Six miles north of Old Faithful
Midway Geyser Basin, Yellowstone, though small in size compared to others, holds some of its most dramatic scenes. Sitting beside the Firehole River, it's a world of bright colors and steaming pools
Cautions: Midway Geyser Basin Yellowstone
- Stay on the boardwalks and walkways. The water can be boiling temperature or higher, what looks like solid ground may be only a thin crust, and going off the trails damages fragile plants and rock formations.
- Don't throw anything into the pools. Even a small object like a coin can choke off the water flow and kill an active formation.
- Pets are not allowed on the boardwalks.
Midway Geyser Basin Yellowstone Sights
Cross the river from the parking area, and walk along boardwalks laid out over the brilliant-colored landscape. Although the number of official geysers and springs here is small, the long boardwalks stretching across the steaming geyser fields, and the brilliant colors of blue water and orange bacteria make it one of my favorites.Sights at Midway Geyser Basin include:
- Grand Prismatic Spring: Yellowstone's largest hot spring, at 370 feet diameter and 121 feet deep, overflows into an area of bright-colored cyanobacteria and crystallized minerals.
- Excelsior Geyser: A constantly-flowing crater 200 by 300 feet with a constant discharge into the Firehole River.
