Biscuit Basin

 

After fully exploring the Upper Geyser Basin, we made a quick detour to Biscuit Basin, just a short distance away. While it doesn't rival the grandeur of the Upper Basin, it offers a pleasant boardwalk loop around a handful of small geysers.

The bridge across the Firehole River into Biscuit Basin appeared to be guarded by a “fierce beast”, though it was far more interested in grazing than intimidating passing visitors.

Just beyond the bridge, we spotted Black Opal Pool, the only black hot spring we encountered in Yellowstone.

The main highlights here are Wall Pool (above) and Sapphire Pool (below). Wall Pool, averaging around 88°C, is intensely hot and even boils in places.

Sapphire Pool, slightly cooler at about 77°C, also bubbles intermittently. Their extreme temperatures support thermophilic bacteria, which create the vivid blue tones that dominate both pools. Each has been shaped by past explosive events, leaving behind steep, dramatic walls that enhance their visual impact.

Other minor features include Avoca Spring (above) and Jewel Geyser (below), which resemble some of the smaller geysers found in the Upper Basin.

As a tip for future visitors, Biscuit Basin is best explored before the Upper Geyser Basin, otherwise, it can feel a little underwhelming by comparison.

Upper Geyser Basin - Old Faithful

 

Yellowstone’s most iconic attraction is undoubtedly the Upper Geyser Basin, home to the world-famous Old Faithful. This remarkable area contains the highest concentration of geysers on the planet. Click here for park map.

Castle Geyser

Among its many features is Castle Geyser, known for its massive sinter formation, though we unfortunately missed its eruption by just a few minutes.

Grand Geyser

Not long after, we witnessed the towering Grand Geyser erupting in powerful bursts up to 65 metres high. As it only erupts two or three times a day, we had carefully timed our visit, and it did not disappoint.

Turban Geyser

Nearby, Turban Geyser forms part of the same complex as Grand Geyser, offering a smaller but still impressive display.

Sawmill Geyser

Close by Grand Geyser, Sawmill Geyser proved to be one of the liveliest features in the basin. Though not the largest, its energetic eruptions sent jets of water up to 10 metres high, and it seemed to be constantly active as we passed throughout the day.

Tardy Geyser

Sawmill's neighbour, Tardy Geyser, is a smaller version that begins erupting shortly after Sawmill, hence the name.

Crested Pool

Along the boardwalk, we encountered three vividly coloured hot springs. Crested Pool stood out with its intense blue color, consistent high temperature, and dramatic boiling action that occasionally resembles a small geyser eruption.

Beauty Pool

Beauty Pool displayed a deep blue centre, surrounded by rings of green yellow and orange created by heat-loving thermophiles. The colours of the thermal pools are influenced by both temperature and mineral content with the hotter zones typically at the blue end of the spectrum. 

Chromatic Pool

Chromatic Pool is an anomaly, with stark white mineral deposits dominating the colours of the bacteria.

Firehole River

The crystal-clear Firehole River winds gracefully through the basin, weaving between geysers. While less dramatic than the geysers, it provides a vital lifeline for the surrounding ecosystem.

Grotto Geyser

During our visit, Grotto Geyser erupted continuously, sending powerful surges of water over its contorted sinter cone, likely formed around an ancient stand of trees. This was one of the more active geysers in the Basin during our visit.

Morning Glory Pool

One of the most visually striking features was Morning Glory Pool, perhaps the best example of Yellowstone’s vivid thermophilic colour gradients.

Old Faithful

We paused for lunch at the viewing area for Old Faithful, surrounded by a large crowd with the same idea.

Old Faithful stands as the world's most renowned geyser and the star attraction of Yellowstone's Upper Geyser Basin. True to its name, it erupts with remarkable consistency, sending powerful plumes of water and steam up to 40 meters high roughly every 90 minutes.

Lion Geyser

Lion Geyser quickly became one of our favourite sights in the basin. This impressive cone geyser frequently erupts on a similar schedule to Old Faithful, with a thundering roar, shooting a towering fountain up to 27 meters high. With viewing areas located nearby, the sheer power and sound of its eruptions feel even more thrilling than at Old Faithful.

Heart Spring

Although often overlooked beside the dramatic Lion Geyser (above background), Heart Spring is a quiet gem worth pausing to appreciate. This small by beautiful spring only exhibits the turquious blue hue.

Spasmodic Geyser

Spasmodic Geyser, with its intricate mineral formations and multiple vents, resembles a bubbling coral reef more than a traditional geyser. The intricate mineral deposits and multiple vents make it one of the more interesting in the Basin.

Old Faithful

As we passed Old Faithful on our way back to the car park, it treated us to a bonus farewell eruption.

The Upper Geyser Basin was always going to be a must-do highlight of the trip, and it delivered in every way.

West Yellowstone

 

It had been a full day packed with sightseeing, and by the end, we were feeling a little worn out. We checked into the Gray Wolf Inn, our home base for the next few days, before strolling down the main street to explore West Yellowstone.

West Yellowstone sits just outside the park’s west entrance and offers far more amenities than the more remote Canyon Village in the park’s interior. The town boasts a wide range of restaurants, numerous souvenir stores, adventure tour kiosks, and fishing outfitters, as well as several quality clothing shops catering to tourists. The souvenir stoes offer everything from fridge magnets and keychains to pocket-knives and quirky coffee mugs.

Harry found an ice cream cone that was bigger than the one from Pike Place, Seattle. Not nearly as tastey though. Very bland and a bit plasticy.

I met one of the locals who wasn't very talkative. He was a bit of a stiff to be honest.

We also spotted some fantastic T-shirts sporting funny Yellowstone slogans and some that were just quality shits and jumpers. I treated myself to a high-quality, super-warm hoodie that I’m sure will remain a favourite for years to come.

cattered throughout the open spaces of the town is a herd of 36 painted bison statues, each one decorated with a unique landscape or scene. Harry has an important public safety message about the bison in the park.

After dinner, we headed back to the hotel, where guests are treated to a complimentary bag of goodies for making s’mores. Just steps from the entrance, a cozy fire pit waits—perfect for roasting marshmallows to golden perfection before indulging in the gooey, sweet delight.

For those who aren’t familiar, s’mores are a classic North American campfire treat made by sandwiching a large, toasted marshmallow and a piece of chocolate between two crisp graham crackers. The heat melts the chocolate and softens the marshmallow, creating a sweet, gooey indulgence.

Artist's Paint Pots

 

Artist’s Paint Pots offers an eclectic array of geothermal features, including vibrant hot pools, bubbling mud pots, and small geysers. Thanks to the high concentration of iron oxide in the soil, shades of red dominate the landscape, creating a striking visual contrast.

During our visit, we also had a close encounter with a squirrel and a chipmunk—both surprisingly unfazed by our presence.

The standout attraction in this colorful area is Blood Geyser. True to its name, it bubbles persistently and occasionally erupts, sending bursts of water up to 1.8 meters into the air (sadly not while were were there).

At the upper end of the Paint Pots area lies the Mud Pots—a fascinating display of geothermal activity where thick, grey mud continuously bubbles and churns. Smaller bubbles percolate constantly, while occasional larger bursts erupt, briefly disturbing the surface.

Gibbon Falls

Our final stop of the day was at Gibbon Falls, where the Gibbon River plunges dramatically over the edge of the ancient Yellowstone Caldera. At 26 meters high, Gibbon Falls may not rival the drama of Tower Fall or the mighty falls in the Canyon, yet it still captivates visitors. As the water fans out over the rocks it creates a mesmerizing, almost hypnotic effect that’s hard to look away from.