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 The
Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is the primary geologic feature in the
Canyon District. It is roughly 20 miles long, measured from the Upper
Falls to the Tower Fall area. Depth is 800 to 1,200 ft.; width is 1,500 to
4,000 ft. The canyon as we know it today is a very recent geologic
feature. The present canyon is no more than 10,000 to 14,000 years old,
although there has probably been a canyon in this location for a much
longer period. The exact sequence of events in the formation of the canyon
is not well understood, as there has been little field work done in the
area. The few studies that are available are thought to be inaccurate. We
do know that the canyon was formed by erosion rather than by glaciation. A
more complete explanation can be found in the Geological Overview section.
The geologic story of the canyon, its historical significance as a barrier
to travel, its significance as destination/attraction, and its appearance
in Native American lore and in the accounts of early explorers are all
important interpretive points. The "ooh-ahh" factor is also important: its
beauty and grandeur, its significance as a feature to be preserved, and
the development of the national park idea.
The specifics of the geology of the
canyon are not well understood, except that it is an erosional feature
rather than the result of glaciation. After the caldera eruption of about
600,000 years ago, the area was covered by a series of lava flows. The
area was also faulted by the doming action of the caldera before the
eruption. The site of the present canyon, as well as any previous canyons,
was probably the result of this faulting, which allowed erosion to proceed
at an accelerated rate. The area was also covered by the glaciers that
followed the volcanic activity. Glacial deposits probably filled the
canyon at one time, but have since been eroded away, leaving little or no
evidence of their presence.
The Canyon Village complex is part of
the Mission 66 project in the park. The Visitor Center was completed in
1957, and the new lodge was open for business in the same year. Though
some people consider the development representative of the architecture of
the time, none of the present buildings in the complex can be considered
historic. There are, however, still remnants of the old hotel, lodge, and
related facilities. These constitute the cultural resources of the
district.
 The
Canyon Visitor Center is located 1/8 mile southeast of Canyon Junction
in the Canyon Village complex. The building was completed and open for
public use in late summer 1957 as part of the Mission 66 project in
Yellowstone. Its architecture and design are typical of other visitor
centers of that era. The Canyon Visitor Center has traditionally been the
location of exhibits explaining the geology of Yellowstone, but there has
been no permanent exhibit here since the summer of 1990. The Fire Exhibit,
now at Grant Visitor Center, was displayed here in 1991. During the 1992
and 1993 seasons, a geology exhibit designed and produced by students from
Shelley, Idaho; Cody, Wyoming; and Helena, Montana, was displayed.
"Imagine Yellowstone," the children's art exhibit, was here in 1994 and
1995, with a retrospective exhibit in 1996. In August 1997, a new exhibit
on bison was installed. This exhibit is the result of a cooperative effort
between Yellowstone National Park and the
Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody, Wyoming. The exhibit deals
with the natural history of bison and the bison as a symbol of wildness;
it also includes information on the current controversy surrounding
brucellosis. Planning for a permanent geology exhibit is underway. Audio
visual programs are currently not available at the Canyon Visitor Center.
The
Yellowstone Association has a large book sales outlet in the lobby.
Mapped below are a variety of
hiking trails in the Canyon area.
Additional maps are also available.
Information on this
page provided by the National Park Service.
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