Directions to Trailhead: To hike at the Upper Geyser Basin, from within Yellowstone National Park drive xvi miles due south of Madison Junction or 17 miles W of West Thumb together with direct hold the Old Faithful exit. Park inwards the expanse yesteryear the Historic Old Faithful Inn. You tin follow the signs that straight y'all to the visitor middle where at that spot is additional parking. The visitor middle has predicted eruption times of a number of geysers inwards the Upper Geyser Basin. Click Here for an interactive map of Yellowstone National Park. There is an entrance fee for Yellowstone National Park, but no permit is required to hike at the Upper Geyser Basin.
Description of Hike: The Upper Geyser Basin Hiking Trail inwards Yellowstone National Park is good maintained yesteryear the National Park Service together with it goes through i of the densest locations of thermal features inwards the park. The Upper Geyser Basin contains 180 of the parks roughly 250 geysers. You tin brand a number of unlike loops on your hike through the Upper Geyser Basin amongst mileage that ranges from 1 to vii miles, all amongst relatively minimal elevation gain. Boardwalks, footpaths, trails, together with a cycling paths along the Firehole River link the 5 distinct geyser groups inwards this area. When y'all are hiking inwards the Upper Geyser Basin create non human face to live alone, equally at that spot volition live a number of visitors/hikers on the trails hither trying to grab a glimpse of Yellowstone's geysers.
Make certain to selection upward a map of the geysers inwards the expanse from the visitor center. The Old Faithful Visitor Center has a bookstore together with data nigh the geysers located inwards the Upper Geyser Basin. Also brand certain to larn the predicted eruption times for the major geysers from the visitor center/Old Faithful Hotel if y'all are looking to run into geysers erupt. All hikes inwards the Upper Geyser Basin should get down yesteryear watching the eruption of Old Faithful. Additionally, brand certain to banking concern friction match the schedules of the predicted geyser eruptions that agency y'all tin innovation your hike.
Old Faithful (Pictured Right) erupts roughly every xc minutes together with spouts upward about 8,000 gallons of H2O upward to 180 feet into the air. Old Faithful is non the tallest nor the most predictable geyser inwards the park, but it is considered the tallest predictable geyser inwards Yellowstone National Park. Historically, the fourth dimension betwixt eruptions has varied betwixt 45 minutes together with 110 minutes, amongst the average Old Faithful eruption lasting about 4 minutes. In improver to Old Faithful, the Upper Geyser Basin likewise has 4 other predictable geysers which are monitored for eruption times yesteryear the Park Service; Castle Geyser, Grand Geyser, Daisy Geyser, together with Riverside Geyser.
Castle Geyser (Pictured Left) has a 10 to 12 sixty minutes eruption cycle. The geyser erupts hot H2O for nigh xx minutes inwards a vertical column that reaches a acme of xc feet before changing to a noisy steam stage that issues for xxx to twoscore minutes. Grand Geyser erupts every vii to xv hours together with tin attain a acme of 200 feet. It belongs to the Grand Group (or Grand Geyser Complex), together with its eruption is connected to those of the other geysers inwards the group, peculiarly the following Vent Geyser together with Turban Geyser. For a few hours earlier an eruption yesteryear Grand, Turban Geyser erupts for a duration of 5 minutes nigh every xx minutes. Grand's eruption begins within 1 to 2 minutes of i of Turban's eruptions amongst Vent Geyser erupting before long afterward Grand. Daisy Geyser erupts every 110 to 240 minutes for a catamenia of iii to 5 minutes together with is i of the most predictable geysers inwards the park. Its outpouring erupts at an angle to the solid soil together with reaches a acme of 75 feet. The interval betwixt eruptions tin live temporarily altered yesteryear an eruption of nearby Splendid Geyser. Riverside Geyser shoots steam together with H2O to heights of 75 feet inwards an arch over the Firehole River, sometimes causing bright rainbows. The eruptions happen every 51⁄2 to vii hours. Riverside Geyser is i of the most predictable geysers inwards the park, because it is non located close whatsoever other geysers that may disrupt the stream of hush-hush H2O inwards the geyser's plumbing.
Another Geyser nosotros direct hold seen erupt the final 2 fourth dimension nosotros visited this expanse was Beehive Geyser (Pictured Right). Eruptions of Beehive Geyser final nigh 5 minutes together with are 200 feet high. The outpouring maintains its total acme for the duration of the eruption, dropping only slightly close the end. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 roaring steam stage concludes the eruption together with tin live heard a quarter-mile away. The interval betwixt eruptions attain from 8 hours to i 24-hour interval during the summer. Winter eruptions are rattling erratic. There are occasions inwards both summertime together with wintertime that at that spot are a serial of eruptions that are quite regular. These eruptions direct hold an interval of 10 to xx hours amongst longer intervals close the terminate of the series. As of summertime 2009 Beehive was having predictable eruptions every eleven to fourteen hrs.
Further Thoughts: Ashley together with I actually enjoyed our hike at the Upper Geyser Basin. We saw a total of 4 geysers erupt spell visiting here, Old Faithful Geyser, Riverside Geyser, Beehive Geyser, together with Castle Geyser. If y'all fourth dimension your hike at the Upper Geyser Basin only correct y'all tin persuasion multiple geysers erupting. If y'all are staying inwards the Historic Old Faithful Inn, therefore y'all direct hold a keen chance to persuasion many geyser eruptions.
There are a number of Geysers inwards Yellowstone National Park that direct hold spectacular eruptions, amongst therefore far Riverside Geyser together with Beehive Geyser beingness our favorite. The Yellowstone Visitor Center has a lot of data on the Geysers together with should live visited earlier your hike inwards the Upper Geyser Basin. Note: on the Google Map below nosotros direct hold only highlighted 5 geysers, however, at that spot are many other geysers together with additional thermal features along many portions of the Upper Geyser Basin Hike Trail. Make certain to direct hold your fourth dimension spell hiking here. It volition non live equally quick equally other hikes because y'all volition pass fourth dimension waiting for geysers to erupt together with enjoying the beauty of Yellowstone National Park's thermal features.
Rating: Elevation Gain: Minimal (Easy), Distance: 1 - vii Miles Roundtrip (Easy - Moderate).
Time to Complete Hike: Varies depending on length of hike together with geyser eruptions.
MORE HIKES IN THE UPPER GEYSER BASIN
August 9, 2013 (This Post)
MORE HIKES IN YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK
Upper Geyser Basin (This Post)
View Upper Geyser Basin Trail Map (Yellowstone National Park) inwards a larger map