Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
beautiful,
Black Pool
is no longer black because the particular thermophiles that caused the
dark coloration were killed in 1991 when the water temperature rose.
Big Cone
and
Fish-
ing Cone,
surrounded by lake water, are the features that led to the stories of fishing and
cooking the catch in a single cast. Called “Mud Puffs” by the 1871 Hayden Expedition,
Thumb Paint Pots
are like miniature reddish mud volcanoes (depending on rainfall, after
which they can get soupier) and an excellent example of mud pots. Throughout the last sev-
eral years, the mud pots have been particularly active, forming new mud cones and even
throwing mud into the air.
Surging Spring
is fun to watch as the dome of water forms and
overflows, unleashing a torrent of water on the lake.
Grant Village
Located on the West Thumb of Yellowstone Lake, Grant Village is a fairly controversial
development dating to the 1970s and built in the heart of excellent grizzly bear habitat and
among several cutthroat spawning streams. The architecture is ugly, and the location is bet-
ter suited to wildlife than visitors. In addition to the
Grant Village Visitor Center
(307/
344-2650), which houses an exhibit dedicated to fire in the Yellowstone ecosystem, there
are accommodations, a campground, and food services.
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Old Faithful
Though often crowded, the
Old Faithful
complex brings together so many of the phe-
nomena—both natural and human-made—that make Yellowstone so special: the landmark
geyser and the incredible assortment of geothermal features surrounding it, the wildlife,
the grand old park architecture of the Old Faithful Inn, and even the mass of people from
around the world who come to witness the famous geyser.
An obvious stop at the Old Faithful complex is the
Old Faithful Visitor Education
Center
(307/545-2750, 8am-8pm daily Memorial Day-Sept., 9am-5pm daily Oct.-early
Nov.), which showcases Yellowstone's hydrothermal features. The $27 million facility
hosts 2.6 million visitors annually.
Known as the
Upper Geyser Basin,
the area surrounding Old Faithful is the largest con-
centration of geysers anywhere in the world. By far the most famous is Old Faithful be-
cause of its combination of height (although it is not the tallest) and regularity (although it
is not the most frequent or most regular). Intervals between eruptions are generally between
60-110 minutes and can be predicted according to duration of previous eruptions. Eruptions
can last anywhere from 90 seconds to five minutes. It spouts 3,700-8,400 gallons of hot wa-
ter at heights of 106-184 feet. Signs inside the nearby hotel lobbies and the visitors center,
and a Twitter feed (
www.twitter.com/geysernps
)
, keep visitors apprised of the next expected
