Yellowstone National Park contains over 10,000 thermal features, including various types of geysers, hot springs, mudpots, and steam vents, all powered by the park's underlying volcanic system. Here are a few of my favorites!
 |
| Old Faithful Geyser |
GEYSERS are hot springs with constricted plumbing that cause them to erupt periodically, releasing built-up steam pressure.
The Old Faithful Geyser is probably the most well known geyser. It's especially popular because it is highly predictable. We saw several geysers but some of them rarely erupt. Here's a photo of several small geysers:
 |
| Geysers |
The Excelsior Geyser Crater is a 200 x 300 foot crater that constantly discharges more than 4,000 gallons of water per minute into the Firehole River.
 |
| Excelsior Geyser Crater |
FUMAROLES (also called steam vents) are features that release hot steam and lack water.
 |
| A Fumarole |
MUDPOTS are acidic hot springs that lack sufficient water to form a pool, instead producing boiling mud.
 |
| Mudpot |
 |
| Mudpot |
The Artist's Paintpots are bubbling, gurgling mud pots featuring mud of various colors like red, yellow and brown. The colors come from the differing oxidation states of iron in the mud.
 |
| Artist's Paintpots Collage |
HOT SPRINGS are pools of heated water that exist in various sizes and colors. These are some of the most beautiful thermal features and also some of the most deadly.
 |
| Heart Spring |
 |
| Black Pool |
The Grand Prismatic Spring is the largest hot spring in the U.S. It is known for its vibrant rainbow colors formed by heat-loving bacteria. The temperature of the spring is 160 degrees Fahrenheit! ♨️
 |
| Grand Prismatic Spring |
 |
| Grand Prismatic Spring |
 |
| Grand Prismatic Spring |
Next stop ... Alberta, Canada! 🇨🇦
