Yellowstone: Old Faithful Geyser Basin

If Yellowstone National Park is known for just one thing, it's the geysers.  And not just any geysers, but one in particular: Old Faithful.  So, a stop at the Old Faithful Geyser Basin is virtually mandatory on any visit to Yellowstone.  If your timing is a little off, you might have to wait around for as much as 90 minutes to see the famous geyser erupt.  The good news is, there's plenty more to see at this stop, which will help kill the time.

I arrived about 30 minutes before the next predicted Old Faithful eruption, so I spent a few minutes staking out the best photo location, then bracing myself against the cold wind.  A semi-circle of bleachers partially surrounds the famous old geyser, and I decided that the best spot is on the far left side.  From this spot, I also had a great view of the rest of the geyser basin, which I explore later on this page.

During the 90 minute lull between eruptions, Old Faithful lets off a constant cloud of steam, and occasionally sputters, shooting a little water into the air.  Such a sight will inevitably cause someone standing near you to say, "I think it's starting up!".

But you'll know for certain when it's starting up.

At full blast, Old Faithful can shoot water up to 184 feet into the air, with an eruption that lasts up to five minutes.  These are the extremes, though.  The higher the eruption, the shorter the duration, and vice-versa.  Also, if it's windy (as it was during my visit) the column of water won't reach as high, since the breeze essentially blows it over.

Old Faithful and all the other geysers in the basin drain into the Firehole River.  There's a bridge that crosses this river (on the far side of Old Faithful, not far from the cafeteria), leading to a boardwalk that circles past some of the basin's less famous, but still impressive, geysers and hot springs.

As soon as you cross over the bridge, you're walking past some absolutely beautiful pools of searing-hot water.  That water is perfectly clear, and the colors are amazing, although any picture you take might look a little milky (because of the ever-present steam).

Moments after crossing the bridge, and after passing just a few springs and geysers, there's a side trail that takes you uphill to Observation Point.  Since Old Faithful's next eruption was just about 20 minutes away, I decided to take the trail, and hopefully find a good place to watch.

I must admit, I didn't make it all the way to the top.  The trail is steep, and although I was nearly there, I decided the view was good enough.  So, I set up my camera and waited.

Notice the rows of patient people, partially surrounding Old Faithful on the far side. 

This is a good vantage point, especially on a cloudy day, since there's something besides white clouds behind the white plume of Old Faithful's steam.

The ooh's and aah's diminish as the geyser settles down.

After the eruption, I decided to take the long way back to the basin.  One leg of the trail passes through a wooded area, and breaks through at Solitary Geyser.

As the name suggests, Solitary Geyser is all by itself, apart from the rest of the basin's geysers and springs.  Chances are pretty good that you'll have the place to yourself.

Wait around for 5-7 minutes, and you'll see Solitary Geyser erupt.  A sign promises an eruption of about 4 feet, but the one I witnessed didn't even come close to being that impressive.  I watched as the water level in the pool rose slightly, sloshed a bit, and spilled over the edges, then settled down again--as if it was a clogged toilet trying to flush.  There was no impressive column of water and steam, and I was a little disappointed.  But then, I looked around and realized that I was the only person to witness it.  Cool.

The trail to Solitary Geyser eventually ends up back at the geyser basin, where...

... you pass by one spring or geyser...

... after another (this one is called Ear Spring)...

... after another...

... after another (Heart Spring).

Yes, there were so many, I couldn't keep track of all their names.  The trail ends with a great view of Old Faithful Inn.