![]() Closer to the Beartooth Mountains, the oldest rocks are still on top of Paleozoic sedimentary rocks. Whatever the case may be, the sliding mass put old Paleozoic rocks on top of the young basin sediments at places like Heart Mountain and Buffalo Bill Reservoir. What made the sliding surface so slippery? Models suggest hot water, high water pressure, or even high gas pressure along the surface. Some argue that the block may have slid catastrphically and very rapidly, at perhaps 100 miles per hour. ![]() The sliding sheet broke into sections as it slid, and some blocks were tilted. On the uplift, the stack of sedimentary rock layers about 4-5 km thick began to slide southward and southeastward into what was then a big flat basin (the Bighorn Basin to the east and the Absaroka Basin to the south). At the same time, the Absaroka volcanic field began experiencing gigantic eruptions. Its origins are still debated a bit, especially in the details of mechanisms for sliding, but the basic story is this: Between 50 and 48 million years ago, the Beartooth Mountains were just finished being uplifted. Don't miss the Buffalo Bill Dam visitor center! Admission is free. Logistics: Cody has a Wal-Mart Supercenter for resupply. Sierra Trading Post has an outlet story in Cody. Buffalo Bill's own Irma Hotel and restaurant & saloon is the old west come alive. Other Attractions: Buffalo Bill Historical Center is a first-class museum of art and western history. ![]() Cody is the gateway to snow machine tours into Yellowstone and surrounding areas during the winter. From the parks east entrance we drove to Cody, WY via the Buffalo Bill Scenic Byway, enjoying the classic Old West scenery. Restaurants: Cody has a surprising number of good restaurants! Lodging: Lodging is abundant and affordable in Cody. In fact, to enter Yellowstone from the east, you have to go through Cody. Highway 20 east of Yellowstone National Park. Travel to Cody Location: Cody is located on U.S. I'll have additional field trips to each of those places posted soon. It's close to Yellowstone, the Beartooth Mountains and its famous scenic highway, and the Absaroka Wilderness, making this a good trip to combine with others. You'll see one of Earth's largest prehistoric landslides, spectacularly folded mountain ranges, one of North America's biggest volcanic fields (and no, it's not Yellowstone!), the Great Unconformity, and breath-taking scenery in every direction. Why Explore Cody? In addition to being one of the best "Old West" towns, Cody is surrounded by spectacular geology and natural beauty. Explore spectacular folded mountain ranges and one of Earth's biggest prehistoric landslides!
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