Frommer's National Parks of the American West - Don Laine [406]
The Riverside Geyser is on the bank of the Firehole River, across from a large viewing area. One of the most picturesque geysers in the park, it generates a 75-foot column of water that creates an arch over the river. Just to the south, Morning Glory Pool was named for its likeness to its namesake flower in the 1880s, but it has since lost some of its beauty. Vandals have tossed so much debris into its core over the years that it now suffers from poor circulation and reduced temperatures, which are causing unsightly brown and green bacteria to grow on its surface.
The Black Sand Basin is a cluster of especially colorful hot springs and geysers located a mile north of Old Faithful. It is interesting primarily because of its black sand, a derivative of obsidian. Biscuit Basin, 2 miles farther up the road, was named for biscuit-like deposits that surrounded colorful Sapphire Pool until a 1959 earthquake caused the pool to erupt, sending them skyward. Both the Black Sand Basin and the Biscuit Basin can be viewed from flat, interpretive boardwalks.
The Midway Geyser Basin extends for about a mile along the Firehole River. The major attractions here are the Excelsior Geyser, the third-largest geyser in the world and once the park's most powerful geyser, and the well-known Grand Prismatic Spring, the largest hot spring in Yellowstone, and the second largest in the world.
OLD FAITHFUL TO MADISON JUNCTION
Believe it or not, there are more superb geysers and hot springs on Firehole Lake Drive, all visible without leaving your vehicle, along a 3-mile, one-way road. The turnoff for Firehole Lake Drive is about 8 miles north of the Old Faithful area. There are three geysers of particular interest on this road. The largest is Great Fountain Geyser, which erupts every 8 to 12 hours, typically spouting water some 100 feet high for periods of 45 to 60 minutes. However, the lucky visitor may see the occasional "superburst" that reaches heights of 200 feet or more.
Estimates are that White Dome Geyser has been erupting for hundreds of years. Unfortunately, the age and height of this massive cone are not matched by spectacular eruptions. The vent on top of the cone has been nearly sealed with deposits of "geyserite," so eruptions now reach only 30 feet. However, the cone itself is worth a trip down this road.
Farther on, Pink Cone Geyser couldn't be closer to the road—crews cut into the geyser's mound during construction. The geyser still erupts occasionally, but the 30-foot spray goes mostly skyward and doesn't interfere with traffic.
About a half-mile north of where Firehole Lake Drive rejoins the Grand Loop Road is the Fountain Paint Pots area. See "Day Hikes," below.
Organized Tours & Ranger Programs
A number of tour companies offer bus tours of the park originating in gateway communities. Grub Steak Expeditions (☎ 800/527-6316; www.grubsteaktours.com) out of Cody has daylong tours, and Yellowstone Alpen Guides (☎ 800/ 523-3102; www.graylineyellowstone.com) takes travelers around the park from West Yellowstone. If you are looking for specialized guided trips such as photo safaris or snowmobile tours, contact the chambers of commerce of the gateway community where you want to begin.
Within the park, the hotel concessionaire, Xanterra Parks & Resorts (☎ 307/ 344-7311; www.travelyellowstone.com), offers a variety of general and specialized tours. Five different motor-coach tours are available from all of Yellowstone's villages. For $44, you can explore the Circle of Fire (Old Faithful, Yellowstone Lake, the Hayden Valley). You can cruise to the southern neighbor of Grand Teton for $48 on Teton Vista Rendezvous. For $50, you can do the Yellowstone in a Day tour. These are full-day tours, with stops at all the sights and