Our Top 5 Geysers in the Old Faithful Area
Yellowstone National Park is home to half the world’s geysers and has the largest collection of active geysers in the world. Yes, the super volcano is real! Many visitors begin planning their geyser gazing trip with Old Faithful in mind, but that’s only scratching the surface. There are numerous magnificent thermal features located in the area. Old Faithful draws large crowds during the summer months, but you can easily get away from the madness by exploring the rest of Upper Geyser Basin; while also seeing some of the largest and most unique geysers in the park.
To have your ideal geyser gazing day in Yellowstone, timing and preparation is key. The app Geyser Times (available on Android and iOS) is a huge help in planning your trip. This app has NPS geyser predictions as well as predictions from other users who are constantly taking notes and recording eruption times. Checking the prediction times will help you plan what time to head out, and where to start your day. While a lot of the big thermal attractions are predictable, some are not, so always bring binoculars to see geysers that may be going off in the distance! Now that you know how to prepare, let’s get into the top five geyser’s (in no particular order) located near Old Faithful.
Castle Geyser
Its name is derived from its castle-like shape. Castle is a 12 foot cone geyser located at Upper Geyser Basin with eruptions that average 75 feet but up to 100! On the west facing side of the cone you can observe the evidence of early explorers who peeled off the thermophile mats, damaging the structure, and leaving it to have a smooth texture to this day. The eruption intervals of this geyser have changed several times over the years, but are usually predictable. If you have a chance to see this geyser erupt from the boardwalk, you will be amazed by the sparkling mist and vast amount of steam. It is truly a magical experience.
Grand Geyser
Grand is the largest predictable geyser in the world, with an eruption of 150 to 200 feet. This geyser is one that I can confidently say is worth the wait. This geyser goes off every 6-7 hours, with a window of +/- 60 minutes. Grand Geyser brings the geyser gazer out of every park guest. This thermal feature has two geysers in close proximity that are considered “indicators”, and when observed closely you can accurately predict when it is about to erupt. About 50% of the time, this geyser will have a series of bursts averaging 100 feet for the first half of its eruption and when the bursts end and you think the show is over, it will reactivate and have higher bursts up to 200 feet! The rocky area behind this geyser is home to marmots, so keep your eye out for them as well!
Riverside Geyser
Riverside is a cone geyser located on the side of the Firehole River, and has a max eruption height of about 75ft tall. This geyser has its own isolated spring, which makes it one of the most predictable geysers in the park, and statistically more regular than old faithful. The location of this geyser makes it an incredible viewing experience, and when you catch it at the right time you can observe a rainbow within the steam and mist of the eruption. This geyser goes off about every 6-6.5 hours.
Great Fountain Geyser
Great Fountain is located at Firehole Lake Drive and is a sight to see, even without seeing an eruption. Its large vent measures 16 feet across and is located within a large crater of beautiful water filled basins and terraces and reflects the sky beautifully in the early mornings and late afternoons. The Cook-Folsom-Peterson party, some of the first pioneers to observe this feature (1869), wrote “We could not contain our enthusiasm; with one accord we all took off our hats and yelled with all our might”. This accurately describes the experience. This geyser is hard to catch, but usually goes off every 24 hours with an average height of 100 feet, and rare superbursts of 230 feet.
Beehive Geyser
Beehive is a unique cone geyser located in the Upper Geyser Basin. The height of the structure is 4 feet and it has an eruption between 150-200 feet. The concentrated jet of water, and roar of steam is what makes this feature special and it is recognized as one of the top three tallest geysers in Yellowstone National Park. Beehive will often spray water without an eruption, but watching its indicator located NE of the cone is the best way to predict when it will go off. Beehive’s indicator will usually jet water at about 6-15 feet 10-25 minutes before an actual eruption. Beehive’s interval is about 16-20 hours, and it is uncommon for it to go off without activity from its indicator. Because this geyser’s eruption has a long duration and is easy to see from afar (this is where the binoculars may be useful), it allows lots of time for you to get up close if you notice it from down the boardwalk!
A day geyser gazing in the park can be a special memory, but make sure you bring all the summer essentials such as water, snacks, and sun protection. You may spend a decent amount of time waiting for eruptions, but seeing these spectacular thermal features in action makes it more than worth it.
Want someone else to figure out all the details and just enjoy the experience? Book a Geyser Gazing tour with an NAI Certified Guide on the “Tours” section of our website!