Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 43.djvu/315



HE fossil forests of the Yellowstone Park are among its most interesting features, but they are as yet not within ready reach of the tourist, and so little has been published about them that only a few have definite knowledge of them. It is accordingly believed that the accompanying notes in regard to them will be of general interest.

The locality to which the term fossil forest has especial reference is along the west rim wall of the valley of the Lamar River,



or East Fork of the Yellowstone, opposite the mouth of Soda Butte Creek. The same arrangement of petrified stumps and trees is, however, found at many other places in this region separated by considerable distances—as much as thirty miles. The general physical conditions that brought about the existing state of affairs is so plainly shown by the present exposures that they can not be mistaken.

The petrifactions were visited at several places, but the description appended refers to a part of the ridge designated on the map of the Geological Survey as Specimen Ridge, at a point about six miles east of the junction of the Lamar and Yellowstone Rivers.