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Yellowstone National Park
Eruptions
Yellowstone's Eruption Time Table
 
About 16 million years ago, a series of volcanic eruptions began in what is now western Idaho and northern Nevada. About 2.1 million years ago another eruption occurred under the southwestern portion of Yellowstone. The volume of material ejected during this eruption is difficult to imagine; it is estimated to be 2,400 times the size of the 1980 Mount St. Helens explosion. (Illustration based on Smith, R. B., and Siegel, L., 2000, Windows into the Earth; New York, Oxford University Press.)

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Did You Know?
Even though the animals of Yellowstone seem tame they are still wild. Feeding the animals is not permitted in any way, and all visitors must keep 100 yards away from wolves and bears, and 25 yards from other animals.

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Last Updated: July 11, 2007 at 16:20 MST