Mount Washburn, elevation , is a prominent mountain peak in the Washburn Range in
Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park is an American national park located in the western United States, largely in the northwest corner of Wyoming and extending into Montana and Idaho. It was established by the 42nd U.S. Congress with the Yellowston ...
, Wyoming. The peak was named in 1870 to honor
Henry D. Washburn
Henry Dana Washburn (March 28, 1832 – January 26, 1871) was a U.S. Representative from Indiana and a colonel and was breveted twice as brigadier general and major general in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
Biography
Born in Wood ...
, leader of the
Washburn–Langford–Doane Expedition
The Washburn Expedition of 1870 explored the region of northwestern Wyoming that two years later became Yellowstone National Park. Led by Henry D. Washburn and Nathaniel P. Langford, and with a United States Army, U.S. Army escort headed by Lt. G ...
. 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
Henry Dana Washburn (March 28, 1832 – January 26, 1871) was a U.S. Representative from Indiana and a colonel and was breveted twice as brigadier general and major general in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
Biography
Born in Wood ...
. A portion of Lt.
Gustavus Cheyney Doane
Gustavus Cheyney Doane (May 29, 1840 – May 5, 1892) was a U.S. Army Cavalry Captain, explorer, inventor and Civil War soldier who played a prominent role in the exploration of Yellowstone as a member of the Washburn–Langford–Doane Expeditio ...
'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
Boulder is a town in and the county seat of Jefferson County, Montana, United States. It is on the north bank of the Boulder River between Butte and Helena, slightly east of the Continental Divide, at the intersection of Interstate 15 and Mont ...
, 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
Elbert Green Hubbard (June 19, 1856 – May 7, 1915) was an American writer, publisher, artist, and philosopher. Raised in Hudson, Illinois, he had early success as a traveling salesman for the Larkin Soap Company. Hubbard is known best as the ...
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
The Teton Range is a mountain range of the Rocky Mountains in North America. It extends for approximately in a north–south direction through the U.S. state of Wyoming, east of the Idaho state line. It is south of Yellowstone National Park and ...
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 in , the hike from
Dunraven Pass
Dunraven Pass (el. ) is a mountain pass on the Grand Loop Road between Tower and Canyon in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.
History
In 1874, just two years after the park's creation, The 4th Earl of Dunraven and Mount-Earl, an Anglo-Irish ...
to the summit is moderate. Another trail that climbs in only starts from the Chittenden parking area.
One of three active
fire lookout tower
A fire lookout tower, fire tower or lookout tower, provides housing and protection for a person known as a "fire lookout" whose duty it is to search for wildfires in the wilderness. It is a small building, usually on the summit of a mountain or ...
s 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).
Closure
During 2021, all trails to the top of Mt. Washburn are closed due to construction projects in the Canyon Overlooks area.
See also
*
References
External links
Mount Washburn Webcam– A webcam from the fire lookout tower atop Mount Washburn.
{{Authority control
Washburn
Washburn (alternatively Wasseburne, Wasseborne, Wasshebourne, Wassheborne, Washbourne, Washburne, Washborne, Washborn, Wasborn, Washbon) is a toponymic surname, probably of Old English origin, with likely Anglo-Norman and Norman-French influen ...
Washburn
Washburn (alternatively Wasseburne, Wasseborne, Wasshebourne, Wassheborne, Washbourne, Washburne, Washborne, Washborn, Wasborn, Washbon) is a toponymic surname, probably of Old English origin, with likely Anglo-Norman and Norman-French influen ...
Washburn
Washburn (alternatively Wasseburne, Wasseborne, Wasshebourne, Wassheborne, Washbourne, Washburne, Washborne, Washborn, Wasborn, Washbon) is a toponymic surname, probably of Old English origin, with likely Anglo-Norman and Norman-French influen ...
Volcanoes of Wyoming