Yellowstone Geyser Erupts from Six Year Slumber
When it comes to geysers in Yellowstone National Park, Old Faithful seems to receive the most attention. Because of her predictability and easy access, she gets a huge visitor center, interpretive displays and thousands of daily tourists stopping to ooh and ahh as she does her regular show.
Old Faithful, while predictable, is not the biggest geyser in the park. That honor goes to the unpredictable Steamboat Geyser that has been know to blast steaming hot water 300 - 400 feet into the air (the largest geyser in the world). The timing between Steamboat Geysers eruptions varies between 3 and 13 days, according to Geology.com.
The National Park Service says there are more than 500 geysers in the Park, the most in the world! Some are fairly predictable, while others are more difficult to track when they will erupt. Last week, one of the more unpredictable geysers named Giantess did it's thing for the first time in over six and half years.
More than 10,000 hydrothermal features are found throughout Yellowstone National Park and many of the mud pots, hot springs, travertine terraces and fumaroles are popular stops for tourists visiting the park.
Fall can be a great time to visit Yellowstone National Park. As kids return to school, many of the roads and attractions can become less crowded. US News Travel recommends the "shoulder season" of September to October as a great time to visit.
Road conditions and closures are subject to change and visitors should check the parks map HERE before planning your route. Current travel alerts in Yellowstone (as of 8/31) include:
Temporary road closure between Mud Volcano and Fishing Bridge Junction, due to a gas truck trailer overturning. The road is closed while park officials assess and clean up the fuel leak.
Traffic delays around Old Faithful due to construction.
Tower-Roosevelt to Canyon over Dunraven Pass Closed