Lower Geyser Basin
Lower Geyser Basin
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PandaHouston
Houston, TX6,120 contributions
Sept 2020
We did the Fountain Paint Pot Trail that is part of the Lower Geyser Basin. Had no issues finding parking at around 5:15 pm on Thursday, 9/3. The .5 mile trail took us around 30 minutes. However, at that time of day, it got pretty hot.
Written 16 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Edwelsh
North Canton, OH7,156 contributions
Aug 2024 • Couples
We had a chance to see this at sunset and it was magical. A 1/2 mile trail takes you right beside geysers, hot springs and mudpots. We were here in August and as the summer goes by and there is less water, they become thick and muddy. This is where we took videos of the gurgling mud at Fountain Paint Pot to share with our friends, how entertaining. Celestine Pool is a beautiful blue color. Red Spouter was nice, but Clepsydra Geyser was constant and with the setting sun backlighting, it was something else. Then the otherworldly view of dead trees with the sun reflecting off the geyserite field, insane. At that time of day there were only 3 cars in the parking lot.
Written 16 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ryan C.
Greenwood, IN169 contributions
Aug 2021
Worth the visit. There are a large amount of geothermal features throughout the area. Take the time to walk the area, but stay on marked pathways. Download the National Park Service app, and pull up some of the audio walking tours. You will be amazed at what you learn!
Written 8 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
OhioHick
Ohio, USA8,788 contributions
Sept 2011 • Couples
My wife and I made a short visit to the Fountain Paint Pot area of the Lower Getser Basin during our tour through Yellowstone in late August and early September 2011. The day we visited was a transition day for us as we were moving from the Old Faithful Village over to Roosevelt, so we were simply enjoying the drive and stopping at any place that looked interesting…and in Yellowstone that is just about anywhere!
Fountain Paint Pot is located just off of the Grand Loop Road, south of Madison. The area is on the west side of the road and basically opposite of the northern entrance to Firehole Lake Drive. Since we were coming from Old Faithful Village, thus heading north, we took Firehole Lake Drive starting at the southern end, so that when we exited the northern end of the drive, we did have to turn left onto the Grand Loop Road for a hundred yards or so to get to the entrance of the parking area for Fountain Paint Pot.
We arrived at Fountain Paint Pot a little after 10:00 AM and were back on the road about 10:30, but still covered the area in pretty good detail. It is not a large area, so it does not take long to see all the various thermal sites. Note that there are restrooms in the parking area. There is also a stand near the beginning the trail that has a trail map with information on the area. While you really do not need a map (the trail/boardwalk is basically one big loop), it is nice to have to get some additional information on the thermal features in the area (and it only costs $0.50).
For a small area, there is a great diversity of thermal features including springs, geysers, fumaroles and the mud pots. There are also great views of the surrounding landscape from the boardwalks. As you leave the parking lot heading toward the thermal area you pass by small stands of dead lodge pole pines which provide an interesting study. Another nice view is looking north from the boardwalk as you approach the geysers. Very nice vista of the plain with the mountains in the distance. When we were there, we saw a small herd of bison out in the plain.
We did not walk the entire boardwalk loop as the wind was blowing such that the steam and spray from the geysers were blowing back over the trail, so we opted to stay out of the shower (better for the cameras and our glasses). But this worked out well as it gave us two passes by the mud pots, which were quite fun to watch. I spent several minutes trying to get a nice shot of the bubbles forming and bursting in the mud pots.
Fountain Paint Pot is located just off of the Grand Loop Road, south of Madison. The area is on the west side of the road and basically opposite of the northern entrance to Firehole Lake Drive. Since we were coming from Old Faithful Village, thus heading north, we took Firehole Lake Drive starting at the southern end, so that when we exited the northern end of the drive, we did have to turn left onto the Grand Loop Road for a hundred yards or so to get to the entrance of the parking area for Fountain Paint Pot.
We arrived at Fountain Paint Pot a little after 10:00 AM and were back on the road about 10:30, but still covered the area in pretty good detail. It is not a large area, so it does not take long to see all the various thermal sites. Note that there are restrooms in the parking area. There is also a stand near the beginning the trail that has a trail map with information on the area. While you really do not need a map (the trail/boardwalk is basically one big loop), it is nice to have to get some additional information on the thermal features in the area (and it only costs $0.50).
For a small area, there is a great diversity of thermal features including springs, geysers, fumaroles and the mud pots. There are also great views of the surrounding landscape from the boardwalks. As you leave the parking lot heading toward the thermal area you pass by small stands of dead lodge pole pines which provide an interesting study. Another nice view is looking north from the boardwalk as you approach the geysers. Very nice vista of the plain with the mountains in the distance. When we were there, we saw a small herd of bison out in the plain.
We did not walk the entire boardwalk loop as the wind was blowing such that the steam and spray from the geysers were blowing back over the trail, so we opted to stay out of the shower (better for the cameras and our glasses). But this worked out well as it gave us two passes by the mud pots, which were quite fun to watch. I spent several minutes trying to get a nice shot of the bubbles forming and bursting in the mud pots.
Written 21 November 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lynne H
Newcastle-under-Lyme, UK185 contributions
Sept 2012 • Friends
We were traveling from Mammoth down to Grant and visited many of the geysers on the way down. Starting with Roaring Mountain, north of Norris. This one was a short shop at a pull in off the main road.The barren hillside is alive with fumaroles letting off steam, while the lower sections closer to the road have some low growing vegetation dotted with the remains of lots of dead trees and small numbers of living ( at the moment) pine trees. This vegetation peters out to be replaced with white 'dead' ground (sorry! not very technical) with some steaming water and odd bubbles. Certainly not an area you would wish to fall into.
As we traveled south, working our way to Old Faithful (a different report) we called in at some of the others on route. The Fountain Paint Pot at the Lower Basin is certainly worth a visit. Its easy walking on the boardwalk loop. I remember seeing mud pools and areas of white ground, complete with the toxic looking puddles, then a long line of dead tree trunks still standing in this toxic brew.You suddenly come across pools of boiling water. One area of the ground was colored by the microorganisms making a brown deposit (called bacteria mat) while another one called Silex Spring was a large blue pond of steaming water.
We moved down to Midway Geyser Basin. After I had seen a few, I must confess that my memory of them started to blend one into the next. I do remember the Excelsior Geyser, this was another steaming blue lake, looking very attractive against the white denatured rock.
It slowly dawned on me that most of the geysers I was viewing were not erupting ( perhaps a good job) but simply letting of steam. The thing that did strike me was the range of colours including, browns, greens and reds that the thermophilic micro organisms actually produce. Apparently the temperature of the water governs the particular organisms that will grow, which in turn produces the different colours. Some of them looked quite beautiful.
When we finally saw Old Faithful, it behaved how I expected. Its certainly worth visiting all these others on route. Take photo's of the name signs of the different geysers as you come to them and a location map if available. Once you leave the area its so difficult to remember which was which. Make sure you cover you lens up in between taking shots, because the steam and fumes could damage your camera.
As we traveled south, working our way to Old Faithful (a different report) we called in at some of the others on route. The Fountain Paint Pot at the Lower Basin is certainly worth a visit. Its easy walking on the boardwalk loop. I remember seeing mud pools and areas of white ground, complete with the toxic looking puddles, then a long line of dead tree trunks still standing in this toxic brew.You suddenly come across pools of boiling water. One area of the ground was colored by the microorganisms making a brown deposit (called bacteria mat) while another one called Silex Spring was a large blue pond of steaming water.
We moved down to Midway Geyser Basin. After I had seen a few, I must confess that my memory of them started to blend one into the next. I do remember the Excelsior Geyser, this was another steaming blue lake, looking very attractive against the white denatured rock.
It slowly dawned on me that most of the geysers I was viewing were not erupting ( perhaps a good job) but simply letting of steam. The thing that did strike me was the range of colours including, browns, greens and reds that the thermophilic micro organisms actually produce. Apparently the temperature of the water governs the particular organisms that will grow, which in turn produces the different colours. Some of them looked quite beautiful.
When we finally saw Old Faithful, it behaved how I expected. Its certainly worth visiting all these others on route. Take photo's of the name signs of the different geysers as you come to them and a location map if available. Once you leave the area its so difficult to remember which was which. Make sure you cover you lens up in between taking shots, because the steam and fumes could damage your camera.
Written 11 October 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Anand1351
Singapore, Singapore3,774 contributions
Apr 2018 • Friends
You see Mother Earth in action with phenomenon billions of years old.
While driving the trail or following the map you will see the lower Geyser basin.
Geothermal activity in front of your eyes.
While driving the trail or following the map you will see the lower Geyser basin.
Geothermal activity in front of your eyes.
Written 11 May 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jesse o
Jackson, WY6,518 contributions
Oct 2015 • Family
The entire region between the firehole drive and the fountain paint pots trail is so full of remarkable oddities that It could occupy an entire day, or more. Usually, passing through quickly, I only take advantage of the 1 km paint pots trail showing off each of the four kinds of geothermal features within an amazingly small area. On my own, it is a personal joy to sit and wait for the entire 4 to 7 hour cycle of fountain Geyser and it's satellite family members. It is such a joy to get to know them by direct observation instead only from others' printed material. And there are other features here to fall in love with as well. Cautiously, walking trails can bring you to little-known Springs where breakthroughs in genetic science and biochemistry began to be made back in the 1960s to the late 1980s, and ongoing. This is a most amazing part of the world we live in. But again, the personal appeal affects perhaps more deeply.
One September, I saw a glow in the sky to the north where I know there are no towns to make such a glow. Excitedly, we realized a display of the aurora borealis was beginning. Remembering the great fountain geyser was predicted to erupt within two hours of 1 AM, we pulled in and waited on the bench for it. The sky display intensified, eerie bugling mating calls of bull elk filled the air while my wife and I discussed names for the baby she was caring in her womb. The name "Aurora" was suggested and vetoed. Eventually, the geyser erupted for an hour with occasional stops. Under the stars and the display of charged particles, as the elk sang, it was a most memorable moment of my life. And it is only one example of what possibilities may be found here in Wonderland.
One September, I saw a glow in the sky to the north where I know there are no towns to make such a glow. Excitedly, we realized a display of the aurora borealis was beginning. Remembering the great fountain geyser was predicted to erupt within two hours of 1 AM, we pulled in and waited on the bench for it. The sky display intensified, eerie bugling mating calls of bull elk filled the air while my wife and I discussed names for the baby she was caring in her womb. The name "Aurora" was suggested and vetoed. Eventually, the geyser erupted for an hour with occasional stops. Under the stars and the display of charged particles, as the elk sang, it was a most memorable moment of my life. And it is only one example of what possibilities may be found here in Wonderland.
Written 6 February 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michelle G
Lake Forest, CA442 contributions
Mar 2014 • Friends
We didn't stop at this attraction, but did get to view it from the street as we drove by. These geysers appeared to be more steam vents than actual blow in the air geysers. However, they were still captivating from afar.
Written 14 December 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RetiredTravelerTN
Nashville, TN3,986 contributions
Aug 2014 • Couples
Even though I studied the park website before traveling, we were still amazed at how many colorful geysers and springs exist in Yellowstone NP. The lower geyser basin area is north of the Old Faithful area and Grand Prismatic Spring on Grand Loop Road. Lower Geyser Basin has two areas of activity -- the Fountain Paint Pot and the Firehole Lake area. Visitors walk along a boardwalk trail at Fountain Paint Pots. The one-way, three-mile Firehole Lake Drive is travelled by car. Great Fountain can be found on Firehole Lake Drive; it is one of the geysers whose eruption can be predicted by the Old Faithful staff.
Written 26 September 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
PAfamily07
pa334 contributions
Jul 2011
This is a quick, "stretch your legs" boardwalk with the fountain paint pots - largest and most colorful accessible ones in the park. I read that they had been compared to politicians and, in the midst of the debt ceiling debate, it brought a chuckle. There are a few geysers that erupt every 20 minutes or so and there are some smaller, pretty hot springs on this boardwalk too. The Firehole Lake Drive wasn't very exciting. We spent over an hour waiting for Great Fountain Geyser to erupt and were disappointed by its show. We felt Grand and Old Faithful were much more impressive eruptions.
Written 12 August 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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