YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK - Montana and Wyoming - page 461

inclines, but what goes down must come up again. From Artist Point, one of the largest
and most inspiring lookouts, visitors get a glorious view of the distant Lower Falls and the
river as it snakes down the pinkish canyon. It was long thought that Artist Point was where
painter Thomas Moran made sketches for his 7- by 12-foot masterpiece Grand Canyon of
the Yellowstone. More likely, say historians, he painted from a spot on the North Rim now
called Moran Point.
Norris Geyser Basin
Both the hottest and the most unpredictable geyser basin in the park, Norris Geyser Basin
is a fascinating collection of bubbling and colorful geothermal features. A 2.25-mile web of
boardwalks and trails leads visitors through this remarkable basin. From the Norris Gey-
ser Basin Museum (307/344-2812, 9am-6pm daily Memorial Day-Sept., free), which care-
fully unravels the geothermal mysteries of the region, there are two loop trails guiding vis-
itors safely through the basin. The 1930s log-and-stone building that houses the museum
has been designated a National Historic Landmark. There is also an information desk and a
Yellowstone Association bookstore inside the building.
Porcelain Basin is a stark, barren setting with a palette of pink, red, orange, and yellow
mineral oxides. Some of the features of note include Africa Geyser, which had been a hot
spring in the shape of its namesake continent and started erupting in 1971. When it is active,
Whirligig Geyser, named in 1904 by the Hague Party, erupts in a swirling pattern for a few
minutes at irregular periods with a roar and hiss. The hottest steam vent in the hottest geo-
thermal basin in the park is Black Growler, which has measured 280°F. The second-largest
geyser in Norris, Ledge Geyser erupts irregularly to heights up to 125 feet.
In Norris's Back Basin you'll find the world's tallest geyser, Steamboat Geyser, which
can erupt more than 300 feet in the air. The eruptions, which can be separated by days
or decades, can last 3-40 minutes. Minor eruptions of 10-40 feet in height are more com-
mon. The most recent major eruption, in July 2013, delighted unsuspecting visitors with a
9-minute, 200-300-foot eruption. Prior to that, the last major eruption occurred in 2005. Just
down the boardwalk, Cistern Spring is linked to Steamboat Geyser and drains in advance
of a major eruption. The color is a beautiful blue, enhanced by as much as 0.5 inch of gray
sinter deposited annually. By comparison, Old Faithful only deposits 0.5-1 inch of sinter
every century. Echinus Geyser is the world's largest acid geyser and is almost as acidic as
vinegar. Eruptions since 2007 have been rare and unpredictable, typically lasting about 4
minutes.