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| Emerald Pool at Norris Geyser Basin |
Yellowstone has too many nooks to explore in a lifetime. Having visited Norris Geyser basin occasionally over the last 30 years, I've always wanted to explore what they labeled "back basin." This is a longer trek than the "porcelain basin" to the right. The first think you reach is the beautiful Emerald Pool. Though lacking the green emerald color, the light wonderful blues make it a highlight.
Next comes the highest geyser in the world, Steamboat Springs. I wasn't shooting off for me so I worked my way down the ramp to the lower basin. I liked the view back up towards Steamboat and shot the following picture when the cloud came into the right position.
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Hot Drainage below
Steamboat Geyser |
Then several lovely pools followed. Echinus is the largest and the most red/orange. Several in the shades of green and blue come here and there.
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| Echinus Geyser is really a pool |
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| Abstract detail shot at Crater Spring |
Finally came a wonderful finale. The ranger had said Vixen geyser was erupting every 15 to 20 minutes. My family and I saw the end of an eruption from across the basin. When we arrived, we sat down and waited about 3 minutes before the show repeated itself. This eruption is so close to the boardwalk we got slightly wet and loved the up-close show. Amazing. Overall, I'd highly recommend this walk (easy on boardwalk) for anyone. It's a little over a mile and gets away from the Yellowstone crowds. You can have a geyser eruption all to yourself!
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| Vixen Geyser Eruption |
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| Steamboat geyser was all steam on this day! |
Gordon's hike rating:
Hike Difficulty: ★★ Mild
Trail Condition: ★★ Mild, paved
Trail Hazards: ★★ Mild: inclines
Trailhead: Norris ranger station
Time Required: 3 hours
Distance round trip: 3 miles
Off the Beaten Path: ★★ Not really, 2 Stars
Scenery: ★★★ Good, 3 Stars
Photographic Potential: ★★ Fair, 2 Stars
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