Yellowstone 2018: Mud Volcano Area

Mud Volcano has some of the most fascinating features in Yellowstone National Park. It is one of our absolutely favorite spots. We were going to skip it this year, but last minute change in plans put us over on that side of the park so we thought we’d stop by and check it out again.

Quick Details:

Length: .85 mile loop.
Difficulty: DR3. It is a boardwalk but there is some UP.
Elevation Gain: 100 feet.
Restroom: Yes, pit toilets.
Dogs? No. Dogs are not allowed on boardwalks in the park.
Other Info: Fee Area within Yellowstone. Also, pay attention to signs and warnings. Stay on the designated path.

To Get Here:

This is about 9.5 miles south of Canyon Junction. Or about 26 miles north of West Thumb.

The Trail:

Trail Sign. The little guide will guide you going clockwise around as that is the easier climb, however we love Dragons Mouth and always go towards that first (counter clockwise).

Some of the springs in the lower area.

Little mud pot.

Dragon’s Mouth Spring. This was my absolute favorite feature when I was a kid, and is still my absolute favorite. It is just so cool!

Here is all the steam billowing out of it.

Where the water escapes.

Oh, I took a short video.

Continuing along, a snowy boardwalk.

The hot springs below.

Mud Volcano. Now, I might be imagining it, but I swear it is bigger than the last time we saw it.

Mud plops.

Quick window in the steam you can see how violently it is churning.

This used to be a geyser like feature, with a large cone that erupted mud into the air and one day it blew itself apart.

This is also a neat feature here.

Violent churning mud.

After Mud Volcano there is a longer segment of just climbing.

Then a long staircase.

Grizzly Fumarole. This Fumarole, like others, can become mud pots when there is enough moisture, and vise-verse which we learned last time at Artists Paint Pots.

View down.

Clarks nutcracker.

Sour Lake.

Again.

Black Dragons Cauldron.

Information sign. Oh this is a fairly young feature blowing out in 1948. It blew tree’s out by their roots!

Again.

Black Dragon Cauldron and Sour Lake. The sign says the Cauldron has slowly moved 200 feet, so I think this is close to where it initially blew out.

Bigger bubble.

Sour lake again.

Approaching Churning Cauldron.

This one is particularly violent.

Steam bow.

Information sign.

Big bubble and steam bow.

From below.

Little waterfall in the outlet stream.

I think we chose our route wisely today. Going down was easier on this side with less snow.

Sizzling Basin is kind of gross looking.

View down again.

Mud Geyser. Currently a pair of fumaroles.

And the lake next to them.

Info sign.

The lake and vents.

Oh I video of the vents. They were quite noisy!

Cooking hillside. After an earthquake swarm the hillside heated up killing trees.

Back to Mud Geyser.

Mud Cauldron.

Unnamed fumarole between the parking lot and road.

I kind of wish we had walked up to Sulphur Cauldron just maybe… 50 feet or so to the north, but we didn’t.

I love this short trail system. A lot of really interesting, really violent features condensed in one small spot. The trail is pretty easy even with the little climb. 10 out of 10 squirrels.

As for difficulty, it is paved, boardwalks, and has stairs, but it is a steep climb. going with a DR3.

Dogs are not allowed on boardwalks or backcountry trails.