1956 Map of West Thumb

About this map

The Continental Divide winds across this portion of Yellowstone National Park, carving a high-altitude landscape where the hydrothermal features of the West Thumb Geyser Basin meet the deep cold waters of Yellowstone Lake. In the mid-1950s, the park's internal infrastructure relied on the Grand Loop Road and the South Entrance Road, which intersect near the Thumb Paintpots. This survey illustrates the relationship between the volcanic Pitchstone Plateau and the park's great lakes, including the isolated Shoshone Lake and Lewis Lake. Notable for backcountry researchers, the map identifies the Aster Creek Patrol Cabin and the thermal activity near Mount Sheridan, such as the Heart Lake Geyser Basin and Rustic Geyser, offering a precise view of the park's interior wilderness before modern developments.