“the largest geyser basin in Yellowstone”
This is the largest geyser basin in Yellowstone, spanning about 18 square miles (29 square kilometers). It consists of a flat plain interspersed with meadows and stands of lodgepole pine, with the Firehole River flowing through the central part of the basin. No other area in the park equals the Lower Geyser Basin in terms of hot water discharge. Measurements made in 1930 indicated a volume of about 15,300 gallons per minute. Most of the hydrothermal activity in the Lower Geyser Basin occurs in the Fountain Paint Pot and Firehole Lake areas.
This is one of my favourite places in the park! It is a little bit further out of the way and less popular than the Upper Basin (ol faithful) and has a ton of really cool stuff to see!
The boiling fountain paint pot's are creepy cool and once you walk out onto the boardwalks you're greeted with a wide open view of tons of different geysers including the Clepsydra Geyser which goes off 24/7!
Waaaaay cooler than the Upper Basin, this is where we definitely saw some of the most stunning springs and pools that glowed crazy colors of blue, orange, pink, green. I found the lower basin to be one of the major highlights of my entire trip through Yellowstone and the Tetons. We went right before sunset which serendipitously turned out to be amazing, the crazy colors the sky turns next to these pools...wow. Definitely make some time to go visit.
Check out the Upper, Midway, and Lower Geyser Basins for a concentration of geysers, hot springs, and other geothermal phenomena. Old Faithful is justifiably famous, but there are many other beautiful geysers without the crowds in Yellowstone.
You guys, the paintpots and geysers here have a lot to say. I went to this trail right after visiting Old Faithful. (OF is epic, don't get me wrong) but this shorter trail packs quite the punch. Lots of unique views in a shorter distance. I loved it. The fumaroles and mudpots were totally different than those in the OF area. And all of the standing water and dead trees give it a kind of creepy vibe. I highly recommend checking out this often overlooked trail.
Beautiful. The hissing holes and gurgling paint pots with the colors of the hot springs and even a geyser that goes off (it's little, but it shoots) was a little bit of everything in one place.
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Lower Geyser Basin
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- Sun - Sat: 12:00 am - 11:59 pm
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