The eruption
A white column over mineral ground.
Yellowstone National Park — Public domain · Yellowstone National Park — Public domain · YellowstoneNPS — Public domain · Yellowstone National Park — Public domain · Yellowstone National Park from Yellowstone NP, USA — Public domain
Old Faithful is a cone geyser in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, and America's most famous geyser. It is known for its regularity, erupting on average every 92 minutes, with a range of 35 to 120 minutes, so visitors sit on timber benches and wait for the predicted time. It was named in 1870 during the Washburn-Langford-Doane Expedition, the first geyser in the park to get a name. Langford wrote that it spouted nine times during their stay, with columns of 90 to 125 feet, and that they named it Old Faithful. The geyser and nearby Old Faithful Inn form part of the Old Faithful Historic District. It begins with small splashes, then a white column rises with thick steam over pale mineral ground and lasts a few minutes. Boardwalks and curved benches surround it, with the huge timber inn and its steep roof behind. Walkways lead on through the Upper Geyser Basin to many other geysers and pools, and the scene changes at sunset and after dark. It is 7 km in a straight line from Grand Prismatic Spring, so both fit one day. Check the predicted eruption time at the visitor centre. Never leave the boardwalks, as the ground is thin and the water boiling, and visitors have been seriously hurt. Many park roads close in winter, so check the site before travelling.
A white column over mineral ground.
Huge, timber, steep-roofed.
More geysers and pools.
Upper Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
A predicted time is posted at the visitor centre, with some margin.
Never leave the boardwalks, as the ground is thin and the water boiling.