12 Geysers and Hot Springs in Yellowstone That Are Worth Seeing
Yellowstone National Park is a living geothermal museum home to over 10,000 thermal features. Spread across its massive terrain, these geysers and hot springs showcase the underground heat that powers the region.
You’ll find some that erupt like clockwork and others that bubble quietly in hidden corners. The following are 12 geysers and hotel springs in Yellowstone that are worth seeing.
Grand Prismatic Spring
Thanks to heat-loving microbes, Grand Prismatic Spring shimmers with concentric rings of vivid orange, yellow, and deep blue. Viewed from above, it resembles a solar flare resting in the ground. Walking the overlook trail nearby allows you to take in its size and spectrum more fully.
Old Faithful
Old Faithful is not the tallest geyser in the park, but its reliability makes it one of the most popular. It earns its name with eruptions that happen roughly every 90 minutes, spraying water more than a hundred feet into the air. There’s an amphitheater-style viewing area where you can comfortably wait for the next show.
Steamboat Geyser
Steamboat doesn’t perform on a schedule, but it’s a full-force experience when it erupts. It’s the tallest geyser in the world, sometimes launching water over 300 feet high. Unlike Old Faithful, you can’t predict when it’ll go off next, which makes it a rare thrill to witness. If you’re near Norris Geyser Basin, it’s worth checking in to see if luck is on your side.
Norris Geyser Basin
This is Yellowstone’s hottest and most active thermal area, constantly shifting under your feet. Walkways wind through fields of steaming vents, with strange sulfur smells and colorful runoff channels. Geysers here don’t follow the rules; they erupt sideways, gurgle erratically, or stay quiet for years before springing back to life. It’s less polished than other areas but more dynamic and worth taking a slow walk through.
Castle Geyser
Castle Geyser lives up to its name, rising from the earth like a stone fortress. Its cone has been built up over centuries of mineral deposits. When it erupts, it does so with force and duration, sending water skyward for nearly 20 minutes, followed by a dramatic steam release. Located along the Upper Geyser Basin trail, it’s a striking sight even when dormant.
Sapphire Pool
Sapphire Pool is crystal clear and deep blue, a stark contrast to the more vividly colored features. It’s calm but carries a quiet power, evidenced by changes in activity after past earthquakes. Once gentle, it has erupted forcefully in the past, showing how quickly geothermal features can evolve. It’s one of the most photogenic hot springs, especially in bright light.
Great Fountain Geyser
Its water bursts can reach 200 feet and last up to an hour, filling nearby terraces with rippling pools. What makes this spot shine is the light at sunset, when steam catches the sky’s gold and pink. Check at the nearby visitor centers for predicted eruption windows so you can time your stop.
Dragon’s Mouth Spring
It’s not just the steam and churning water that grabs you; it’s the sound. Dragon’s Mouth Spring roars and echoes as gases force their way out of a cave-like opening. The water sloshes violently inside, giving the illusion of something alive just beneath the surface. It’s located near Mud Volcano and is one of the most animated thermal features to see up close.
Morning Glory Pool
Morning Glory was once a deep, vivid blue, but it is now tinged with green and orange due to coins and trash that have been thrown in over the decades. Despite the damage, the shape still reflects its namesake flower, and the colors remain stunning. It sits at the end of the paved trail past Old Faithful, offering a contemplative finish to the walk.
Firehole Spring
This quietly bubbling spring isn’t one of the park’s marquee attractions, which means fewer crowds and more space to reflect. It is located on Firehole Lake Drive and pulses with soft color and occasional bursts. It may not erupt dramatically, but its steady activity is mesmerizing. It’s a perfect idea if you enjoy moments of calm with geothermal charm.
Mammoth Hot Springs
Unlike the colorful pools of the lower basins, Mammoth Hot Springs stuns with its white terraces and sculpted limestone formations. Hot water flows over ledges, creating new shapes almost overnight as minerals settle and solidify. The boardwalk here lets you explore both the active lower terrace and the quieter upper levels.
Artist Paint Pots
This small area blends pastel-colored mud pots with steaming vents and gurgling springs. The mud bubbles in rhythmic bursts, creating an oddly soothing soundtrack. As you walk the loop, you’ll notice different textures and hues that look like a painter’s palette left out in the rain. It’s compact but rich in detail; it is easy to miss but worth a pause.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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