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When did the most recent major Yellowstone volcanic eruption occur?
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Rocky Mountains
Physical features of western North America.
The most recent major volcanic eruption at Yellowstone occurred approximately 640,000 years ago. This cataclysmic event resulted in the formation of the Yellowstone Caldera, an enormous basin measuring roughly 30 by 45 miles (50 by 70 km).12
While this was the last of the region's three massive, caldera-forming eruptions, the area has remained volcanically active. Since that time, numerous smaller events have occurred, including the eruption of approximately 1,200 cubic km of rhyolite lava flows and domes. Additionally, a relatively small eruption occurred within the caldera about 150,000 years ago, which formed the West Thumb of Yellowstone Lake.31