The West Thumb Geyser Basin is located along the western edge of Yellowstone Lake. There is a fantastic boardwalk trail that leads you past amazing hydrothermal features that are constantly changing.
Here are my top finds for Canyon & Grant Areas of Yellowstone NP
🏨Lodges: Canyon Lodge, Grant Village, Lake Yellowstone Hotel
📍Tours: Yellowstone Lake Morning Kayak Tour with Lunch, Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone Loop Hike with Lunch
🐻 Save time! Buy your National Park Pass before your trip
West Thumb Geyser Basin - Yellowstone National Park
Location - West shores of Yellowstone Lake
Trail distance - ½ mile around the outer boardwalk and ¼ mile around the inner boardwalk.
Parking - There is a nice size parking lot that leads to the trail and restrooms.
There is a small gift store next to the entrance to the boardwalk on the edge of the parking area.
Every single day an average of 3,100 gallons of hot water pour into Yellowstone Lake from the West Thumb Geyser Basin. You would think that this much hot water would warm up the lake water to make it perfect for swimming but the average summer temperature is still a chilly 45 degrees Fahrenheit.
West Thumb Caldera is a caldera inside of a caldera. The caldera actually lies within the even greater Yellowstone Caldera.
The Yellowstone Caldera is one of the world's largest calderas and encompasses the central and southern portions of the park.
One thing to know before heading out to explore the West Thumb Geyser Basin is there is no real shade! You will want to be prepared to be in the blazing sun if you visit on a sunny day.
There are benches for resting and checking out some of the thermal areas but no real shade.
The boardwalk does have an incline/decline at each end depending on which direction you walk.
Thumb Paint Pots
The Thumb Paint Pots look like mini mud volcanoes. The paint pots look different based on the amount of rain the area has had along with groundwater levels.
There are days they look like muddy water and other days they look like they are thick enough to form clay pottery.
Mudpots are different from other thermal features. The mud pot water is much more acidic and dissolves the surrounding rock turning it into clay.
Seismograph and Bluebell Pool
When the 1959 Hebgen Lake Earthquake occurred these pools were renamed. They were previously named Blue Pools.
Lakeshore Geyser
If you visit during Spring or Early Summer you may be surprised to see Lakeshore Geysers two vents underwater. When the lake levels drop the geyser vents are exposed again and may splash a couple of feet.
This geyser is mostly inactive except for small splashes.
Fishing Cone
Fishing Cone is another thermal feature that can be covered in lake water in early Spring and Summer. The snowmelt causes Yellowstone Lakes water to rise during early spring and summer.
Once Fishing Cone is exposed the water inside the cone measures on average at just above boiling at 199 degrees Fahrenheit (93 degrees Celsius).
In the past visitors would come dressed in chef's clothes for photos. They would fish Yellowstone Lake and then swing their poles around and cook the fish in the cone.
Fishing is no longer allowed in Fishing Cone!
Big Cone
Big Cone sits along the edges of Lake Yellowstone.
Black Pool
Black Pool is now a beautiful pool but in the past, it had a lower water temperature that allowed thick mats of dark green and brown thermophiles to grow making it appear black. Thermophiles are heat-loving microorganisms.
The water temperatures went up in 1991 which killed the thermophiles.
Abyss Pool
Abyss Pool is one of the deeper hot springs in Yellowstone. It descends down to 53 feet and varies in colors from turquoise blue to emerald green with shades of brown.
Over the past 40 years, the Abyss Pool has erupted and then quieted down and then become active again. Currently, it is a quiet pool.
Twin Geysers
Twin Geysers is actually one geyser with two vents. The last known eruption for Twin Geysers was in 1999.
The Central Basin
The Central Basin is the central portion of the trail. This portion of the walkway is packed with hydrothermal features. You will want to do the full inner and outer loop to not miss anything.
Surging Spring
Surging Spring has been quiet since 2002 and began overflowing in early 2010. In the past when it was active it would dome and overflow sending waves of water into Yellowstone Lake.
Ledge Spring and Collapsing Spring
Ledge Spring erupted in 2004 and 2005.
Collapsing Spring erupted in 2001.
Percolating Spring
Percolating Spring last erupted in 2005.
Thumb Geyser
Ephedra Spring
Blue Funnel Spring
When Abyss Pool began erupting in 1991 it caused the water in Blue Funnel Spring along with adjacent Perforated Pool and Ephedra Spring to cool and sink below the rim.
In 2010 the Blue Funnel Spring, Ephedra and Perforated Pools drained.
Where is the West Thumb Geyser Basin?
West Thumb Geyser Basin Map
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
- Yellowstone Lake - It is hard to believe that Yellowstone Lake covers 131.7 square miles and has 141 miles of shoreline.
- Old Faithful - Old Faithful is one of the big icons of Yellowstone National Park.
- Mud Volcano - Just up the road from West Thumb this is a great thermal area that has a really nice trail around it.
- Hayden Valley - Explore one of the best places in Yellowstone to see wildlife.
- Black Sand Basin - This is a great boardwalk trail through a thermal area near Old Faithful.
- Biscuit Basin - 3 miles north of Old Faithful this geyser basin includes Jewel Geyser, Mustard Spring, Black Opal, and Sapphire Pools.
- Grand Canyon of Yellowstone - See the largest waterfall in Yellowstone.
- Yellowstone Waterfalls - There are a couple of great waterfalls near the Mud Volcano area.
- Grand Teton National Park - From this part of Yellowstone, it is a fairly quick drive to the south entrance of Yellowstone and on to Grand Teton.
Closest Campground
Check out all of the Yellowstone Campgrounds to help plan your time in the park.
Closest Yellowstone Lodging
Closest Visitor Centers
- Grant Village
- Fishing Bridge
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.
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