Yellowstone

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Yellowstone

green NORMAL, 2026-04-01 16:30:25 UTC

The Yellowstone Plateau volcanic field developed through three volcanic cycles that span two-million years. Two of the eruptions are considered some of the world's largest volcanic events. Yellowstone's youngest eruptions have been lava flows that remain confined to the caldera of present-day Yellowstone National Park. The 77,000 year-old Pitchstone Plateau flow is the volcano's most recent lava.

Quick Facts

Location: Wyoming and Montana

Latitude: 44.615° N

Longitude: 110.6° W

Elevation: 2,805 m / 9,203 f

Volcano type: Caldera

Composition: basalt to rhyolite

Most recent eruption: 70,000 years ago (lava), current hydrothermal explosions

Threat Potential: High*

^{*based on the National Volcano Early Warning System}

Summary

The >2450 km³ (588 mi³) Huckleberry Ridge Tuff erupted about 2.1 million years ago, creating an approximately 75 km (47 mi) wide caldera and thick volcanic deposits. A second eruption cycle concluded with the much smaller Mesa Falls Tuff around 1.3 million years ago. Activity subsequently shifted to the present Yellowstone Plateau and culminated 640,000 years ago with the eruption of the >1000³km (240 mi³) Lava Creek Tuff and consequent formation of the 45 x 85 km (28 x 53 mi) caldera. Large volumes of rhyolitic lava flows (approximately 600 km³ (144 mi³) were erupted in the caldera between 180,000 and 70,000 years ago, distributed primarily along two north-south alignments of vents.

No magmatic eruptions have occurred since then, but large hydrothermal explosions have taken place during the Holocene, including from within and near Yellowstone Lake. Uplift and subsidence of the ground surface is centered on two uplifted regions (the Mallard Lake and Sour Creek resurgent domes). Large earthquakes occur just off the plateau along the nearby Teton and Hebgen Lake faults, the latter of which ruptured in 1959 (Ms = 7.5), causing considerable damage to the region. Yellowstone is presently the site of one of the world's largest hydrothermal systems including Earth's largest concentration of geysers.

Volcanism on the other side of the world from the Yellowstone Caldera

March 30, 2026

Volcanism on the other side of the world from the Yellowstone Caldera

Mapping snow- and ice-free zones to monitor thermal activity in Yellowstone using high-resolution commercial satellite imagery

March 23, 2026

Mapping snow- and ice-free zones to monitor thermal activity in Yellowstone using high-resolution commercial satellite imagery

Hot Spring Cleaning!

March 16, 2026

Hot Spring Cleaning!

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October 22, 2018

2018 update to the U.S. Geological Survey national volcanic threat assessment 2018 update to the U.S. Geological Survey national volcanic threat assessment

When erupting, all volcanoes pose a degree of risk to people and infrastructure, however, the risks are not equivalent from one volcano to another because of differences in eruptive style and geographic location. Assessing the relative threats posed by U.S. volcanoes identifies which volcanoes warrant the greatest risk-mitigation efforts by the U.S. Geological Survey and its partners...

Authors

John W. Ewert, Angela K. Diefenbach, David W. Ramsey

Volcano Hazards Program, Volcano Science Center, Agrigan, Ahyi Seamount, Alamagan, Anatahan, Asuncion, Belknap, Black Butte Crater Lava Field, Black Rock Desert Volcanic Field, Blue Lake Crater, Carrizozo Lava Flow, Cascade Range Weekly Update, Cinnamon Butte, Clear Lake Volcanic Field, Coso Volcanic Field, Crater Lake, Craters of the Moon Volcanic Field, Daikoku Seamount , Davis Lake Volcanic Field, Devils Garden Lava Field, Diamond Craters Volcanic Field, Dotsero Volcanic Center, East Diamante, Esmeralda Bank, Farallon de Pajaros, Fukujin Seamount , Glacier Peak, Guguan, Haleakalā, Hell's Half Acre Lava Field, Hualālai, Indian Heaven Volcanic Field, Jordan Craters Volcanic Field, Kama‘ehuakanaloa, Kasuga 2, Kīlauea, Lassen Volcanic Center, Long Valley Caldera, Mammoth Mountain, Markagunt Plateau Volcanic Field, Maug Islands, Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa, Medicine Lake, Mono Lake Volcanic Field, Mono-Inyo Craters, Mount Adams, Mount Bachelor, Mount Baker, Mount Hood, Mount Jefferson, Mount Rainier, Mount Shasta, Mount St. Helens, Newberry, Ofu-Olosega, Pagan, Red Hill-Quemado Volcanic Field, Ruby, Salton Buttes, San Francisco Volcanic Field, Sand Mountain Volcanic Field, Sarigan, Soda Lakes, South Sarigan Seamount, Supply Reef, Ta'u Island, Three Sisters, Tutuila Island, Ubehebe Craters, Uinkaret Volcanic Field, Valles Caldera, Wapi Lava Field, Weekly Update, West Crater Volcanic Field, Yellowstone, Zealandia Bank, Zuni-Bandera Volcanic Field

👁 Yellowstone Caldera 1996-2000 InSAR image, uplift in black box....

January 8, 2026

Uplift along the north rim of Yellowstone Caldera

An area on the north rim of Yellowstone caldera, to the south of Norris Geyser Basin, started to uplift slightly in July 2025. Similar deformation occurred in the same area during 1996-2004 and reveals characteristics of the subsurface.

Volcano Science Center, Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, Yellowstone

Uplift along the north rim of Yellowstone Caldera

January 8, 2026