Morning Glory Pool - A Lesson in Leaving No Trace

Photo: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0 (cropped)

A stop on Yellowstone Geyser Country, a free self-guided tour.

At the far end of the Upper Geyser Basin, the trail ends at a pool shaped like the bell of a flower. In 1883 the wife of an assistant park superintendent named it for the morning glory, and the name stuck.

Its colors come from living things. The hottest water in the center looks deep blue. Toward the cooler edges, mats of heat-loving microbes paint rings of yellow, orange and green, each color living at its own temperature.

Those rings have crept inward over the decades, and people are to blame. Visitors tossed coins, trash and rocks into the pool, clogging the vents that feed it hot water. As the pool cooled, the orange microbes moved toward the center. Park crews have pulled out piles of debris, but the vivid blue early visitors described has faded.

So enjoy it with your eyes and camera only. Keep everything in your pockets, hold small hands tight and stay on the trail. The walk back to Old Faithful is about a mile and a half, so pace yourself.

Getting here: From Grand Geyser, follow the paved trail north about three-quarters of a mile, passing Riverside Geyser on the riverbank, to the pool at the end of the path.

Did you know?: Morning Glory Pool has erupted as a geyser only a few times, usually after an earthquake shook the ground nearby.

Photo op: From the uphill side of the viewing area, shoot down into the pool to catch the full blue-to-orange gradient; a polarizing filter cuts glare off the water.

Nearby: None here. The closest restrooms and water are back toward Old Faithful, about a mile and a half away, so carry water for the round trip.

More on Wikipedia: Morning Glory Pool · Riverside Geyser

Morning Glory Pool - A Lesson in Leaving No Trace

Stops on this tour