Midway Geyser Basin

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Crossing the Firehole RiverThe Moonscape that is Midway Geyser Basin

Midway Geyser Basin is my next stop on the lower loop road. You can see the stream rising in huge clouds as you approach. There’s a large parking area and even now, in the off season, it’s pretty full. Its hard to imagine what it would be like at the height of the tourist season. A solid wooden bridge crosses the Firehole River. Steaming, boiling water flows down the bank into the river.run off into Firehole river

Huge billowing clouds of steam blow across the bridge and walkways.

 

Excelsior Geyser Crater

Boardwalk zigs and zagsExcelsior GeyserExcelsior Geyser Crater

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Boardwalk crosses the Firehole River before zig-zaging first to the right then back to the left always climbing upward. The first hot spring we pass is the Excelsior Geyser Crater. Its the water from this crater that is flowing into the Firehole River. Dumping 4000-4500 gallons of boiling water per minute into the river its not surprising that there are always clouds of steam. Excelsior Geyser used to erupt in a powerful plume from 100-300 ft high but after some particularity powerful eruptions it subsided to the simmering hot spring that it is today. Scientists speculate that those powerful eruptions damaged the internal plumbing ending the  more spectacular thermal displays.

 

Grand Prismatic Spring SignGrand Prismatic Spring

Bacterial matt at Grand prismatic

Orange algae and bacteria float on the Grand Prismatic Spring

Grand Prismatic Spring is the largest hot spring in the United States and the third largest in the world. The vivid colors in the spring are the result of microbial mats around the edges of the mineral-rich water.

 

The mats produce colors ranging from green to red. In the summer, the mats tend to be orange and red, whereas in the winter the mats are usually dark green. The center of the pool is sterile due to extreme heat. The deep blue color of the water in the center of the pool results from the intrinsic blue color of the water. The effect is strongest in the center of the spring, because of its sterility and depth. Usually the photos you see in magazines are taken from above.

From the boadwalk

The View From Above

Fairy Falls

Unattributed photo from the internet.

Most photos of the Grand Prismatic Spring are taken looking down. Many are aerial views taken from airplanes or maybe a helicopter. There is also a trail that leads from the Grand Prismatic Spring to Fairy Falls. Along the way there are 2 other geysers and a lookout above the hot spring. The trail is only .5 miles but it climbs 105 ft. I’ve added this hike to my bucket list. For now it was time to leave the clouds and steam of Midway behind and turn for home. 

Aerial view Grand Prismatic Spring

Unattributed photo from the internet. I wish I could have taken this one.

 

 

Geyser Grill, Black Sand and Biscuits

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Geyser Grill signLunch at The Geyser Grill

The Geyser Grill at Old Faithful  is a fast food restaurant. It’s pretty typical of the restaurants at attractions or Theme Parks. You stand in a line, order from a menu of hot dogs, hamburgers, french fries or maybe a salad and get a souvenir mug for your soft drink. I didn’t know where or when I’d find another restaurant so I stood in line for almost an hour. It was just my luck that 3 tour buses pulled in right before I got to the grill! Still, once I placed my order it was up in minutes and it was fresh. With that many customers there wasn’t time for anything to sit under a heat lamp! Somehow I managed to find a table but I didn’t linger. Based on the cautions I received from the concierge at the resort I wanted to be on my way back before dark.

Ordering a meal at Geyser Grill

Black Sand basinBlack Sand Basin

With a full tank of gas and a full tummy I left Old Faithful to see what was ahead on the Loop Road.  About 1/2 mile from Old Faithful I saw a sign for Black Sand Basin.  I hadn’t seen anything about that in my guidebooks so I made a quick stop out of curiosity. I remember the black sand beaches in Hawaii so I wasn’t sure what to expect here. It certainly wasn’t a beach!

 

Spouter geyser

Colorful ruin offA geyser right next to the road was sputtering and bubbling. This is SPOUTER GEYSER and erupts almost continuously. No big plumes like Old Faithful but its constantly dancing and gurgling away. There are a variety of colorful hot pools and a board walk. I looked around but due to the time decided to skip the walk for now.

Steam covers teh boardwalk

 Biscuit Basin

Biscuit Basin Sign

BoardwalkUp next is Biscuit Basin. Named for the biscuit shaped formations around the edges of some of the thermal features. After an earthquake in 1959 most of the “biscuits ” were destroyed. My GaperGuide said they were starting to reform but I didn’t see any. There’s plenty of parking and a heavy wooden walkway so you can get up close  and personal with the thermal features. There’s plenty of mini geyser action here and clouds of steam.

 

 

Biscuit Basin Run Off

Natures Hot Tub

Put Old Faithful on Your Bucket List

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Old Faithful is a Bucket List Must

Anyone’s Bucket List should have a geyser or two. There’s nothing quite like watching all that heat and steam burst into the air. But why Old Faithful? It’s not the biggest geyser in Yellowstone nor the most spectacular but it’s still impressive at heights of 100- 140 ft. It’s also pretty predictable. The mathematical average between eruptions of Old Faithful is currently 74 minutes, but it doesn’t like to act average! Intervals can range from 60-110 minutes. A lot depends on the force of the previous eruption. Finally, it’s easy to get to. No climbing up steep hills or clamoring over rocky trails. Enjoy a bit of time in a cozy museum or gift shop and sit on a nice bench to wait for the eruption. But the main reason to put Old Faithful on your bucket list is that its THE MOST FAMOUS  GEYSER IN THE WORLD!

Old Faithful Erupts

 

Getting Bigger90 Minute Countdown

Once I found a parking spot I headed into the Visitor Center. The expected next eruption was 90 minutes. Plenty of time to look around. I have to say that all of the Visitor Centers that I’ve seen this trip have been beautiful. They are large, spacious modern buildings with exhibits, gift shops and clean restrooms. (Always important). It was too early for lunch so eventually I found a seat to wait for the big moment. Since it was about noon the sun was almost overhead but I wanted the wind at my back. I didn’t want geyser spray soaking my camera or me. It can be caustic enough to ruin a lens.

It was a good one!Beautiful Blue Sky and steam

Old Faithful never really stops steaming so even when I first arrived it was puffing away. Old Faithful warming upI enjoyed watching it sputter and start then subside again. Once it began to approach the 90 minute mark you could see the change. The steam was heavier and water sputtered out. Finally it let loose. The plume climbed in stages higher and higher. I don’t know how long it went on but certainly longer than I expected. Eruptions can last 1.5 minutes to 5 minutes. If I had to guess I’d say this one was closer to the 5 minute mark. As the plume faded back down I joined the rest of the crowd as we made our way back to the Visitor Center.

Calming Down

Kepler Cascades and Old Faithful

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Kepler CascadesLet’s Start with Kepler Cascades

 Kepler Cascades is a waterfall on the Firehole River in southwestern Yellowstone National Park . The cascades are located approximately 2.5 miles south of Old Faithful. The cascades drop approximately 150 feet over multiple drops. The longest drop is 50 feet. The cascades were named by the park superintendent in 1881 for the 12-year-old son of Wyoming’s territorial governor John Wesley Hoyt. Hoyt and his son, Kepler, were visiting Yellowstone in 1881 when  Superintendent Norris named the cascades after the younger Hoyt.

The Firehole River flows over a series of small ledges before making it’s 50 ft drop. There’s a paved parking area and a well Observation Platform at Kepler Cascadesmaintained wooden observation platform. Its a great place for viewing the falls and taking pictures. I was there in the off season so there was plenty of room. No telling what it’s like in the summer season.

Falls at Kepler Cascades

Upper Geyser Basin

Upper geyser Basin

Leaving the Kepler Cascades behind steam starts to become visible in the distance. I’m about 2.5 miles away from the upper geyser basin, home to Old Faithful Geyser. When you reach the Upper Geyser basin there’s a lot more than just Old Faithful.  The Upper Geyser Basin, approximately two square miles in area, contains the largest concentration and nearly one-quarter of all of the geysers in the world! You enter a world of steam and clouds. While I was topping off the gas tank I spotted a lone Bison wandering toward the steaming plateau. Tourists closely followed behind the bison with camera’s clicking.  I was surprised the rangers didn’t round them up and shoo them away from the animal.

Bison

I could see Old Faithful in the distance building up a head of steam. If I didn’t make it to the viewing area in the next few minutes I’d have a 90 minute wait for the next eruption.  

Old Faithful warming up

Sure enough, in just the few minutes it took me to go up the road to the Old Faithful Parking Lot, the geyser went off!

Visitor Center

The Continental Divide

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Craig's Pass Continental DivideCrossing the Continental Divide

Do you remember what the Continental Divide is from High School geography? On one side of the divide, water flows to the Gulf of Mexico. On the other it flows to the Pacific Ocean. When I saw the Continual Divide sign I thought of an old John Belushi movie by the same name. Ha, that’s not even relevant! Anyway because of the way the road and the mountains intertwine you actually cross the Continental Divide two or three times between the South Entrance and Old Faithful.

 

Each time there is a sign with the elevation. As you can see, there’s snow at these higher locations. This stop is between West Isa LakeThumb and Old Faithful called Craig’s Pass.  Lake Isa is  another spot on the Continental Divide. 

It’s marked by a sign because it drains on both sides of the divide. Although I passed it several times, it didn’t look like much from the road so I just tucked it in my mind as an interesting fact. 

Grant Village

Grant Village Visitor Center;
Ed Austin/Herb Jones;
1987

I should mention Grant Village. It was closed for everything except gas so I didn’t even slow down but it’s located on Yellowstone Lake. Named for President Ulysses S. Grant it is mainly lodging inside the park. Grant Village is made up of 6 two-story chalets, each containing 50 rooms. This complex is close to many of Yellowstone’s famous attractions. Old Faithful is just a little over 20 miles away, and Grant Village is also closer to Grand Teton National Park than any of Yellowstone’s other in-park lodges. It’s also just before the road splits. The left goes toward Old Faithful while the right goes to West Thumb. I was on my way to Old Faithful. After all, that’s a bucket list stop for sure!

Marker for Kepler CascadesKepler Cascades

As I left Craig’s pass (the dividing line of the Continental Divide) behind, I came upon a large turnoff for Kepler Cascades. This was definitely worth a stop but I wouldn’t know what a great stop until I explored a little.