Druid Peak facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Druid Peak |
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![]() January 2010
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Highest point | |
Elevation | 9,577 ft (2,919 m) |
Geography | |
Parent range | Absaroka Range |
Druid Peak is a mountain located in the famous Yellowstone National Park. It stands tall at about 9,577 feet (2,919 meters) above sea level. This peak is found in the southern part of the Absaroka Range mountains.
Druid Peak is special because of its important role in bringing wolves back to Yellowstone. It's also known for its interesting history of different names.
Contents
Druid Peak: A Mountain Story
Where is Druid Peak?
Druid Peak is located in the beautiful Yellowstone National Park. It sits just north of where the Lamar River and Soda Butte Creek meet. This area is at the beginning of the wide Lamar Valley, which is famous for its wildlife.
How Druid Peak Got Its Name
Over the years, Druid Peak has had a few different names. Before 1885, it was called Soda Hill. This name was given by explorers from the Hayden Geological Survey in 1878.
Later, in 1880, the park superintendent Philetus Norris called it Mount Longfellow or Longfellows' Peak.
Then, in 1885, another group of explorers from the Arnold Hague Geological Survey changed the name to Druid Peak. No one is completely sure why they chose this name. However, some historians believe it was because of rock formations on the eastern side of the peak. These rocks looked a bit like the ancient stone circles found at Stonehenge in England.
Wolves Return to Yellowstone
Druid Peak played a very important part in bringing wolves back to Yellowstone National Park. Wolves had been removed from the park many years ago. In the 1990s, a big effort was made to reintroduce them.
The Rose Creek Pack
In January 1995, the first group of wolves was released into Yellowstone. One of the special pens where these wolves were kept was located near Rose Creek. Rose Creek flows from the northern side of Druid Peak. The wolves released from this spot became known as the Rose Creek pack.
The Druid Pack
A year later, in January 1996, another group of wolves was released. These wolves were set free from pens located right on the slopes of Druid Peak itself. This new group of wolves became very famous and was known as the Druid Pack. The return of these wolves helped bring balance back to the park's ecosystem.