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Official Start of the Hayden Expedition
The survey officially began on June 8, 1871 when it departed Ogden, Utah. -
2nd Journal Entry
The party traveled north, reaching Taylor's Bridge (now Idaho Falls) on the Snake River on June 25, 1871. -
3rd Journal Entry
The survey party had reached into Montana, camping just over the Continental Divide near Monida Pass. -
4th Journal Entry
Hayden and his survey party reached Virginia City, Montana. -
5th Journal Entry
Hayden expedition arrived at Fort Ellis near Bozeman, Montana. By this time, Thomas Moran, the guest artist had joined the survey. At Fort Ellis, both George Allen, the botanist and Cyrus Thomas, the agricultural statistician and entomologist, then left the party for health reasons, while José, the guide, joined the team. -
6th Journal Entry
After resupplying and coordinating with the U.S. Army at Fort Ellis, the survey departed south along the Yellowstone River. -
7th Journal Entry
The Hayden survey team bandoned their wagons at the base camp because the roads were not able to be traveled on. The survey headed into Yankee Jim Canyon. -
8th Journal Entry
The Hayden survey entered the park region at the Gardner River proceeding up that river to what is now called Mammoth Hot Springs where they explored and camped for two days. -
9th Journal Entry
The survey team departed Mammoth en route to Tower Fall. They took a route very close to today's Mammoth Tower road and camped at Tower Creek. -
10th Journal Entry
The survey team spent three days traveling around Mount Washburn and along the western edge of the Yellowstone River in Hayden Valley to reach its source at Yellowstone Lake on July 28, 1871. It was here that Lt. Gustavus C. Doane replaced Captain Tyler as commander of the military escort. Moving on they camped at Cascade Creek near Yellowstone Falls where W. H. Jackson took the first known photographs of the falls. -
11th Journal Entry
On July 28, 1871 some members of the Hayden party assembled a small boat from things they packed in from Fort Ellis and carved oars from nearby trees. The boat named Annie was the first known boat to sail on the waters of Yellowstone Lake. Annie was used by several members of the party to explore the islands. The first trip was made by James Stevenson and Henry Elliot to an island about 1.5 miles offshore. Hayden named the island Stevenson Island. -
12th Journal Entry
On July 31, 1871 Hayden and some members of his survey team left Yellowstone Lake and headed towards Madison River. They ended up camping about 6 miles from Firehole River. -
13th Journal Entry
Departing August 6th, 1871 they camped and explored West Thumb for two days. -
14th Journal Entry
Between August 9 and August 19, 1871 the survey party traveled around the southern and eastern sides of Yellowstone Lake, crossing the Continental Divide twice and exploring the headwaters of the Yellowstone River. On August 19 they arrived at the northeast corner of the lake at Steamboat Point. -
15th Journal Entry
On August 23, 1871 after dismantling and storing Annie, the party moved northeast away from Yellowstone Lake until they encountered Pelican Creek. -
16th Journal Entry
The group entered the upper Lamar Valley and traveled on good trails northwest through the valley all the way to the Yellowstone River at Baronette Bridge. -
Last Journal Entry
Most of the survey party had left the park region and was camped just north of Gardiner on the Yellowstone River. The geological survey expedition was considered a success!