Black obsidian (volcanic glass) sand gives the geyser basin its name. Oranges, greens, and other colors in and around the hot springs come from the thermophiles based on how hot it is. (The different colors and corresponding heat can be found above.) This was a short, 1/4 mile trail.
The colors were great! There was a lot of steam that made some of the pools difficult to see, but this was a relaxing spot to spend some time.
There were a couple of buffalo next to the trail just hanging out.
The Biscuit Basin was the next stop. This thermal basin is particularly volatile and unpredictable. In 1959 an earthquake recorded a 7.5 just a few miles to the northwest. Four days later, Sapphire Pool began to erupt violently, blowing away the large rock biscuits around the crater. This basin was named for those mineral formations.
I then took a hike (2 miles round trip) along the Midway Geyser Basin, which ends in a steep (but well worth it) climb to brilliant colors - almost like a sun with the swirling oranges and blues. Walking on the normal trail to the Midway Geyser Basin results in being closer, but not being able to really appreciate the beautiful colors as there is so much steam. However, this trail does not mark where to climb up, so (like I did), it is easy to keep walking! There was a bison right next to the trail that I passed. I was only a few feet away, which is pretty scary. He looked at me and watched me walk, but didn't follow (thankfully).
Here is a view of Grand Prismatic Spring from above.
I then drove down to the regular 1/2 mile trailhead for viewing the Midway Geyser Basin. This is a map of the trail (which was a boardwalk that we had to stay on).
This is the ground level view of Grand Prismatic Spring - the largest and one of the most brilliant hot springs in Yellowstone Park. It is 200 ft across and 160 F (which explains all the steam!).
Deep beneath us, magma from an active volcano heats water that rises to the surface through fissures in the rock. The result is a hot spring that pours almost 500 gallons of hot water each minute into Firehole River. Minerals dissolved in the hot water are deposited and gradually build the gracefully terraced shoulders of this hot spring.
Here is Opal Pool - great on its own, but paling in comparison to the others in this area. The benefit of this one is that there was not too much steam so you could actually see it! :-)
Wind and a lot of steam make these pools incredibly difficult to see. It smelled terribly like rotten eggs (from the sulfur) and I was glad, after viewing it from here, that I took the time to hike up the other trail for an overhead view.
This is what you could see from Turquoise Pool.
And here you can see water spilling over into the Firehole River. (This is also the same river I saw the waterfall earlier this morning.)
This is Excelsior Geyser. It pumps more than 4000 gallons of boiling water per minute over the crater rim into Firehole river. In the 1880s, this geyser erupted in bursts from 60-300 ft! The thermal violence formed the jagged crater and ruptured the geyser's underground system, causing eruptions to cease after 1890. Then in 1985, it roared back to life with 47 hours of major eruptions!! It is impossible to predict when this dormant geyser will erupt next.
Next, I drove over to Firehole Lake, where more geysers awaited me! :-) Just like the rest, there were about 10-20 geysers and pools in this area and a short boardwalk trail to follow.
Steady Geyser (named for it's ongoing eruptions):
Here is Firehole Spring:
Surprise Pool looks like a giant footprint landed and went right through the thermal surface exposing the boiling water beneath.
Here is the Great Fountain Geyser. The next eruption was between 3-7 PM, though I didn't get to see it go off.
This is White Dome Geyser, one of the largest cones in Yellowstone.
Pink Cone Geyser was erupting, though not very high.
Here is Firehole Lake, which looks like a normal lake except for the steam. Grass comes all the way up to the edge though, unlike most of the geysers and thermal areas.
There were a lot of holes in the ground. You can see just how thin the top layer is, with scalding hot water below the surface. If I stepped down on the ground I would most likely fall through and have to go to the hospital. This is why there are so many signs like the one above.
The Fountain Paint Pot was next. This was another 1/2 mile loop boardwalk trail. One of the videos above is of the paint pot!
Celestine Pool:
Silex Spring:
Bacteria Mat:
It's amazing that just 180 degree turn and about 1/2 mile from the thermal area were people fishing and buffalo!
A raven was following me around for a bit. LOL
Clepsydra Geyser:
Fountain Geyser:
Volcanic Tableland:
A Fumerole:
And this was the big exhibit of this area - Fountain Paint Pot. This vat of bubbling mud contains the perfect mix of ingredients to create mudpots - heat, gases, water, volcanic rock, minerals, acid, and living microorganisms. Heat-loving "thermophiles" consume some of the gases and help convert them into sulfuric acid. The acid breaks down rock to form clay - clay that mixes with water in mudpots.
Red Spouter was born after the 1959 Earthquake. This entire Painting Pot area was a grassy field before that MT quake!!
After seeing this, I went on the Gibbons Fall Trail. There is both a Fall Overlook and a Lower Overlook.
Artists Paintpot was a 1/3 mile hike and had a couple hundred feet elevation gain. Some of the best views of the thermals were from this point.
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