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Yellowstone sits on top of one of the largest active volcanic systems on Earth, and its geyser basins are the most visible proof of it. If it's your first visit, here's how to see the highlights without getting overwhelmed — or hurt.

\n\n

Old Faithful: Start Here

Old Faithful is the park's most famous geyser precisely because it's predictable, erupting roughly every 60 to 110 minutes to heights of 100 to 180 feet. Check the current predicted eruption window at the Old Faithful Visitor Education Center when you arrive, and plan to be seated on the boardwalk benches about 20 minutes ahead of the estimate — eruptions can run early or late.

Don't leave the moment Old Faithful finishes: the Upper Geyser Basin surrounding it contains the highest concentration of geysers on Earth, including Grand Geyser and Castle Geyser, connected by an easy boardwalk network worth an hour or more of exploring.

\n\n

Grand Prismatic Spring and Midway Geyser Basin

Grand Prismatic Spring, in the Midway Geyser Basin, is Yellowstone's largest hot spring and the park's most photographed thermal feature, known for its rainbow-colored bacterial mats ringing brilliant blue water. The boardwalk loop through Midway is short — well under a mile — but the most famous view, the full aerial-style rainbow shot, actually comes from the Grand Prismatic Overlook trail on the opposite side of the highway, a short uphill hike of about half a mile each way.

\n\n

Norris Geyser Basin

Norris is Yellowstone's hottest and most dynamic thermal area, split into the Porcelain Basin and Back Basin. It's less crowded than Old Faithful or Midway and features Steamboat Geyser, the tallest active geyser in the world — though its eruptions are unpredictable and can go years between major events.

\n\n

Boardwalk Safety: Read This Before You Go

Every geyser basin in Yellowstone carries a real, serious hazard: the ground around thermal features can be a thin, unstable crust over near-boiling, acidic water. Visitors have been seriously injured and killed by stepping off boardwalks in these areas. The rule is simple and non-negotiable:

Stay on boardwalks and marked trails at all times in thermal areas.
Never touch thermal water or formations, even if they look solid.
Keep children and pets under close control — pets are not allowed on boardwalks or trails at all.
Never let a ball, drone, or other object you're chasing pull you off the boardwalk.

\n\n

Best Time to Visit the Geyser Basins

Early morning (before 9am) and early evening offer the thinnest crowds and often the most dramatic light for photos, especially at Grand Prismatic. Midday in July and August brings the heaviest boardwalk traffic of the year at Old Faithful and Midway.

\n\n

A Simple First-Timer's Route

Old Faithful eruption + Upper Geyser Basin boardwalk loop (allow 2–3 hours)
Midway Geyser Basin boardwalk + Grand Prismatic Overlook hike (allow 1–1.5 hours)
Norris Geyser Basin, if time allows (allow 1–2 hours)

These three areas alone can fill a full day, especially with driving time between them on the Grand Loop Road.

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HIKING

Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic, and Beyond: A First-Timer's Guide to Yellowstone's Geyser Basins