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1989 Map of Pelican Cone

Name: 1989 Topographic Map of Pelican Cone
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1989
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1989

About this map

Yellowstone National Park reveals its geothermal character through this late-1980s topographical record of the backcountry near the Mirror Plateau. The landscape is defined by hydrothermal activity, with named features such as the Hot Spring Basin Group and the vividly named The Mushpots Hot Spring and The Mudkettles. These sites indicate the ongoing volcanic and thermal energy that shapes this section of the park, far from the primary tourist roads.

Waterways like the Mirror Fork and Pelican Creek drainage systems provide the primary geographic structure, flanked by the Pelican Cone Trail. Evidence of park management and human presence is sparse but specific, centered on the Fern Lake Patrol Cabin. The map captures a moment of transition for the high-country wilderness, documenting the precise location of thermal areas and springs as they were recorded during aerial photography in 1985 and field checks in 1986.