Grand Prismatic Spring

 

We reserved one of Yellowstone's most iconic sights for our final day in the park, the breathtakingly vibrant Grand Prismatic Spring, the largest hot spring in North America.

Arriving early, we hoped to stroll along the boardwalk encircling the spring before the crowds arrived. While we managed to secure a park and beat the rush, the cool, still air combined with rising steam from both Grand Prismatic and Excelsior Geyser blanketed the basin in a dense mist, obscuring the spring’s famous colours.

The outlet cascades from Excelsior Geyser were particularly dramatic, with thick clouds of steam billowing above the rushing water.

We completed a lap of the boardwalk, though at the time it felt like we were circling little more than a steaming lake.

Anticipating these conditions, we had planned ahead with a hike to Fairy Falls. Kerri opted to sit this one out while we followed the pleasant 4 km trail winding behind the basin. The falls themselves were a highlight, gracefully plunging 61 metres down a natural amphitheatre into a tranquil, shallow pool below.

On the return, we took a short detour up the hillside to the Grand Prismatic overlook, where we reunited with Kerri. By then, the mist had lifted, revealing the spring in all its brilliance. The vivid colour gradients seen in smaller pools across the park were now displayed on a grand scale. From this elevated vantage point, Grand Prismatic Spring is far more impressive than at ground level, regardless of the conditions.