Travel Guide
Everything you need to know β hours, tickets, tips, and how to make the most of your visit.
Overview
The largest hot spring in the United States, about 370 feet across, ringed by bands of orange, yellow and green bacteria around a deep blue center. See it up close from the Midway Geyser Basin boardwalk and from above at the Fairy Falls Trail overlook.
Insider Knowledge
For the classic aerial view, hike the overlook trail from the Fairy Falls trailhead, about 1.2 miles round trip.
Nearby
yellowstone-and-grand-tetonA 20-mile canyon of yellow, pink and orange rock carved by the Yellowstone River, with the 308-foot Lower Falls as its centerpiece. Viewpoints along the North and South rim drives, including Artist Point, Lookout Point and the Brink of the Lower Falls, give the park's most dramatic waterfall views.
yellowstone-and-grand-tetonThe largest hot spring in the United States, about 370 feet across, ringed by bands of orange, yellow and green bacteria around a deep blue center. See it up close from the Midway Geyser Basin boardwalk and from above at the Fairy Falls Trail overlook.
yellowstone-and-grand-tetonJust south of Yellowstone, the Teton Range rises sharply above Jackson Hole, with glacial lakes like Jackson Lake and Jenny Lake at its feet. Highlights include sunsets over Jackson Lake, the boat shuttle across Jenny Lake to Hidden Falls, Oxbow Bend and the barns of Mormon Row.
yellowstone-and-grand-tetonA broad, grassy valley along the Yellowstone River between Canyon and Yellowstone Lake, famous for large bison herds that often cross or walk along the road. Elk, bald eagles, pelicans and sometimes grizzly bears and wolves are seen here too, especially at dawn and dusk.
yellowstone-and-grand-tetonA remote valley in Yellowstone's northeast corner often called the Serengeti of North America, with big herds of bison and elk, pronghorn and the park's best chance of spotting wolves. Wildlife watchers with spotting scopes gather at pullouts at first light.
yellowstone-and-grand-tetonThe world's most famous geyser, erupting roughly every 60 to 110 minutes to heights of 100-180 feet in Yellowstone's Upper Geyser Basin. Rangers predict each eruption, and the surrounding boardwalks hold the largest concentration of geysers on Earth.
Midday sun shows the colors best, while cool mornings often hide the spring in steam.
Parking at Midway Geyser Basin is small and fills fast, so come early or late in the day.
Stay on the boardwalks at all times; the ground is thin and the water is scalding.
Common Questions
Late morning to mid-afternoon on a sunny day, when steam is lighter and the colors are most vivid.
Visit on a sunny, breezy day for the clearest colors and less steam.
One Yellowstone fee covers every area of the park; an America the Beautiful pass also works, and non-US residents may pay more, so check nps.gov.
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