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 to Biscuit Basin was guarded by a fierce beast! The fierce beast was doing a terrible job as it was more interested in mowing the grass than intimidating the humans.
We spotted the aptly named, Black Opal Pool just after crossing the bridge. It's the only black hot spring we have seen so far in Yellowstone.
The highlights here are two striking hot springs, Wall Pool (above) and Sapphire Pool (below). Wall Pool, averaging 88°C, is intensely hot and even boils in spots.
Sapphire Pool, slightly cooler at 77°C, also bubbles in places. Their extreme heat nurtures thermophilic bacteria, which create the brilliant blue tones that dominate these pools. Both were shaped by past explosive events, giving them steep, dramatic walls that add to their unique beauty.
There are a few other minor features in the Basin including Avoca Spring (above) & Jewel Geyser (below) that resemble a couple of the smaller geysers in the Upper Basin.
As a tourist tip, Biscuit Basin probably should be viewed before Upper Basin to avoid being underwhelmed.
