Grand Prismatic Spring is a highlight of any visit to Yellowstone National Park! The largest hot spring in the park, the deep blue pool, is surrounded by yellow and orange algae. This is a spot you want to make sure and take time to visit.
Here are my top finds for the Old Faithful Area of Yellowstone NP
🏨Lodges: Old Faithful Inn, Old Faithful Snow Lodge, 1872 INN
📍Tours: Full-Day Guided Yellowstone Day Tour from West Yellowstone, Lower Loop Van Tour from West Yellowstone including Grand Prismatic & Old Faithful
🐻 Save time! Buy your National Park Pass before your trip
Grand Prismatic Spring - Yellowstone National Park
Grand Prismatic Spring is approximately 370 feet in diameter and more than 121 feet in depth. It is the third-largest hot spring in the world and the largest in the United States.
This epic thermal feature is larger than a football field!
One thing to know about Grand Prismatic Spring is that itis incredibly popular and busy! If you arrive at mid-day or on a weekend, you can expect the parking lot to be crowded and super busy.
You will want to plan an hour or two at a minimum for exploring this area. If you get done sooner, you will have more time for exploring Old Faithful, Fountain Paint Pot, Firehole Lake Drive, or any of the other attractions in the park.
It is worth noting that the road signs read Midway Geyser Basin, not Grand Prismatic Spring, making it easy to overlook that this epic spot is part of the geyser basin.
Make sure you do not touch the hot spring waters or really any thermal feature in the park! The waters of the Grand Prismatic Spring run at an average of 160ºF.
The rainbow colors around the spring change by season, depending on the weather and water temperature. In the summer, the pool is vibrant with yellow, orange, and green. In the winter, the colors can be a more muted brown and orange.
Make sure to plan time to see the entire Midway Geyser Basin, including Excelsior Geyser, Opal Pool, and Turquoise Pool.
What is the best time to visit Grand Prismatic Spring?
The best time really depends on whether you want to get epic photos or really want to escape the crowds as much as possible.
Grand Prismatic Spring is crazy popular and busy pretty much ALL DAY!
For photography, the best time to visit is in the middle of the day on a bright sunny day when the pool is clear and not covered in steam. This is also one of the most popular times of day, so you will want to be prepared for parking issues.
Photography Tips
If you have seen super vibrant photos of Grand Prismatic Spring and want to capture the same shot, be sure to plan enough time for the conditions.
Many times, the steam coming off of Grand Prismatic Spring can get clouded in, and the views are not what you may be hoping for.
The photos you are seeing were taken on a perfect, sunny day with no steam, which doesn't happen all the time.
In the morning, Grand Prismatic is often covered in steam due to the ambient air being colder than the pools.
Please note that drones are not allowed within Yellowstone National Park.
Camera Gear we use
We are big fans of using great camera gear to get amazing photos while traveling.
Canon R5 - We recently upgraded to the R5 after using a Mark 5 for years. We are loving the camera shutter speed and quality of images.
Canon 100 - 500mm - We use the Canon 100-500 for wildlife photography.
Camera Rain Cover - A rain cover will help protect your camera during rain showers but also when photographing waterfalls.
Camera Cleaning Kit - Cameras can get dirty, beat up, and dusty while in the parks. We like having a cleaning kit with us so we can do on the spot touch ups.
Extra Camera Batteries - We suggest always having one or two extra camera batteries with you. There is nothing worse than going to take a shot and the battery dies.
Extra Memory Cards - We use Extreme PRO SanDisk cards
Where is Grand Prismatic Spring?
Midway Geyser Basin is on the Lower Loop Road, approximately 10.5 miles south of Madison on the west side of the road.
Don't miss Excelsior Geyser along the same boardwalk.
How to get to Grand Prismatic Spring
Grand Prismatic Spring is located off the Yellowstone loop road. You will see signs for Midway Geyser Basin.
Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook
Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook provides an epic sweeping view of Grand Prismatic and the surrounding area.
Trail Length - The trail is .6 miles and has a 105-foot elevation gain.
Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook Parking/Trailhead - Park 1 mile (1.6 km) south of Midway Geyser Basin at the Fairy Falls Parking Lot.
Overlook things to know - The trail does not open until May due to bear management.
Parking is extremely limited, so be prepared to wait for a spot.
Pets are not allowed on the trail.
The Grand Prismatic Overlook Trail is an easy to challenging hike depending on the hiker's physical abilities.
This is due to the incline of the hike and the trail material. The trail is made of black sand/gravel. It makes it difficult to walk this trail.
Especially for people with knee, back, or other health conditions. The hike passes by the Midway Geyser Basin, giving you a beautiful view.
You will make your way up the incline as it winds up and makes its way to the top. This rough hike is definitely worth the view when you arrive and see the breathtaking Grand Prismatic Springs from above.
How was the Grand Prismatic Spring formed?
Yellowstone is full of hydrothermal hot springs (nature's jacuzzi tubs) where water is continually rising, causing fractures in the surface of the earth.
Different from a geyser (ie, Old Faithful), hot springs do not have obstructions near the surface, causing them to erupt.
Instead, a hot spring is similar to a jacuzzi, where hot water travels up to the top and cools as it reaches the surface, causing that water to sink and be replaced by hotter water from below.
However, unlike your average jacuzzi, Grand Prismatic sits on a bed of rhyolitic rock, which is a colored variation of volcanic rock with high silica content.
Also, unlike Jacuzzis, which are typically plugged into a local power source, Grand Prismatic is warmed by the heat of the magma from deep in the earth.
As this mineral-heavy water travels to the surface and heads out of the spring to cool, the sinter, or the white-gray landscape around the spring, you see, is beginning to form.
Wait, Where's the Smell?
If you've visited a hot spring before, your nose often lets you know you are reaching your destination before you can even see the springs.
This is due to sulfur binding with oxygen to form the compound sulfate. Another significant difference Grand Prismatic Spring holds versus other hot springs is the absence of that familiar smell of sulfur (rotten egg) in the air.
This is a lucky coincidence that no hydrogen sulfide gas is present in the air, though it could remain in the water.
How Hot is Grand Prismatic Spring?
188.6 degrees Fahrenheit up to 205 degrees.
Can you swim in the Grand Prismatic Spring?
No!!! No!!! No!!!
I don't know if we can say NO enough about anyone swimming in Grand Prismatic Spring.
The pool is over 188 degrees and will kill you, and if it doesn't kill you, it is guaranteed to cause 3rd-degree burns in seconds.
While this temp is perfect for budding bacteria, it is very unsafe for humans, causing catastrophic burns and even death.
Why is Grand Prismatic Spring So Colorful?
Grand Prismatic Springs gets its name because of the rainbow of colors within the pool.
Deep below Yellowstone NP, an active volcano's magma heats water that rises to the surface through fissures in the earth's crust.
The spring is formed when water emerges from deep cracks in the earth's surface. The water flows upwards into the center of the pool at a high temperature and then cools down as it spreads over the pool.
The rings of temperature create the different colors within the pool. Each temperature zone is inhabited by heat-loving bacteria called thermopiles.
The center of the pool is always a deep blue due to the high temperature of the water, creating a sterile environment.
The water is moving so much that the hot spring pours 500 gallons of water every minute into the Firehole River.
No, it's not your polarized sunglasses causing the… well, grand… display of color at Grand Prismatic Spring, but rather the thermophilic (heat-loving) bacteria who make their homes beneath the bubbling surface.
Grand Prismatic holds the presence of chemotrophs (organisms that use chemicals as a source of energy) mixed with a great deal of phototrophic life.
While a lot of Grand Prismatic's bacteria are photosynthetic, relying heavily on the sun, there is debate whether a chemotrophic bacterium, Aquifex, which is fueled by hydrogen gas, is also present.
Three recognizable cyanobacteria (aquatic photosynthesizing bacteria) have been identified across the scalding temperatures of the spring.
All cyanobacteria use light as their main energy source and are responsible for the greens, oranges, yellows, reds, and browns that you may glimpse while looking at the spring.
Best Yellowstone National Park Tours & Activities
Full-Day Guided Yellowstone Day Tour
⭐️ Rating: 4.9 out of 5 Stars (677+ reviews) | ⏳ Tour Length: 12 hours | 🚐🦌 Check Rates and Availability
One of the most booked and highest-reviewed full-day Yellowstone experiences, this comprehensive guided day tour covers every iconic sight in the park in a single well-organized 12-hour journey.
The tour guarantees Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic Spring, and all the must-see highlights, with the guide staying by your side throughout, never leaving guests to figure things out on their own. A lunch is included. Recommended by 98% of travelers across nearly 700 reviews. Booked an average of 40 days in advance. Pickup is included from hotels in West Yellowstone.
Lower Loop Van Tour from West Yellowstone: Grand Prismatic and Old Faithful
⭐️ Rating: 4.9 out of 5 Stars (385+ reviews) | ⏳ Tour Length: 8 hours | 🚐🌋 Check Rates and Availability
This full-day van tour is the go-to choice for visitors who want to see the Lower Loop's greatest hits without worrying about driving, parking, or navigation. Departing from West Yellowstone at 7 AM with hotel pickup included, the day begins with an early-morning wildlife sweep through Shadow Canyon of the Madison River, where bear and elk are regularly spotted. From there the tour hits the Grand Prismatic Hot Springs overlook, Old Faithful and the historic Old Faithful Inn, West Thumb Geyser Basin on Yellowstone Lake, the bison-filled Hayden Valley, Mud Volcano, and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone at Artist Point.
Hotel pickup included from West Yellowstone. Booked an average of 30 days in advance.
6-Mile Geyser Hiking Tour in Yellowstone with Lunch
⭐️ Rating: 4.9 out of 5 Stars (93+ reviews) | ⏳ Tour Length: 6 hours | 🥾🌋
Check Rates and Availability
Most visitors to Yellowstone spend their time at Old Faithful watching the eruption from the crowded viewing area and then heading back to the parking lot. This tour goes somewhere completely different. Starting at the Daisy Geyser Trailhead and following the Firehole River through the Upper Geyser Basin, your guide takes a small group of up to 14 guests past hissing steam vents, vivid hot springs, and geysers that most park visitors walk right past without knowing what they are looking at.
The route covers 6 miles and about six hours on your feet, passing Grotto Geyser, Observation Point, Daisy Geyser, and a climb up to the Observation Point overlook above Old Faithful where reviewers consistently say the view puts the standard ground-level crowd experience to shame. One reviewer watched Old Faithful erupt twice from two completely different vantage points on the same tour. Another caught Grand Geyser erupting up close after their guide rerouted around a bison blocking the trail.
Click here to find more great Yellowstone National Park Tours.
Nearby Yellowstone Attractions
- Old Faithful - Old Faithful is just down the road from the Midway Geyser Basin.
- Firehole Lake Drive - Check out the Great Fountain Geyser, White Dome Geyser, and Firehole Lake on this beautiful scenic drive.
- Biscuit Basin - Check out Black Opal Pool and the Jewel Geyser in Biscuit Basin.
- Fountain Paint Pot - Explore the Fountain Paint Pot Trail to check out the Celestine Pool, Jet Geyser, Fountain Geyser, and Clepsydra Geyser.
- Firehole Canyon Drive - Check out Firehole Falls and Firehole River Swimming Area on this great scenic drive.
- Fairy Falls - Fairy Falls is one of the highest waterfalls in Yellowstone. You can easily reach the falls by walking the Fairy Falls trail as it continues past the Grand Prismatic overlook.
- Norris Geyser Basin
Things to Know
There are bathrooms available in the main parking lot. Be prepared for there to be a line!
Make sure to bring water with you for the walk. There is no water available along the boardwalk.
There is no shade along the boardwalk! Be prepared for the sun and weather.
Closest Campground
- Additional Yellowstone Campgrounds.
Closest Yellowstone Lodging
The closest National Park Lodges to Grand Prismatic Spring include:
Lodging Options in the Old Faithful Area
⭐️ 4.2 of 5 Stars - Old Faithful Inn - Click here for Rates and Availability.
The most iconic hotel in the American national park system, a National Historic Landmark and the largest log structure in the world, sitting just steps from Old Faithful geyser!
Built in 1903 from local rhyolite stone and lodge pole pine, the soaring 7-story lobby with its massive stone fireplace and hand-crafted copper and wrought iron clock is one of the most breathtaking interior spaces in any hotel anywhere. Choose from historic Old House rooms, some with shared bathrooms straight out of the early 1900s, to modern Deluxe rooms, Junior Suites, and Geyser Basin View Suites. Live music fills the lobby each evening, and the elegant Old Faithful Inn Dining Room serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with dinner reservations required. Also on site are the Bear Pit Lounge, Bear Paw Deli and Coffee Bar, & gift shop. No TVs, WiFi, or air conditioning keeps the historic magic intact. Open early May through mid-October, book up to 13 months in advance as this is the most requested lodging in Yellowstone!
⭐️ 4.2 of 5 Stars - Old Faithful Snow Lodge & Cabins - Click here for Rates and Availability.
One of only two lodges open in winter inside Yellowstone, a stunning award-winning parkitecture masterpiece with heavy timber construction, exterior log columns, and a cedar shingle roof, just a 5-minute walk from Old Faithful!
The newest full-service lodge in the park, completed in 1999 and winner of the Cody Award for Western Design, it features a cozy lobby fireplace, the elegant Obsidian Dining Room serving wild game and regional cuisine, the casual Geyser Grill, Firehole Lounge with a second fireplace, Bear Den Gift Shop and Ski Shop with cross-country ski and snowshoe rentals, free WiFi, and free parking. Rooms and cabins feature mini-fridges, coffee makers, hair dryers, and modern bathrooms, with pet friendly cabins available. In winter, heated snowcoach tours depart right from the lodge for park-wide sightseeing. Open late April through late October and mid-December through early March!
⭐️ 4.9 of 5 Stars - 1892 Inn - Click here for Rates and Availability.
West Yellowstone's most refined boutique hotel, a gorgeous adults-only mountain lodge just 1 mile from the West Entrance to Yellowstone National Park, named after the year America's first national park was established!
The 18 rooms feature gas fireplaces, premium bedding, bathrobes and slippers, dual towel warmers, flat-screen satellite TVs, mini-fridges, and walk-in showers, all wrapped in rustic-chic Montana style with cowhide chairs and western throws. A complimentary continental breakfast is served each morning, and the cozy lobby lounge with a stone fireplace is perfect for unwinding after a long day in the park. Sauna, fitness center, business center, free WiFi, and free parking included. Open year-round!
Click this link or the map below for a complete list of hotels and vacation rentals in the West Yellowstone, Montana Area.
https://www.stay22.com/embed/61f07ec196333b001540b97aYellowstone National Park Entrance Fee
New in 2026: Each Non-US Resident aged 16 and older visiting Yellowstone National Park must pay a $100 nonresident fee (in addition to the standard entrance fee), unless admitted with an annual or America the Beautiful Pass. This includes nonresidents entering as part of a commercial tour group, commercial use authorization (CUA) group, or concessioner tour group.
Park entrance fees are separate from camping and lodging fees.
Park Entrance Pass - $35.00 Per private vehicle (valid for 1-7 days from the date of purchase)
Park Entrance Pass - Motorcycle - $30.00 Per motorcycle (valid for 1-7 days from the date of purchase)
Park Entrance Pass - Snowmobile - $30.00 Entry for one driver and one passenger (valid for 1-7 days from the date of purchase)
Per-Person Entrance Pass - $20.00 Visitors 16 years or older who enter on foot, bicycle, or as part of an organized group not involved in a commercial tour.
Annual Park Entrance Pass - $70.00, Admits pass holder and all passengers in a non-commercial vehicle. Valid for one year from the month of purchase.
$20.00 for Non-Commercial Group (16+ persons)
$20.00 for Commercial Sedan with 1-6 seats and non-commercial groups (16+ persons) ($25.00 plus $20.00 per person)
$125.00 for Commercial Van with 7-15 seats
$200.00 for Commercial Mini-Bus with 16-25 seats
$300.00 for Commercial Motor Coach with 26+ seats
Learn more about National Park Passes for parks that have an entrance fee.
$80.00 - For the America the Beautiful/National Park Pass. The pass covers entrance fees to all US National Park Sites and over 2,000 Federal Recreation Fee Sites for an entire year and covers everyone in the car for per-vehicle sites and up to 4 adults for per-person sites.
Buy your pass at this link, and REI will donate 10% of pass proceeds to the National Forest Foundation, National Park Foundation, and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry & Communities.
National Park Free Entrance Days -Mark your calendars with the free entrance days the National Park Service offers for US citizens and residents.
Additional Yellowstone National Park Information
- Yellowstone National Park Guide - Your complete guide to exploring the world's first National Park!
- Things to do in Yellowstone - These are the top things to do that you don't want to miss, including exploring the Mammoth Hot Springs, the Museum of the National Park Ranger, Yellowstone Waterfalls, Kayaking in Yellowstone, fishing in Yellowstone, Fairy Falls Trail, and more!
- Yellowstone National Park Facts - Learn more about our 1st National Park and fun facts about the wildlife in the park.
- Yellowstone Wildlife Guide- Complete Guide to seeing wildlife in Yellowstone National Park, including the most popular wildlife viewing areas, including Lamar Valley and Hayden Valley.
- Ultimate Yellowstone National Park Lodging Guide - This complete guide to all of Yellowstone National Park's Lodges and cabins
- Ultimate Yellowstone Camping Guide - This complete guide to camping in Yellowstone includes all front country campgrounds
Yellowstone Geyser Basin Areas
- Upper Geyser Basin, including Biscuit Basin, Black Sand Basin, and Old Faithful Geyser.
- Midway Geyser Basin, including Grand Prismatic Spring and Firehole Lake Drive.
- Lower Geyser Basin, including Fountain Paint Pot Trail and Firehole Canyon Drive
- Norris Geyser Basin-This basin is known for having some of the hottest water and springs in the park. It is actually two basins: Porcelain Basin and Black Basin, with famous geysers, including Ledge Geyser, Cistern Geyser, and Steamboat Geyser.
- West Thumb Geyser Basin - Beautiful boardwalk trail with hydrothermal features right next to Lake Yellowstone!
- Mud Volcano - The Mud Volcano area is Located south of Canyon Village and North of Lake Yellowstone. It has several hydrothermal features, including a mud volcano and Dragon's Mouth Spring.
Additional Montana National Parks
- Complete Guide to Grand Teton National Park - Your complete guide to go explore Grand Teton National Park before or after you visit Yellowstone!
- Epic Guide to Glacier National Park - Complete guide to exploring Glacier National Park
- Little Bighorn Battlefield - Also known as Custer's Last Stand, a place where the Plains Tribes fought their last major battle and won.
- Big Hole National Battlefield - site of the pivotal battle in the Nez Perce War of 1877 between Colonel Gibbon's troops and five bands of the Nez Perce Indians led by the famous Native American Leader, Cheif Joseph.
- Grant Kohr's Ranch National Historic Site - See what ranch life was like in the 1800s in Montana
Check out all of the Montana National Parks along with neighboring National Parks in Wyoming, National Parks in South Dakota, North Dakota National Parks, and Idaho National Parks.
Make sure to follow Park Ranger John on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok
Leave a Reply