Obsidian Cliff Yellowstone National Park: Why To Stop

Yellowstone National Park’s Obsidian Cliff: All you need to know about this Wyoming landmark, and why your family shouldn’t miss this quick roadside stop…

Have you ever seen black glass rising into the sky reflected on a bright, sunny day? How about watching indigenous peoples creating spear points and other obsidian artifacts out of the dark volcanic glass? 

If you’re visiting Yellowstone, you can. (Well, you can see the former, not the latter. )

Don’t miss your chance to see Yellowstone’s Obsidian Cliff jutting out of the Earth, created by the infamous Yellowstone Caldera. A healthy dose of imagination can help your kids “get” what happened there. (By the way, does your family believe another Yellowstone eruption could happen? Just so the littles aren’t scared — scientists don’t know if there’s enough magma beneath the caldera to encourage an eruption.)

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What is Yellowstone’s Obsidian Cliff?

One of the richest sources of obsidian in North America, the Obsidian Cliff is a geological formation created from a rhyolitic lava flow from the Yellowstone Caldera underneath the park. The lava flow coursed through the area about 180,000 years ago. The “freeze drying” — which occurred during the glacial age — led to the obsidian formation. 

Who named the aptly named cliff? Philetus Norris, the second park superintendent, did so in 1878. The cliff became a national historic landmark in 1996.

What is Obsidian?

Obsidian is a natural volcanic glass formed by molten lava cooling quickly without crystallizing. If you’ve ever seen a black to dark brown, shiny rock that resembles glass, you may have found… ding, ding, ding! 

Obsidian. 

Here’s a quick rundown of what it looks like: 

• Sharp edges with a thin edge
• Breaks into shards
• Found in areas with past or present volcanic activity
• Obsidian with a high iron content may appear brown or red

Historically, various cultures have used it for making useful tools, weapons like arrowheads, knives or other cutting instruments and ornamental structures like jewelry and decorative items. 

Why is the Cliff Important? 

So, here’s the reason the cliff is important: Obsidian Cliff has an exposed vertical thickness of up to 98 feet. Most other obsidian remains strewn into chunks or in tiny pieces. Check out some other reasons:

• Cultural discoveries: Indigenous peoples used obsidian from the cliff thousands of years ago. (The Paleoindians likely entered America via the Bering land bridge between 21,000 and 14,000 years ago.) Can’t you just picture a Paleoindian dude creating a tool or weapon for scraping hides? Not only that, but they also started a widespread trade network for the rock.
• It’s impressive: It’s darn impressive to see vertical columns of shiny rock rising to the sky — you just don’t see that every day. You can see the richest source of obsidian in North America right here in Yellowstone.
• Archeological tracking: Archaeologists have ways to track the geochemical fingerprint of obsidian deposits, revealing information about the movements and migrations of ancient peoples who used these materials. If you’ve got a budding archeologist in your home, they will love hearing about the Native Americans who made pilgrimages to find this stuff for the most prized tool stones.

Where is Obsidian Cliff?

Yellowstone’s Obsidian Cliff is located near the north entrance of Yellowstone National Park in the United States.

You can find it along Grand Loop Road, which runs through the park, eight miles north of Norris Hot Springs and 2.5 miles south of Obsidian Lake. 

Why You and Your Family Shouldn’t Miss Obsidian Cliff…or Skip it Altogether

Yellowstone is full of weird and wonderful things, and the Obsidian Cliff is part of the wide range of geological features that make Yellowstone unique. 

Take a minute to imagine how the Obsidian Cliff formed. Imagine what the Earth looked like 180,000 years ago, then blasting from an active Yellowstone Caldera hotspot. So cool, right? 

So, why might you bypass it altogether? You can’t get close to the cliff or take pieces of obsidian. The most you can do is read about Obsidian Cliff on a pull-out with a kiosk that offers historical information about the cliff’s thick rhyolite lava flow, dark volcanic glass and its early prehistoric peoples. 

Worth it? Definitely!

At the very least, park, hop out of your car, and stretch your legs while you read the information at the kiosk. But I’d highly recommend taking another five minutes to go beyond the kiosk. There’s a quick little walk along a stream to get to a beautiful viewpoint where you can see a lovely meadow and get a good look at the Obsidian Cliff.

More Information About This Landmark and Its’ History

For more information about not only this Yellowstone landmark, but for LOTS of park details (geology, history, wildlife and more) definitely spend a couple of dollars and download this app!

It’s a driving tour that will narrate as your family negotiates the park, giving you all kinds of interesting info, points of interest…even awesome music, perfect for your Yellowstone adventure.

To read more about the history and culture of Native Americans who lived in this area (and valued the obsidian at this cliff) I highly recommend a couple of books:

• Mountain Spirit: The Sheep Eater Indians of Yellowstone
• Sheepeater Indian (fiction series)
• The Chosen One (fiction series)