Dunraven Pass

Dunraven Pass is a high mountain saddle on the Grand Loop Road between Canyon Village and Tower Junction. It makes a good short break on this stretch, with large pullouts and broad views across the Absaroka high country. The pass road is usually a summer-to-early-fall route, and its dates shift with weather, so check current road status before setting out.

The wide mountain and valley panorama is the reason to stop. Use a large pullout and take care entering and leaving it. For a phone photo, keep some of the nearby open slope or road in the frame; it gives the distant ridges a sense of scale.

Look for wet meadows and wildflowers close to the road during the growing season. The Absaroka Mountains' volcanic rocks contain calcium, magnesium, and iron; as they weather, they make soils that hold more water and nutrients than Yellowstone's rhyolite soils. That helps these high meadows support a different mix of plants. Wildflower seeds also feed birds and insects.

Bighorn sheep are often seen on Mount Washburn's slopes near the pass. If you spot a ram, the growth rings on its horns can indicate its age. Its doubled skull bone helps absorb the impact of head-on contests between males, especially during mating season.

The parking area is also the trailhead for Mount Washburn, a strenuous 6-mile round trip that usually takes three to six hours. There is no water along the trail. At the summit, you can look out from the shelter at the base of the fire lookout and see interpretive exhibits. This is a much bigger outing than the roadside stop, so decide before you set off.