Random Rambler: Yellowstone 2018: Upper Geyser Basin

The Upper Geyser Basin in Yellowstone is home the the famous Old Faithful geyser amongst many other geysers and thermal features. It is probably where you will experience the most crowds while in the park, but for good reason. Old Faithful is one of the easiest geysers to predict and has a pretty small window of ‘may erupt between x and x time’. So, even if you have terrible luck, you can definitely see Old Faithful go off. The trail system around it will take you past 5 predictable geysers as well a numerous other neat features.

Quick Details:

Length: About a 3.5 mile loop.
Difficulty: DR3 Pretty easy. Paved or boardwalks.
Elevation Gain: Maybe 50 feet.
Restroom: Plenty.
Dogs? No. Dogs are not allowed on the boardwalks.
Other Info: Yellowstone is a fee area. For your safety be sure to stay on the boardwalks and pay attention to signage.

To Get Here:

This is approximately 19 miles NW of West Thumb or 17.3 miles south of Madison Junction. Start at Old Faithful and go left towards Morning Glory Spring, or right towards the Lioness Group.

The Trail:

As we pulled in I noticed that Old Faithful was currently erupting. After parking we had to weave through the crowd leaving after it’s eruption. I wasn’t too upset as we have seen it before.

Leftover steam from Old Faithful’s eruption.

We had a little snafu with communicating with Mom and Jeff which resulted in us heading towards Castle Geyser (immediately to the left).

Geysers above. I think that might be Grand Geyser steaming up there. We’ve seen that erupt up close and it is pretty darn cool!.

Castle Geyser.

Little pool to the left is bubbling.

Crested Pool.

The little pool in front of Castle Geyser.

Oh! a little bit of water splashing out of Castle.

After this we decided to keep going down towards Morning Glory Spring (about 1.5 miles from old Faithful).

Shield Spring.

Large military plane flew over.

Geysers leaking into the Firehole River.

The Firehole River.

From the other direction.

Giant Geyser.

Colorful water and Daisy Geyser in the background.

Grotto Geyser.

Info Sign.

This is the most fascinating geyser.

Spa Geyser.

Colorful runoff.

Geysers next to the Firehole River. Any questions as to why it is named that?

We made it to Morning Glory Spring.

Unfortunately, the color has long faded due to thoughtless visitors tossing things into it, but it is still very pretty.

Now there is a little bit of back-tracking but we can cross over to the back side of the loop soon.

This one does not appear to be named.

Riverside Geyser. This one is supposed to erupt in a couple of hours, but we won’t be around that long.

The back side of Grotto Geyser.

Giant Geyser.

I think that is Catfish Geyser splashing up.

Catfish and Giant Geysers.

Oblong Geyser.

The river again.

Runoff into the river.

Chromatic Pool.

Beauty Pool. This was prettier last time we were here.

Panoramic.

Info sign.

Wave Spring.

Economic Geyser.

Grand Geyser. It looks like it may have recently gone off. We’ve seen Grand go off and it is pretty cool. It is the tallest predictable Geyser in the park, and the world at about 180 feet. Steamboat goes higher, but it is not predictable.

Little terraces below.

Oh yup. Looks like it went off just before we got to the area.

Belgian Pool.

I didn’t catch the name of this one. Oh also pictured, about half way around the back loop is a connection to the front loop near Castle Geyser in case you want to head that way.

Didn’t catch the name of this one either.

Spasmodic Geyser.

Another one I didn’t catch the name of.

Kind of wish I had wandered down the boardwalk that way a little bit. I’m not sure but that one appears to be going.

Tardy Geyser.

Fun color.

Looking across towards Castle Geyser. Awfully steamy right now.

Liberty Pool.

A red tail hawk. He was nice enough to sit still long enough for me to change to the telephoto lens.

I was so focused on the magnificent hawk that I didn’t realize that he was being chased off by a crow.

I think this might be my new best picture of a hawk.

Here you can see the crow chasing the hawk off.

Aerial warfare. Fascinating.

Well, random birding moment aside, back to geyser gazin’.

Another spring I didn’t catch the name of.

I don’t think I got a picture of it, but most of the boardwalk in the lower loop appears to be new. This looks like the older (probably not original) stuff.

The Firehole River again.

Lion Geyser Group.

Oh something is erupting back there. Unfortunately we couldn’t get any closer.

The boardwalk on that back loop is closed for seismic measuring. Luckily we didn’t have to turn around as this is an extra loop section, but I would have liked to get closer to that one erupting. Meh, oh well. All in the name of science!

Lion Geysers and goggles geysers in the foreground.

Goggles Spring.

Lion Geyser Group again.

Heart Spring. I thought this one was neat because the surface makes the art shape of a heart, while the deeper spring makes the anatomical shape of a heart.

Some of the seismologists instruments.

Arrowhead Spring.

Unnamed little hot spot spouting up.

Depression Geyser.

I didn’t catch the name of this bubbly pool either.

Beehive Geyser. Named for the old fashioned beehives.

Info sign.

Looking across the way towards Old Faithful.

The Old Faithful Lodge. Currently closed, but it is incredible inside!

Old Faithful, the Old Faithful Winter Lodge, and the Old Faithful Lodge.

Another active geyser.

Hrm. Didn’t catch it’s name either.

Anemone Geyser.

Sulfide Spring.

Bridge over the Firehole River.

The river.

We arrived at the back end of Old Faithful with the Crowd surrounding it. It would seem it is ready to erupt again, so hey, why not we decided to hang around and watch it again. Like I mentioned, this is the back of it. The more classic view is from the other side.

Here you can see the large crowd gathered to watch. Yeah, I think I prefer the quiet backside.

There it goes!

Okay, I have seen Old Faithful go off several times but WOW. It still impresses! I guess particularly after a kind of meh day of eruptions.

Starting to lower.

And back up again.

So cool.

Then it was done. Looks like this eruption lasted about 5 minutes.

Oh, I took a quick video.

I am so glad we got to experience this yet again.

With the sign.

The new visitor center. I’m not sure when it opened but they were in temporary buildings last time we stopped by.

Oh wow, I didn’t think I got a shot without people in it.

Like I said, this is where you will likely run into the most people. From what I have noticed, most people stay around Old Faithful and the visitor center/gift shops. You might get unlucky and follow a tour bus group down to Morning Glory Spring (like we did), but quite a bit fewer people wander the back boardwalks. There is so much to see, you might see one or more of the more impressive features go off, and maybe even a few of the smaller ones. Even if you don’t the hot springs are very pretty. 9 out of 10 Squirrels losing one for crowds.