The plan for day 2 in Yellowstone was the bottom half of the figure 8 loop including the Grand Prismatic Spring, Old Faithful, and several geyser basins. We left first thing in the morning without breakfast to beat traffic.
Yellowstone National Park
2019 Price: Free due to my Annual Pass (Fee would have been $35 for a 7-day pass)
Grand Prismatic Spring
I knew the Grand Prismatic Spring would be crowded so we started there. You can view the spring up-close from the Midway Geyser Basin boardwalk but there is also an overlook trail.
Grand Prismatic Spring is the largest hot spring in the United States and is deeper than a 10-story building. There are bands of red, orange, yellow, green, and blue water. The multiple colors are due to different species of thermophiles – heat-eating bacteria and algae – living in the water around the spring.
Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook
To get to the overlook, start at the Fairy Falls Trail.
Instead of turning at the sign for the Grand Prismatic Spring, continue straight along the river for about a mile past the sign. Look for the Fairy Falls Trailhead.
The parking lot was almost full when we arrived and we snagged the last space in the main lot. Park in the lot and hike to a fork in the trail. Go left up the hill to the viewing platform that overlooks the Grand Prismatic.
We saw a dusky grouse in the grasses along the trail. It was a first for seeing one of these.
Initially there was a lot of steam rising from the spring due to the cold which made the bright colors hard to see. It was still beautiful but not the view I was hoping for. We almost left but decided to rest for a moment and take it all in. As the steam cleared, the sun rose, and the wind picked up – we saw great color. It was definitely worth waiting a moment!
Midway Geyser Basin Boardwalk
Midway Geyser Basin is a loop boardwalk with 4 main hot springs.
Excelsior Geyser
Grand Prismatic Spring
Opal Pool
Turquoise Pool
A lot of the springs look similar, so it is helpful to photograph the signs before taking shots of each one.
Black Sand Basin
After Midway, we continued on the loop road to the Black Sand Basin. The basin contains some small geysers and colorful hot springs. It was a less populated area than Midway, which made it easier to take our time and enjoy it.
Cliff Geyser
Green Spring
Emerald Pool
Emerald pool can look blue or green depending on where you are standing on the boardwalk. This was my favorite hot spring in the Black Sand Basin.
Rainbow Pool
Sunset Lake
Old Faithful Geyser
Then we went to the most well-known attraction in the park – Old Faithful Geyser.
The Visitor Center can provide estimated times of eruption for several geysers including Old Faithful. When we arrived, there was a little over an hour until the next eruption so we decided to claim our seats before the crowds descended. There are several rows of wooden benches surrounding the geyser. By the time the eruption occurred, there was not an empty spot in the area – people were sitting on every bench seat, standing in aisles, and sitting on the ground.
The estimate was good – but it erupted at the tail-end of the confidence range. It also had some small eruptions for several minutes before the real thing which kept us all on our toes.
The real eruption was approximately three and a half minutes long. All-in-all, I was clenching my camera to keep it level for about 20 minutes straight. Old Faithful is a must-see and lives up to the hype!
In the old Faithful area, we walked through the Yellowstone Art & Photography Center. The center has artwork and photographs of the geyser and a gift shop.
West Thumb Geyser Basin
Our last geyser basin was West Thumb Geyser Basin. West Thumb sits on the shores of Yellowstone Lake. Follow the boardwalk in a circle around the basin.
Thumb Paint Pots
Bluebell Pool
Lakeshore Geyser
Fishing Cone
Big Cone
Black Pool
Abyss Pool
Mimulus Pool
It was a perfect day to get stunning views of Yellowstone Lake from West Thumb. The colors in the water were incredible!
Once again, we found a herd of bison in Hayden Valley.
Since Bullwinkle’s had become a favorite, we ate dinner there again and I had the bison lasagna again.
Kelly Inn West Yellowstone
2019 Price: $1,236 for four nights