Grand Prismatic and Daisy Geyser
5 / 9
On our fourth day in Yellowstone, we were up and out by 6 a.m., having learned the previous day that the west side of the park gets packed. First stop: Fountain Paint Pot, a short boardwalk loop through one of Yellowstone’s more varied thermal areas.
Firehole River
1 / 25
By 7 a.m., we rolled into Midway Geyser Basin, home to the iconic Grand Prismatic Spring. Even at this hour, the parking lot was full, and we ended up parking along the road. I’ve seen so many vivid photos of Grand Prismatic with its brilliant blue center. But in the chilly morning, all we saw was steam. Lots and lots of steam. We did notice people across the river at a higher overlook, and made a mental note to hit that up another day.
Still, the area was stunning. Midway Geyser Basin includes Excelsior Geyser Crater, a massive turquoise pool that used to erupt over 300 feet high back in the 1800s. These days it’s content to boil and steam like a cauldron. Even with limited views, the colors, textures, and heat rising from the earth was quite a site.
Afterward, we pulled off by the Firehole River, popped open the tailgate, and cooked up some oatmeal from the back of the Tahoe. Scenic breakfast spots don’t get much better.
After breakfast we headed back to Old Faithful, since there was much more to explore in the area. We retraced some of our steps before continuing farther along Geyser Hill Trail. Along the way, we saw Old Faithful go off again from a distance.
Our goal was Daisy Geyser, as the NPS app had a predicted eruption time of 11:30 a.m. (±12 min). We found a shady spot and waited about an hour. Sure enough, Daisy erupted right on schedule at 11:25, and it was a great show. It lasted minutes longer than Old Faithful with around 25 people in attendance instead of a thousand.
As we started heading back to the car, we saw Castle Geyser start to erupt, offering a complete surprise. The NPS app didn't have the estimated eruption time for this one. A nearby sign said it erupts every 16 hours, with the next expected at 10:30 p.m. So much for that prediction, because it was noon. When I first saw it, I took off jogging toward it, afraid it might be a short burst. Well, we watched it for 15 minutes until I peeled away because my stomach reminded me it was lunchtime.
We relaxed until later that evening (after the crowds died down), we wanted to see if Grand Prismatic steaminess would be better in warmer temperatures. When we left, it was around 70 degrees. During the drive, a storm system blew in. We parked and waited as rain pelted down and gusts of winds shook the Tahoe. The storm was quick, lasting about 20 minutes, but the temps dropped by at least 20 degrees. So much for our plan, but we continued on and got our 2nd viewing of the day, and yep still steamy. Though, there was one big difference. The geothermic grounds were sprinkled with hats that blew of tourist's heads during the storm.
Still, the area was stunning. Midway Geyser Basin includes Excelsior Geyser Crater, a massive turquoise pool that used to erupt over 300 feet high back in the 1800s. These days it’s content to boil and steam like a cauldron. Even with limited views, the colors, textures, and heat rising from the earth was quite a site.
Afterward, we pulled off by the Firehole River, popped open the tailgate, and cooked up some oatmeal from the back of the Tahoe. Scenic breakfast spots don’t get much better.
After breakfast we headed back to Old Faithful, since there was much more to explore in the area. We retraced some of our steps before continuing farther along Geyser Hill Trail. Along the way, we saw Old Faithful go off again from a distance.
Our goal was Daisy Geyser, as the NPS app had a predicted eruption time of 11:30 a.m. (±12 min). We found a shady spot and waited about an hour. Sure enough, Daisy erupted right on schedule at 11:25, and it was a great show. It lasted minutes longer than Old Faithful with around 25 people in attendance instead of a thousand.
As we started heading back to the car, we saw Castle Geyser start to erupt, offering a complete surprise. The NPS app didn't have the estimated eruption time for this one. A nearby sign said it erupts every 16 hours, with the next expected at 10:30 p.m. So much for that prediction, because it was noon. When I first saw it, I took off jogging toward it, afraid it might be a short burst. Well, we watched it for 15 minutes until I peeled away because my stomach reminded me it was lunchtime.
We relaxed until later that evening (after the crowds died down), we wanted to see if Grand Prismatic steaminess would be better in warmer temperatures. When we left, it was around 70 degrees. During the drive, a storm system blew in. We parked and waited as rain pelted down and gusts of winds shook the Tahoe. The storm was quick, lasting about 20 minutes, but the temps dropped by at least 20 degrees. So much for our plan, but we continued on and got our 2nd viewing of the day, and yep still steamy. Though, there was one big difference. The geothermic grounds were sprinkled with hats that blew of tourist's heads during the storm.