Address: 44°56'08.0"N 110°43'22.8"W
Located in Yellowstone, south of Mammoth Village on Grand Loop Road, the passage through Glen Creek Canyon is known as Golden Gate. It climbs 1,500 feet in three miles and is named for the brilliant yellow lichen that clings to rhyolite cliffs. One of the historic landmarks of Yellowstone, the drive through the passage was first built in 1884 and began its incarnation as a rickety wooden bridge. A rock pillar from the original build has been moved with each reconstruction and the new incarnation of the bridge and now calls the bottom of the passage it’s home. At the top, Rustic Falls cascades down a 47-foot drop of natural stone steps and Bunsen Peak, a cone volcano, towers above the road. There’s an overlook with views of the area on the east side of Golden Gate that can be accessed for free.