By editor
Carbon County
As the Beartooth Highway climbs up from the east, near Quad Creek, it cuts through granites and gneisses that belong to the Beartooth Plateau Block. Within these rocks, geologists have found microscopic crystals of zircon that date back 3.96 billion years—the second oldest rocks ever found in North America.
Visitor Access
This is a scenic driving and viewing experience on a public highway. There are numerous pull-offs where visitors can park for free, walk out onto the ancient Archean basement rock, and touch the cooling crust of the early Earth.