Yellowstone Upper Geyser Basin Hike: Old Faithful to Morning Glory
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About the Tour
About the Tour
Discover the secrets of the Upper Geyser Basin with a local Yellowstone tour guide, on this easy walking tour. With the world’s highest density of geothermal features, this geyser basin gives you an experience found nowhere else on earth. Immerse yourself in the otherworldly beauty of Yellowstone while you maximize your chances of seeing geyser eruptions on this 4-mile loop.
Along the way, you’ll see all five predictable geysers of the Upper Geyser Basin, as well as several other famous geysers including Beehive Geyser, Giant Geyser, and Grotto Geyser, and learn how they got their unique names. You’ll also pass several of Yellowstone’s most photographed hot springs, like Blue Star Spring, Heart Spring, and Morning Glory Pool. From the bustling boardwalks around Old Faithful to the quiet lodgepole pine groves that shade lesser traveled pathways, you’ll experience the delightful diversity that Yellowstone offers.
During this tour, you’ll also hear the answers to questions like:
- What are geyser cones made of?
- Can hot springs turn into geysers?
- How do rangers predict when geysers will erupt?
- Will Old Faithful ever stop erupting?
- Why are some geysers more likely to erupt at certain times of the year?
- In which hot spring have rangers found numerous pairs of underwear?
Join me for a day you’ll remember for the rest of your life and together, we’ll delve into the rich history of the geysers, the Old Faithful Village, and even the Old Faithful Inn.
Completing this tour takes most people three to four hours, walking at a leisurely pace. Geyser predictions are posted daily on the National Park’s website, so you can plan your start time around catching one or more of the five predictable geysers along the route.
After six years of guiding in Yellowstone, I can tell you that this hike is the best bang for your buck, as far as how to spend your time in this National Park.
Music:
Travel Light
Redwood Trail
Redwood Highway
by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.
Tour Producer
Tour Producer
Sarah Mickler
Sarah is a guide and artist living in Jackson Hole.
Preview Location
Preview Location
Location 8
Firehole River Bridge
This footbridge crosses over the Firehole River. This name dates to the early 1800’s when early trappers and explorers called wide valleys “holes”. Because this valley has so many steaming hot features along it, they called it the Fireh... Read More
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Major Landmarks
Major Landmarks
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Old Faithful
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Old Faithful Inn
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Old Faithful Visitor and Education Center
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Morning Glory Pool
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Grand Geyser
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Castle Geyser
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Riverside Geyser
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Daisy Geyser
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Beehive Geyser
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Grotto Geyser
Getting There
Getting There
Route Overview
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Start locationView Avenue, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190, USA
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Total distance6km
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Distance back to start location212.45m
Directions to Starting Point
The tour starts behind the Old Faithful Visitors' Center (Old Faithful Visitor and Education Center, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190).
The Visitors' Center faces the parking lot, walk through or around the building to the backside. You'll see five benches in a semicircle in the courtyard, the first cue is pinned here.
Show Directions
Tips
Tips
Places to stop along the way
There are 5 predictable geysers along this walk. Each of them has benches to take a break or wait for an eruption. Check the prediction windows on the National Park website or at the Visitors' center. At the end of the walk, there are refreshments and restaurants available at the Old Faithful Basin Store and in the Old Faithful Inn.
Best time of day
From dawn to dusk. You may want to plan your hike around the geyser predictions in order to catch one or more geyser eruptions. If you must pick one, my advice would be Grand Geyser. In the summer, go in the early morning or late afternoon/early evening to avoid crowds.
In the winter, the loop is still accessible, but you may need traction cleats or snowshoes, check with a ranger. Also, in the winter, the final location is closed, but you'll still be able to hear the cue and view from the outside.
Be aware that most Yellowstone roads are closed to the public for a month or more during the fall and again in the spring. The dates differ by year, but are announced on the park website. These dates can change without warning based on weather conditions. In the winter, you cannot drive to the Old Faithful Village, but you can book travel through the Park or a vendor.
Precautions
This tour goes through an active geyser basin. Visitors are required to stay on the boardwalks at all times. It is illegal to touch or throw anything in any geothermal feature. Pets and smoking are prohibited in thermal areas.
Even though this is a populated area of the Park, wildlife still enters the Upper Geyser Basin. Be bear aware, and if you haven’t already, stop at the Visitors’ Center to get a quick training with rangers.
This area is at high altitude and weather can change quickly. Make sure you have a map, enough water, some snacks, sunscreen, and sun or rain protection or warm layers. Use the bathroom and top off on water at the Visitor’s Center before you depart. There is no water source along the hike and only one pit toilet. Also, you may not have cell phone service on this hike.
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