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1986 Map of Shoshone Geyser Basin

Name: 1986 Topographic Map of Shoshone Geyser Basin
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1986
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1986

About this map

The Continental Divide snake through this high-altitude landscape within Yellowstone National Park, separating the headwaters of the Firehole River from the drainage basin of Shoshone Lake. The geological character of the region is defined by the Shoshone Geyser Basin, a dense thermal area at the edge of the lake featuring named geothermal vents such as Little Giant Geyser, Union Geyser, and Shield Geyser.

South of the geyser field, the terrain rises toward the expansive Pitchstone Plateau, a high volcanic upland marked by numerous small ponds and the origins of several drainages including Ferris Fork and Gregg Fork. The 1980s-era mapping documents a network of wilderness trails and footbridges that connect landmarks like Douglas Knob and Tempe Cascade, providing a record of the park's backcountry infrastructure before modern shifts in hydrothermal activity.