Frommer's National Parks of the American West - Don Laine [405]
Beyond the lake, the road follows the Lewis River through an alpine area and along the Pitchstone Plateau, a pile of lava more than 2,000 feet high and 20 miles wide that was created some 500,000 years ago. A high gorge overlooking the river provides views that are different from, but just as spectacular as, those in other sections of the park.
WEST THUMB TO OLD FAITHFUL
The most interesting phenomenon on the Old Faithful route is Isa Lake at Craig Pass. Unlike most lakes and streams in the park, it empties into both eastern and western drainages and ends up in the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. Amazingly, as a consequence of a gyroscopic maneuver, the outlet on the east curves west and eventually drains into the Pacific, and the outlet on the west curves east and drains into the Gulf.
Before you reach the Old Faithful geyser area, two additional detours are recommended. Two and one-half miles southeast of Old Faithful is an overlook at the spectacular Kepler Cascades, a 150-foot, stair-step waterfall on the Firehole River that is footsteps from the parking lot.
Near that parking lot is the trailhead for the second detour, a 5-mile round-trip to the Lonestar Geyser (on the eponymous trail), which erupts every 3 hours, sending steaming water 30 to 50 feet from its 12-foot cone.
OLD FAITHFUL GEYSER AREA
Despite the overwhelming sight of the geysers and steam vents that populate the Old Faithful area, we suggest you resist the temptation to explore until you've stopped at the Old Faithful Visitor Center (☎ 307/545-2750). Check the information board for estimated times of geyser eruptions, and plan accordingly.
The Old Faithful area is generally divided into four sections: Upper Geyser Basin, which includes Geyser Hill; Black Sand Basin; Biscuit Basin; and Midway Geyser Basin. All of these areas connect to the Old Faithful area by paved trails and roads. If time allows, hike the area; it's fairly level, and distances are relatively short. Between the Old Faithful area and Madison Junction, you'll also find the justifiably famous Lower Geyser Basin, including Fountain Paint Pot and the trails surrounding it. You can see some of these geysers on Firehole Lake Drive.
Though Old Faithful is not the largest or most regular geyser in the park, its image has been said to be the West's equivalent of the Statue of Liberty. Like clockwork, the average interval between eruptions is about 90 minutes, though it may vary 30 minutes in either direction. A typical eruption lasts 1½ to 5 minutes, during which 3,700 to 8,400 gallons of water are thrust upward to heights of 180 feet. For the best views and photo opportunities of the eruption in the boardwalk area, plan on arriving early to assure a first-row view.
An alternative to a seat on the crowded boardwalk is a stroll from the Old Faithful Geyser up the Observation Point Trail to an observation area that provides better views of the entire geyser basin. The path up to the observation point is approximately .5 mile, and the elevation gain is only 200 feet, so it's an easy 15-minute hike. The view of the eruption of the geyser is more spectacular from here and the crowds less obtrusive.
Accessible by walkways from Old Faithful Village, the Upper Geyser Basin Loop is designated as Geyser Hill on some maps. The 1.3-mile loop trail winds among several thermal attractions. Anemone Geyser may offer the best display of the various stages of a typical eruption as the pool fills and overflows, after which bubbles rising to the surface begin throwing water in 10-foot eruptions, a cycle that repeats every 7 to 10 minutes.
Two other stars of the show in the Upper Geyser Basin are Castle Geyser and Grand Geyser. Castle Geyser, with the largest cone of any geyser in the park, currently erupts for 20