Eruption Status: Active
Last Eruption: Approximately 640,000 years ago
Location: N 44 43.178 W 110 28.829
Northwestern Wyoming/Southeastern Idaho
The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone
It’s early. The sun hasn’t even begun to crest the eastern horizon and I’m shimmying into my coat and hiking boots. There’s too much of Yellowstone to explore to stay in bed a moment longer.
We swing by Yellowstone Lake to watch the sun come up. Brilliant bands of pink and orange streak across the sky and reflect in the deep water. Snow glints off of the peaks in the Absaroka Mountains just on the other side of the sprawling lake. A great horned owl hoots as it perches on a sign nearby. A young male elk tromps through the woods, scraping his horns against a tree trunk before disappearing in the brush at the top of the hill.