124 EEPORT UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 



Section II.— SPEINGS Ol^ MADISOJ^ EIVBE DEAINAGE. 

 CHAPTER VI. 



GIBBON RIVER SPRINGS. 



Gibbon Eiver was named by Dr. Hayden in 1872, in honor of Gen- 

 eral John Gibbon, United States Army, who had partially explored it. It 

 rises opposite the waters of Gardiner's Eiver, and flows in a southerly 

 direction for about 15 miles, when it turns eastward and, after a course 

 of about 6 miles, unites with the stream from the Fire Hole Geyser 

 Basins just at the head of the Upper Caiion of the Madison. 



In 1871 we were told of springs existing at the head of Gardiner's 

 Eiver, and on the streams opposite, but did not get any detailed descrip- 

 tion, nor did we visit them. Mr. P. W. ISTorris visited this region in 

 1875, and mentions it in his report for 1877,* and in his reports for 1878 

 and 1879 there are fragmentary descriptions of some of the springs. 



The entire course of the river is in volcanic rocks, and where we have 

 open valleys there are deposits of clays, in which there are mud springs. 



The spring areas on Gibbon Eiver are some six in number. The 

 three most important of these will be described in detail farther on. 

 Near the head of the main spring are some sulphur vents and dead 

 springs, much like those at the head of Obsidian Creek, just across the 

 divide from the head of Gibbon Eiver. They are unimportant and will 

 not be further described. West of these fumaroles and north of the 

 main Gibbon Basin is a locality that has never been visited. It is in- 

 dicated on the map at the head of a small stream that joins the river in 

 the broad open valley north of the Monument Basin. Great volumes of 

 steam were noticed rising from it, and it is probable that it is the site 

 of an important geyser. The two other localities which will not be 

 described in detail are those of Geyser Creek and the one on the west 

 side of the broad open valley. Their position is indicated on the geo- 

 logical map of the Park. 



GIBBON GEYSER BASIN. 



The Gibbon Geyser Basin covers an area of about 6 square miles, and 

 is one of the most interesting within the limits of the Park, as here we 

 have a geyser that has broken out within a short period. Mr. P. W. ]Sf or- 

 ris is probably the discoverer of the basin. In his report for 1877 the 

 accompanying map does not indicate the locality, although, on page 13, 

 he says he passed from the forks of the Fire Hole, via Gibbon Eiver, 

 &c., to the Mammoth Hot Springs. On the map accompanying his 1878 

 report, he indicates the locality as Fire Hole Basins, and on the map of 

 the succeeding year calls it Norris Geyser Plateau. We have decided, 

 however, to retain the name Gibbon Geyser Basin, so that it will be 

 uniform with the names of the other localities. Norris built his wagon 

 road through the basin in 1878, and soon after it was finished we passed 

 over it and visited the springs described in this chapter. In none of 

 his reports does Mr. Norris give any detailed description of the springs, 

 and we believe the following description, with the accompanying map, 



* Report upon the Yellowstone National Park, by P. W. Norris, p. 13. 



