Specimen Ridge

Specimen Ridge
North face Specimen Ridge from Lamar Valley
Highest point
Elevation8,379 ft (2,554 m)[1]
Coordinates44°52′13″N 110°17′48″W / 44.87028°N 110.29667°W / 44.87028; -110.29667 (Specimen Ridge)[1]
Geography
Map
LocationYellowstone National Park, Park County, Wyoming, U.S.
Parent rangeWashburn Range
Topo mapAmethyst Mountain

Specimen Ridge, el. 8,379 feet (2,554 m) is an approximately 8.5-mile (13.7 km) ridge along the south rim of the Lamar Valley in Yellowstone National Park. The ridge separates the Lamar Valley from Mirror Plateau. The ridge is oriented northwest to southeast from the Tower Junction area to Amethyst Mountain. The ridge is known for its abundance of amethyst, opal and petrified wood. It was referred to as Specimen Mountain by local miners and was probably named by prospectors well before 1870.[2] The south side of the ridge is traversed by the 18.8-mile (30.3 km) Specimen Ridge Trail between Tower Junction and Soda Butte Creek. The trail passes through the Petrified Forest[3] and over the summit of Amethyst Mountain el. 9,614 feet (2,930 m).[4]

  1. ^ a b "Specimen Ridge". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2009-12-31.
  2. ^ Whittlesey, Lee (1988) Yellowstone Place Names. Montana Historical Society Press, Helena, Montana. 145 pp. ISBN 0-917298-15-2
  3. ^ Knowlton, F. H. (1914) The Fossil Forests of Yellowstone National Park. National Park Service, Department of the Interior, Office of the Secretary, Wasignton DC. 31 pp. Last accessed September 23, 2013.
  4. ^ Schneider, Bill (2003) Hiking Yellowstone National Park. Falcon Press, Guilford, Connecticut. 101 pp. ISBN 0-7627-2539-7 (pp. 199–202)