Norris Geyser Basin includes some of the hottest water and springs in the park. One thing to know is this can mean the ambient air feels like you have walked into the Sahara desert…it is HOT HOT HOT!
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
Norris Geyser Basin - Yellowstone National Park
We visited when it was only 78 degrees outside yet it felt like we were walking in a hot desert of heat. It was actually a bit miserable and we were super grumpy from being so hot by the end of it. We were not the only ones to be feeling the heat.
This is the one place in the park that we saw a lot of grumpy faces and heard people complaining about how hot the hike was, how hot they were and how they were done with it all.
I am not telling you this to detract you from visiting Norris Hot Springs but more to warn you so you are prepared for the experience.
Please make sure that you have water for everyone in your group, sunscreen, hats, and hike when it is the cooler part of the day if at all possible. We saw people carrying umbrellas to help block some of the direct sun and keep cooler.
We had a mister with us and it felt like we had won the lotto being able to cool down even a tiny bit with it.
The Norris Geyser Basin is broken into two sections each with its own hikes. Each of these hikes is downhill at the beginning and back up the hill when you are done walking the boardwalks.
The Norris Geyser Basin is one of the most spectacular places in all of Yellowstone. Norris is made up of 2 basins, the Porcelain Basin and the Back Basin.
They both contain beautiful thermal features with vibrant colors and hot temperatures for you to see. Some include Ledge Geyser, Cistern Spring, Echinus Geyser, Green Dragon Spring, Minute Geyser, and the famous Steamboat Geyser.
The combinations of boardwalks and trails allow you to reach these amazing sights. Many boardwalks and trails are mostly wheelchair accessible with some assistance while other areas are not.
There is also a museum so you can learn more about the history of the Basin. Make sure you make time to check out the Norris Geyser Basin on your next trip to Yellowstone!
Norris is known for having the hottest and most acidic thermal areas in the whole park reaching temperatures of over 200 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperatures of these pools also help determine the colors of these pools as well as the minerals and thermophiles(heat-loving organisms) found in them.
Sulfur is very common in these pools and contributes to the yellow colors seen in them. The sulfur in the water also contributes to the rotten egg smell you smell throughout the basin. Iron contributes to the red/orange/brown colors in these pools and algae contributes to the bright green color you see. These pools matched with their colors make them so beautiful.
These beautiful features also are known to change. Some geysers or features dry up or become dormant while brand new ones form. Events in the geological structures can cause these changes. Such as water passages getting blocked or even earthquakes. These changes could be very quick, or they can be very long. The pools and geysers can be very unpredictable with their changes and how active they are.
Steamboat Geyser
If you want to steamboat geyser erupt you will need to plan to spend some time waiting and watching or be really lucky. While the geyser has started erupting more frequently it does not erupt on a continuous schedule like Old Faithful Geyser does.
We saw people sitting under umbrellas who said they planned to spend hours waiting in hopes of seeing the geyser erupt.
Steamboat Geyser did not erupt for years! Currently, it seems to be going off about once a week though it has slowed down again significantly in the past year.
If you feel or hear that it is going to erupt you will want to make sure you have protection for your car. There are signs in the parking lot saying that the water that erupts from Steamboat Geyser can cause damage to cars in the parking lot.
The Steamboat Geyser is the tallest active geyser in the world! This powerful geyser throws water over 300 feet in the air soaking everything nearby. Visitors' cars can even be damaged by the debris of the geyser.
The geyser is very unpredictable. The time between eruptions can be as short as a few days and as long as a few years. If you get lucky, you might get to see this once-in-a-lifetime sight.
Porcelain Basin
The Porcelain Basin is filled with many colors and smells. Beautiful colors of blue, orange, green, and more fill the pools in the basin. With close to 10 features, it is a beautiful view. You can travel the boardwalk or view it from the Porcelain Basin Overlook right past the museum.
Ledge Geyser
This geyser steams often but very rarely erupts. Although when it does, it can project water over 80 feet into the air. This geyser is located right at the bottom of the hill.
Constant Geyser
The Constant Geyser goes off very frequently sometimes only being quiet up to a few hours. Although its eruptions only last about 10 seconds, it can send water up to 30 feet in the air.
Whirligig Geyser
The Whirligig Geyser is an orangish-colored geyser due to the iron oxide. This geyser makes a loud pulsing sound from the bubbling water. This sound can be heard all around.
Pinwheel Geyser
The Pinwheel Geyser has not erupted in a long time but the runoff from Pinwheel and Whirligig is a beautiful sight. The different colors are from the different temperatures throughout the stream as it cools.
Porcelain Springs
This area is very inconsistent and unpredictable. At times it can be full of water and beautiful color or It can be completely dry.
Crackling Lake
This lake is very cool due to its crackling sound mentioned in the name. It can also be of different colors at times depending on the temperature of the water.
Hurricane Vent
Hurricane Vent is incredibly beautiful with its turquoise blue color. It is also known for large amounts of steam.
Congress Pool
The Congress pool is known for many things. It is known for its steaming, blue pool, murky spring, and dry venting. The pool can change between doing all these things.
It was named the Congress Pool in 1891 because of the Fifth International Geological Congress in Yellowstone.
Whale's Mouth
This geyser is not regularly active at the moment. It was named due to the fact it resembled the mouth of a large fish.
Back Basin
The Back Basin is a larger area and has far more features than the Porcelain Basin. The boardwalks are much longer than the Porcelain Basin as well so be prepared to walk a bit.
This basin consists of over 20 features filled with many different colors and thermophiles that make up these beautiful pools. The area is much more spread out but much better for wheelchair accessibility.
Emerald Spring
This beautiful blue pool is rich in sulfur and super hot. Very few thermophiles can live in these extreme temperatures.
Cistern Spring
The Cistern Spring is a beautiful pool that can be blue or green. This spring is connected to the Steamboat Geyser. The steamboat geyser can empty the Cistern Spring after an eruption.
This spring is also extremely high in silica. This silica is the reason you see that the trees near the spring are dead.
Echinus Geysers
This Geyser is a red and orange color due to the iron in the pool. This is also an extremely acidic geyser. In fact, it is the largest acidic geyser known.
This geyser used to be regularly active but has now become less active only erupting every few months or even years.
Puff 'n Stuff Geyser
This geyser typically steams and can shoot water a few feet into the air.
Green Dragon Spring
The Green Dragon Spring is very cool with its sulfur cave and its boiling pool. It can be blue, green, or often murky at times
Monarch Geyser
The Monarchs Geyser used to give off enormous eruptions. It was highly active between the late 1800s and the early 1900s. It slowly became dormant over the years with its last eruptions in the '90s. It is now known to be blue or green and just gently flows with water.
Pork Chop Geyser
This geyser used to be a gentle hot spring until it exploded in September of 1989. It threw debris everywhere even over 200 feet in every direction. It is now a small gentle hot spring again and has not had any other eruptions since.
Minute Geyser
This geyser is very small and can shoot water only a few feet into the air. It is known to go off every few minutes but is very cool to see. The Minute Geyser used to erupt with much more power but was filled with coins and other objects by visitors at a time when stagecoaches were used.
Pearl Geyser
The Pearl Geyser is filled with vibrant colors and often empties and refills you can still see its amazing colors even when it is empty. At often times this geyser can shoot water around 8 feet high.
Blue Mud Steam Vent
This vent is known to be muddy and can be dry or full and overflowing at times. This vent used to be very strong and produce lots of steam.
Yellow Funnel Spring
The Yellow Funnel Spring is typically very murky and bubbles. At often times it can be dried up and steam as well. This spring used to be very rich with sulfur causing it to be a very colorful pool giving it its name.
Vixen Geyser
This geyser is smaller but can put out a great eruption going to heights up to 20 feet. When not erupting you can often hear it bubbling and see it steaming.
Corporal geyser
Corporal is right beside the boardwalk that typically has a blue or green tint to it. It is known to erupt often with intervals from a few minutes to days.
Veteran Geyser
This geyser can often have a milky blue color to it and goes off regularly. A lot of times you can see it bubble violently.
Palpitator Spring
The Palpitator Spring is known for its pulses seeming to almost beat like a heart. This geyser often has a cycle of draining then refilling and making the same pulsing sound again.
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.
Norris Geyser Travel Tips
Make sure you have more water than you think you will want.
Sunscreen, a hat, and sun cover are definitely needed on sunny days. There is very little shade on a large portion of Norris Geyser Basin.
Prewarning we saw a lot of kids having major meltdowns. The hike up and down the hill was not fun for them and they were letting the world know it.
Wear shoes that are comfortable for hiking up and down a hill and on boardwalks in the heat.
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/61f07ec196333b001540b97a
Where is Norris Geyser Basin?
Norris Geyser Basin is located right off of the main loop road in Yellowstone National Park.
Yellowstone 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.
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