Yellowstone National Park in Teton County, Wyoming — The American West (Mountains)
Biscuit Basin
Photographed By Bernard Fisher, July 24, 2011
1. Biscuit Basin Marker
Inscription.
Biscuit Basin. . This thermal basin is particularly volatile, unpredictable. On August 17, 1959, an earthquake recorded at 7.5 on the Richter scale had its epicenter just a few miles to the northwest. Four days later, Sapphire Pool began to erupt violently, blowing away the large rock biscuits around the crater. Biscuit Basin was named for those biscuit-shaped mineral formations.
This thermal basin is particularly volatile, unpredictable. On August 17, 1959, an earthquake recorded at 7.5 on the Richter scale had its epicenter just a few miles to the northwest.
Four days later, Sapphire Pool began to erupt violently, blowing away the large rock biscuits around the crater. Biscuit Basin was named for those biscuit-shaped mineral formations.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Environment. A significant historical year for this entry is 1959.
Location. 44° 29.106′ N, 110° 51.15′ W. Marker is in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, in Teton County. Located in the Upper Geyser Basin. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Moran WY 83013, United States of America. Touch for directions.
More about this marker. On top is a trail map with the caption, "From the boardwalk loop, longer trails climb out of Biscuit Basin and
Click or scan to see this page online
explore other features: Mystic Falls, Observation Point, Summit Lake, and Fairy Creek Trail."
On the lower right is a photo with the caption, "Other transformations occur here in slow motion. As you walk the ¼-mile loop, notice how the shifting runoff pattern kills forests, creating “bobbysox” trunks saturated with silica."
2. Geyers - Biscuit Basin. A description and history of the geysers in the Biscuit Basin. (Submitted on August 29, 2015.)
Photographed By Bernard Fisher, July 24, 2011
2. Biscuit Basin Marker
Photographed By Bernard Fisher, July 24, 2011
3. Biscuit Basin
Photochrom postcard by the Detroit Photographic Company, 1902
4. Sapphire Pool, Yellowstone National Park
Temperature 200-202°F Dimensions 18x30 feet. Sapphire Pool, named for its blue, crystal-clear water and for its resemblance to an Oriental sapphire, was once a placid hot pool. It was not until after the 1959 earthquake that major eruptions occurred. For several years following the earthquake powerful eruptions at two hour intervals reached 150 feet. The force of the eruptions caused the crater to double in size, destroying the biscuit-like formations around its edge, and the crystal-clear water became murky. By 1968 Sapphire ceased to function as a true geyser. Today Sapphire still retains its crystal-clear, blue water, and still violently boils and surges occasionally. - YellowstoneNationalPark.com
Image courtesy of the Yale Collection of Western Americana, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
Credits. This page was last revised on November 14, 2021. It was originally submitted on August 1, 2011, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 688 times since then and 9 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on August 1, 2011, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. 4. submitted on August 29, 2015.