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Obsidian Cliff

Outcropping of Volcanic Glass

Cliff on Obsidian Creek in Yellowstone NP, Rocky Mountains near Mammoth, WY

National Register of Historic Places

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Small pieces of obsidian, a black volcanic glass, are dispersed across much of Yellowstone National Park, but Obsidian Cliff is composed largely of the unique rock. The material was a favorite of Native Americans for making arrowheads and other tools because it is easy to use, and it naturally produces very sharp edges. In 1996, it was declared a National Historic Site due to its significance in Native American history.

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On Wikipedia

Obsidian Cliff, also known as 48YE433, was an important source of lithic materials for prehistoric peoples in Yellowstone National Park near Mammoth Hot Springs, WY. The cliff was named by Philetus Norris, the second park superintendent in 1878. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1996. The cliff was formed from thick rhyolite lava flow that occurred about 180,000 years ago. The vertical columns are cooling fractures that formed as the thick lava flow cooled and crystallized. The Cliffs stand at an elevation of nearly 7,400 ft. above sea level and go on for about half a mile. The cliffs also extend between 150 and 200 feet above Obsidian Creek. The flow consists of obsidian, a dark volcanic glass. The obsidian is most abundant at the base of the cliff and slowly tapers off to…

Photographs

Historical Photographs

Photographs above depict: Columnar structure at the southern end of Obsidian Cliff. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. ca. 1884. Joseph Paxson Iddings (USGS)

Top of obsidian columns, Obsidian Cliff. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. ca. 1884. Portion of this photo published as plate 17-B in U.S. Geological Survey. Water-supply paper 489. 1923; drawing of this photo published as plate 40 in U.S. Geological Survey. Monograph 32, pt. 2. 1899; plate 10 in U.S. Geological Survey. Annual report, no. 7, 1885-1886. 1888. Joseph Paxson Iddings (USGS)

Taxonomy

Classified As

Cliff

Waterbody

Obsidian Creek

Creek