Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
If you take the left fork before going down to cross the river and walk around Geyser Hill, you
can take a short side trip to three hot springs. This might be a good way to spend half an hour
or so while waiting for Old Faithful to erupt, keeping the geyser in view as you walk.
Blue Star Spring's thin crust sets of the unusually deep blue of its water.
The name of
Blue Star Spring
comes from its geyserite border, shaped like an irregular
four-pointed star. After a bison fell in during spring of 1997, the hot spring began a hitherto
unseen boiling and doming-up activity. Organisms in the runoff from this spring create a fan
of color you can see from across the Firehole.
Down the hill are two bubbling springs, first unsigned
East Chinaman Spring
and then
the famous
Chinese Spring,
where an Asian laundryman (actually Japanese) used to draw his
supply of water and one day accidentally caused an eruption.
Beyond Chinese Spring the walkway goes to benches that are ideally located for watching
Beehive Geyser erupt across the river. Continuing past the benches returns you to Old Faithful
Inn and Geyser. Retrace your steps from Chinese Spring to follow the main path.
Back on the main walkway
Stop on the footbridge across the
Firehole River.
Nowhere is the river more beautiful than
in this area on the way to Geyser Hill. Wildflowers abound at least until midsummer, the river
itself is crystal clear, and the brightly stained banks add to the magical effect.
O
BSERVATION
P
OINT
/ S
OLITARY
G
EYSER
S
IDE
L
OOP
Just over the bridge and partway up the hill begins the trail to
Observation Point,
a climb of
about 150 feet (45 m) in less than half a mile (0.8 km). Observation Point gives you an excel-
lent view overlooking much of Upper Geyser Basin, and it's a fine place to watch Old Faithful.
