Yellowstone Geyser Country

Welcome to the most concentrated geyser country on Earth. Yellowstone sits above a hotspot, a plume of heat deep in the earth that has fed enormous volcanic eruptions. The last caldera-forming blast, about 631,000 years ago, shaped the land you're about to explore, and that buried heat still powers more than 10,000 thermal features.

This tour follows the Firehole River north for about 16 miles. You'll start on foot at the Old Faithful Visitor Education Center, walking roughly three miles round trip through the Upper Geyser Basin, then drive on to Black Sand Basin, Biscuit Basin, Grand Prismatic Spring, Firehole Lake Drive, Fountain Paint Pot and Firehole Canyon. Plan on about six hours, more if you wait for the big geysers.

Eruption times are predictions, not promises. Park rules, entry reservations, shuttles, road work and closures change, so check nps.gov before you go. Stay on boardwalks and trails: the crust is thin and the water scalds. Keep at least 100 yards from bears and wolves and 25 yards from bison, elk and all other wildlife.

12 stops on this tour:

Old Faithful - Nature's Most Famous Clock

Old Faithful Inn - A Log Lodge Built in One Winter

Castle Geyser - A Cone Built Over Centuries

Grand Geyser - The Tallest You Can Plan For

Morning Glory Pool - A Lesson in Leaving No Trace

Black Sand Basin - Obsidian Sand and Emerald Water

Biscuit Basin - Where the Ground Exploded

Grand Prismatic Overlook - The Rainbow From Above

Midway Geyser Basin - Up Close With Grand Prismatic

Firehole Lake Drive - Great Fountain's Back Road

Fountain Paint Pot - All Four Kinds in One Walk

Firehole Canyon Drive - Lava Walls and a Waterfall

Plan your visit

Route: 12 stops · about 21 miles of driving · self-drive
Time: about 6 hours with stops
Start: Old Faithful (directions)
Cost: free tour; the site itself charges an entrance fee
Audio: narrated - tap ▶ Listen at the top of any stop

Stops on this tour

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