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When Thomas Moran published this work in 1874,he titled the painting after the mountain range in this picture. He entitled it "The Yellowstone Range" after what the range was called at that time. Since then, it has become known as the Sierra Shoshone, and is presently misnamed the Absaroka Range.
Historical Origins of Mountain Names in Yellowstone
edited by James S. Macdonald Jr.

History of Yellowstone Place Names
Yellowstone History Guide
The Magic of Yellowstone


Source is from Hiram Martin Chittenden, unless otherwise noted.

Abiathar Peak
(NE corner of park near Baronett Peak)Named in 1885 by United States Geological Survey. Named for Charles Abiathar White, a paleontologist with the U.S.G.S.
Absaroka Range
(range forming eastern border of Yellowstone)Named in 1885 by United States Geological Survey. The name refers to the Indian name of the Crow Nation. Originally known as the Yellowstone Range, named after the Yellowstone River of which it is the source. The name "Yellowstone Range" dates back to 1863, and first explorers called it such. The name was officially recognized as "Yellowstone Range" in 1871 by both the Corps of Engineers and the U.S.G.S. The name appeared as such in all writings of the U.S.G.S. until 1883. In 1873, Captain W.A. Jones, of the Corps of Engineeers, led the first ever expedition through the range, and renamed them "Sierra Shoshone." He named them such because it was the Sheepeater Indians (a branch of the Shoshone) who dwelt in those mountains and in the park. By 1880, most people called the range "Sierra Shoshone." However, in 1883, when the U.S.G.S. surveyed, they inexplicably uprooted precedent and gave the range the name Absaroka. However, only the very northern portion of the mountains (north of Yellowstone) in any way were Crow Territory. Over decades of controversy, the name Absaroka, misnamed though it is, has become the name of common usage.
Atkins Peak
(southeastern Yellowstone, north of Eagle Peak)Named in 1885 by the United States Geological Survey. Named for John D. C. Atkins, Indian Commissioner, 1885-1888.
Bannock Peak
(northwestern Yellowstone)Named in 1885 by the United States Geological Survey. Named for the Bannock Indians who moved through the Park area from there down to the southwestern part of the park. The Great Bannock Trail ran roughly along the roads that do now from Mammoth out the Northeast entrance of the park.
Barlow Peak
(southern Yellowstone near the boundary)Named in 1895 by the United States Geological Survey.Named for Captain (later Colonel) J. W. Barlow, Corps of Engineers, leader of the military expedition which came through the park simultaneously with Hayden's Expedition in 1871. His name was originally placed to the upper course of the Snake River, but was transferred to this peak.
Baronett Peak
(northeastern Yellowstone)Named in 1878 by the United States Geological Survey. Named for C. J. "Yellowstone Jack" Baronett, a famous scout and guide, of the early history of the Park. (a link to a short biography of Baronett will be made available as ready).
Bunsen Peak
(northwestern Yellowstone, south of Mammoth Hot Springs)Named in 1872 by the United States Geological Survey. Named for the famous chemist and physicist, Robert Wilhelm Bunsen; the inventor of the Bunsen gas burner and the Bunsen electric cell; co-discoverer with Kirchoff of the principle of spectrum analysis; and the first thorough investigator of the phenomena of geyser action.
Mt. Chittenden
(eastern Yellowtone, east of the northeast end of Yellowstone Lake) Named in 1878 by the United States Geological Survey. Named for George B. Chittenden, a memeber of the U.S.G.S. (not to be confused with Hiram Martin Chittenden)
Cinnabar Mountain
(north of Yellowstone, outside park, northwest of Gardiner, MT) Named prior to 1870, apparently according to Hayden, for the color of its rocks mistakenly thought to be cinnabar which rather is due to iron. The Devil's Slide, a site also named before 1870, is also on this mountain.
Colter Peak
(southeastern Yellowstone, south of Eagle peak)Named in 1885 by the United States Geological Survey. Named for John Colter, first United States explorer into the Yellowstone region) (a link to a short biography of Colter will be made available as ready).
Mt. Doane
(eastern Yellowstone, due east of Yellowstone Lake)Named in 1871 by the United States Geological Survey. Named for Lieutenant Gustavus C. Doane, Second Calvary, U.S. Army, commander of the military escort to the Washburn Expedition of 1870. Originally, along with Mt. Langford, the name Mt. Doane applied to a mountain further to the south of where it is now. Hayden moved the name the following year.(Haines also used as a source.) (a link to a short biography of Doane will be made available as ready).
Dunraven Peak
(just north of the Canyon area, southwest of Mt. Washburn)Named in 1878 by the United States Geological Survey."This I have named Dunraven Peak in honor of the Earl of Dunraven, whose travels and writings have done so much toward making this region known to our cousins across the water."--Gannett. Dunraven came to Yellowstone in 1874. In 1876, his book, Great Divide, described his travels in the West. Colonel Philetus Norris, second Superintendent of Yellowstone, had named the peak for himself, but the U.S.G.S. changed the name in 1878.
Electric Peak
(Northeast Yellowstone on northern boundary of park)Named in 1872 by the United States Geological Survey. From the circumstances described by Henry Gannett, after ascending the mountain with surveying instruments, July 26, 1872: "A thunder-shower was approaching as we neared the summit of the mountain. I was above the others of the party, and, when about fifty feet below the summit, the electric current began to pass through my body. At first I felt nothing, but heard a crackling noise, similar to a rapid discharge of sparks from a friction machine. Immediately after, I began to feel a tingling or prickling sensation in my head and the ends of my fingers, which, as well as the noise, increased rapidly, until, when I reached the top, the noise, which had not changed its character, was deafening, and my hair stood completely on end, while the tingling, pricking sensation was absolutely painful. Taking off my hat partially relieved it. I started down again, and met the others twenty-five or thirty feet below the summit. They were affected similarly, but in a less degree. One of them attempted to go to the top, but had proceeded but a few feet when he received quite a severe shock, which felled him as if he had stumbled. We then returned down the mountain about three hundred feet, and to this point we still heard and felt the electricity.
Elephant Back
(near present day Lake Village on the Northwest end of Yellowstone Lake)Named by the United States Geological Survey in 1871. named for the mountain's appearance resembling that of an elephant's back. Originally, the name "Elephant Back" referred to the ridge of mountains upon which Mt. Washburn lies, and appears as such on Captain Raynolds' map of 1860, the Washburn Expedition of 1870, by Captain Barlow in 1871, and by Captain Jones in 1873. The U.S.G.S., whether by design or accident (no one knows) moved the name of "Elephant Back" to the lower ridge much further to the south. As late as 1875, Captain Ludlow was upset that the change of name had taken place.
Mt. Everts
(northern Yellowstone, northeast of Mammoth Hot Springs)The name originated in 1870 with the Washburn Expedition but was subsequently moved after the 1871 Barlow Expedition. Mt. Everts originally referred to what now is Mt. Sheridan, as Truman C. Everts along with Hedges (members of the 1870 Washburn Expedition) were the first known whites to have climbed the peak. Barlow changed the name of that mountain to Mt. Sheridan, and the name "Mt. Everts" was moved to an area that Everts was thought to have been rescued by "Yellowstone Jack" Baronett near Rescue Creek(more on Everts, and his fantastical journey, will be linked to a short biography when available). However, according to a letter from Chittenden, the actual mountain where Everts was rescued was six miles away. (Haines also used as a source.)
Factory Hill
(southern Yellowstone, north of Mt. Sheridan)Named by the United States Geological Survey in 1885. "Factory" had been applied at various times to different places that seemed to resemble, on frosty mornings, an active factory town. The name, now fixed, had been applied to locales as far back as 1829.
Flat Mountain
(southeast of West Thumb, along Yellowstone Lake)Named in 1871 by the United States Geological Survey. Name is characteristic of the Mountain. The peak had been previously named, Yellow Mountain, by the Washburn Expedition of 1870, from its yellow color.
Folsom Peak
(north central Yellowstone, northwest of Mt. Washburn)Named in 1895 by the United States Geological Survey. Named for David E. Folsom, leader of the Expedition of 1869, and author of the first general description of the valley of the Upper Yellowstone. (a link to a short biography of Folsom will be made available as ready).
Forellen Peak
(outside of park, south of the southwest boundary of Yellowstone)Named in 1885 by the United States Geological Survey. Named for the German name for trout.
Gallatin Range
(range along the northern and western boundaries of the park)Name in use prior to 1870. For instance, Captain Raynolds uses "Mt. Gallatin" on his map of 1860. The Gallatin River rises in this range.
Mt. Hancock
(near southern boundary of park, southwest of Barlow Peak). Named in 1871 by Captain Barlow for General Winfield S. Hancock, U.S. Army, famous for being a general during the Civil War and for losing a run at the Presidency against Garfield in 1880. Hancock, as commanding officer of the Department of the Dakota, lent active aid in the Yellowstone explorations.
Hedges Peak
(north of present day Canyon Village, and southwest of Mt. Washburn and Dunraven Peak)Named by United States Geological Survey in 1895. Named for Cornelius Hedges, a member of the Washburn Expedition of 1870. (a link to a short biography of Hedges will be made available as ready).
Mt. Holmes
(northwestern Yellowstone, north of White Peak)Named in 1878 by the United States Geological Survey. Named for W.F. Holmes, geologist with the U.S.G.S. The peak had previously been called Mt. Madison.
Mt. Hoyt
(eastern Yellowstone next to Avalanche Peak)Named in 1881 by Philetus Norris. Named for John W. Hoyt, then governor of Wyoming.
Mt. Humphreys
(southeastern Yellowstone, northwest of Eagle Peak)Named in 1871 by Captain Barlow. Named for General A. A. Humphreys, then Chief of Engineers.
Index Peak
(just east of the northeast boundary of Yellowstone)Received its name prior to 1870. Hayden notes about this mountain, and the one next to it, Pilot Knob (now generally known as Pilot Peak):"One of them derives its name from its shape, like a closed hand with the index-finger extending upward, while the other is visible from so great a distance on every side, that it forms an excellent landmark for the wandering miner, and thus it appropriate name of Pilot Knob."
Joseph Peak
(northwest corner of Yellowstone, southwest of Electric Peak)Named in 1885 by the United States Geological Survey. Named for Chief Joseph, the famous Nez Perce leader who led his tribe through Yellowstone in 1877.(a link to a short history on the Nez Perce in Yellowstone will be made available as ready).
Junction Butte
(northern Yellowstone, north of Tower Fall)Named after 1871 by Hayden and the United States Geological Survey. Captain Barlow in 1871 had originally given the name Square Butte, but the name never caught on. The name comes from the fact that the butte stands at the junction of the Yellowstone and Lamar rivers.(Haines, primary source with some Chittenden).
Mt. Langford
(eastern Yellowstone, northeast of Eagle Peak and Atkins Peak)Named in 1871 by the United States Geological Survey. Named for Nathaniel Pitt Langford, prominent member of the Washburn Expedition of 1870, lobbyist for making Yellowstone the first national park, and first park superintendent. The name Mt. Langford, as well as Mt. Doane, were originally named by the Washburn Expedition for mountains further to the south. Hayden, whether accidentally or purposefully moved the name of the mountains the following year. Subsequent years of protest by Langford failed to correct the misnaming.(Haines also used as a source.)(a link to a short biography of Langford will be made available as ready).
Mary Mountain
(central Yellowstone)Probably named in 1873 by a tourist party who went through that area. (See Mary Lake)
Mt. Moran
(in present day Grand Teton National Park, north of the Grand Teton)Named in 1872 by the United States Geological Survey for the artist Thomas Moran, whose paintings helped make Yellowstone a national park.(follow this link for a short biography of Thomas Moran)(find a gallery of Thomas Moran's art here.)
Mt. Norris
(northeasstern Yellowstone, southwest of The Thunderer)Named in 1878 by the United States Geological Survey. Named for Philetus W. Norris, second superintendent of the park, and whom Chittenden calls "the most conspicuous figure in its history." Norris named many features after himself. One such feature, now called Dunraven Peak, was called "Mt. Norris." The U.S.G.S. moved that peak's name to its present location in 1878.(a link to a short biography on Norris will be made available as ready).
Pilot Knob(generally known as Pilot Peak)
(just east of the northeast entrance to Yellowstone, and right next to Index Peak). Name dates before 1870. (see Index Peak for more on this peak.)
Roaring Mountain
(northern Yellowstone, south of the Obsidian Cliffs)Named in 1885 by the United States Geological Survey. Named for the "shrill, penetrating" sound coming from vents coming near its summit.
Mt. Schurz
(eastern Yellowstone, north of Eagle Peak and south of Atkins Peak)Named in 1885 by the United States Geological Survey. Named for Carl Schurz, Secretary of the Interior during the Hayes administration. Then name Schurz was originally given by Philetus Norris to the prominent ridge on the west side of Gibbon Canyon.
Sepulcher Mountain
(on northern boundary of park, north of Mammoth Hot Springs)Origin of the name is unknown. Chittenden cites Professor William H. Holmes about the mountain's name:"Why this mountain received such a melancholy appellation I have not been able to discover. So far as I know, the most important thing buried beneath its dark mass is the secret of its structure. It is possible that the form suggested the name."
Sheepeater Cliffs
(northern Yellowstone, south of Mammoth Hot Springs)Named in 1879 by Philetus Norris for the Sheepeater Indian tribe, the only known aboriginal occupants of what is now the national park. Apparently, Norris thought that the cliffs were the "ancient and but recently deserted, secluded unknown haunts" of the Sheepeaters.
Mt. Sheridan
(southern Yellowstone, west of Heart Lake)Named in 1871 by Captain Barlow. Named for General Phillip H. Sheridan, famous Civil War general, significant subduer of the western Indian tribes, and advocate of Yellowstone National Park. The mountain was originally named "Mt. Everts" by the Washburn Expedition of 1870. However, Barlow changed the name the following year.(follow this link to my paper on the founding of Yellowstone to see what role Phillip Sheridan played in the early history of Yellowstone National Park: The Founding of Yellowstone National Park into Law and into Fact).
Signal Hills
(eastern Yellowstone, extending from Signal Point)Named by the United States Geological Survey in 1871. Named after Signal Point which extends into Yellowstone Lake.
Mt. Stevenson
(eastern Yellowstone, west of Mt. Langford)Named by the United States Geological Survey in 1871. Named for James Stevenson, a member of the U.S.G.S. and Hayden's top assistant during the 1871 expedition.(a link to a short biography of James Stevenson will be made available as ready).
Survey Peak
(south of the southern boundary of the park, northwest of Forellen Peak)Named by the United States Geological Survey in 1885. Named because it was a prominent signaling point for the Indians. Richard Leigh originally named it Monument Peak, and he built a stone mound on the summit.
Grand Teton
(largest mountain of present day Grand Teton National Park, south of Mt. Moran). The name has existed for the mountain since at least the beginning of the nineteenth century. The origin of the name refers to the Teton Sioux. Where that name originates is unknown by me. In 1872, the United States Geological Survey renamed the mountain, Mt. Hayden. Local use never accepted the new name. And, although the name Mt. Hayden appeared on some maps for many years (even apparently during Chittenden's time), the name Grand Teton stuck. Dr. Hayden himself, personally disapproved of the name Mt. Hayden for the mountain.
Three Rivers Peak
(northwestern Yellowstone, north of Mt. Holmes)Named in 1885 by the United States Geological Survey. Named because branches of the Madison, Gallatin, and Gardner Rivers take rise from its slopes.
The Thunderer
(northeastern Yellowstone just southwest of the park's Northeast entrance)Named in 1885 by the United States Geological Survey. Named because it's seemingly a great focus for thunderstorms.
Mt. Washburn
(north central Yellowstone, northeast of Canyon Village)Named by the Washburn Expedition of 1870. Named for Henry Dana Washburn, leader of the Washburn Expedition, who unfortunately died before Yellowstone was made a national park.(a link to a short biography of Washburn will be made available as ready).
Yount Peak
(southeast of the southeastern boundary of the Park)Named in 1878 by the United States Geological Survey. Named for an old trapper and guide of that region. Yount Peak is the source of the Yellowstone River.

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