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Washburn Hot Springs Thermal Area

Remote Hot Springs in Near Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Thermal Area in Yellowstone NP, Rocky Mountains near Canyon Village, WY

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Scientists take gas samples at Washburn Hot Springs to measure sulfur-gas emissions from this thermal area. Photographer credit for above photograph, David E. Wieprecht (USGS).

Historical Field Note

Journal of Judge Cornelius Hedges member of Washburn-Langford-Doane 1870 Expedition.

Monday 29 [1870]. Quite cool this morning. Last night the water froze in camp. We were up early and broke camp. It takes a long time and is tedious business. All the party went together to-day. I took up my position in the rear and maintained my post well, letting my horse feed as long as he wanted. Walked considerable. Our route lay south well along an ascending divide; keeping the creek on which we camped last night on the right, soon came into a very plain Indian trail, said to be the Bannack trail. Many traces of copper rock and fine quartz specimens on the track. Near the head of the creek we plunged down the right hand side of mountains, following trail into timber; rough country. Langford, H.[Hauser] G.[Gillette] S.[Stickney] and I went up mountain [Mount Washburn] to the right. Wish I had better horse to see more of country. We are getting into heavily timbered country. Didn’t go far over divide till we camped in timber, open, plenty of good feed and so of game, bear and elk very plenty. After supper went with W.[Washburn] and D.[Doane] to see if we could reach the [Yellowstone] river. Saw no game but came on the most wonderful hot sulphur springs [Washburn Hot Springs] I ever saw. There were four main springs, three of which boiled violently; one made a noise like an engine. The upper and easternmost is very thick and left quite a deposit on a tree that I thrust in. There was one little chimney like miner’s cabin emitting smoke. I rolled some rocks into lower spring which seemed the deepest, opened mouth and water flowed out abundantly, very hot. Sulphur steam almost stifling.

— Cornelius Hedges

Sources

Hedges, Cornelius. “Journal of Judge Cornelius Hedges.” In Contributions to the Historical Society of Montana, 1904 Edition. Vol. 5. Helena, MT: Independent Publishing Company, 1876. https://www.google.com/books/edition/Contributions_to_the_Historical_Society/yt4UAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1.

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Thermal Area