33*) GEOLOGICAL EXCURSION TO THE ROOKY MOUNTAINS. 



THE YELLOWSTONE PARK. 



By Arnold Hague. 



The Yellowstone National Park is situated in the northwest corner 

 of the State of Wyoming, with a narrow strip of country less than two 

 miles in width in Montana on the north, and a still narrower strip 

 extending westward into Idaho. I ts boundaries, as determined by the act 

 of Congress establishing the park, are ill-defined, as at the time of the 

 enactment of the law the region had been little explored. Its relations 

 to the physical features of the surrounding country were only slightly 

 understood. It is probable that before many years Congress will read- 

 just and clearly define the park boundaries, placing it entirely within 

 the State of Wyoming. That portion of the Park most frequented by 

 tourists lies south of the forty-lift h parallel of north latitude, and 

 between the one hundred and tenth and one hundred and eleventh 

 meridians of west longitude. For along time the park country and 

 the adjacent mountains remained an inaccessible land, which had defied 

 all efforts of the early explorers to discover its secrets. The early fur 

 trappers had been all around this unknown land, but they do not 

 appear to have been attracted by it; the Indians never resorted there 

 for permanent encampment, and as a dense forest growth covered the 

 mountains it long remained an uninviting, trackless region. An occa- 

 sional venturesome mountaineer entered the country, but not until 

 1870 was there any trustworthy account of a journey across its central 

 portion. At that time the region was the largest tract of unexplored 

 country in the Rocky Mountains. In 1871 Dr. F. V. Hayden, United 

 States Geologist, visited the region, accompanied by a corps of skilled 

 scientific assistants, including geologists, topographical engineers, and 

 a photographer. His expedition was eminently successful, and imme- 

 diately attracted the attention of the world. It must always redound 

 to the credit of Dr. Hayden that he fully appreciated the exceptional 

 character of the region and the advisability of its forever being held 

 intact by the General Government. lie laid the matter before the Con- 

 gress of the United States, and upon his earnest solicitation the park 

 was established.' 19 In the organic act of 1X72, defining the park, 

 Congress declared that the reservation waa " dedicated and set apart 

 as a public park or pleasure ground for the benefit and enjoyment of 

 the people." The wisdom and foresight of those who at that time 

 urged the Withdrawal from settlement of this tract of land from the 

 public domain has never been questioned. 



