Old Faithful

State: Wyoming, within Yellowstone National Park's Upper Geyser Basin. Type: cone geyser, named in 1870 during the Washburn-Langford-Doane Expedition by Henry D. Washburn, making it the park's first named geyser. Erupts roughly every 92 minutes on average (range 35-120 minutes), reaching 106-185 feet high (average about 145 feet), with each eruption lasting about 1.5 to 5 minutes.

Old Faithful is Yellowstone National Park's best-known geyser, located in the Upper Geyser Basin and named in 1870 by members of the Washburn-Langford-Doane Expedition, the first geyser in the park to receive a name. It is not the tallest or most powerful geyser in Yellowstone, but its relative predictability, erupting on average roughly every 92 minutes, has made it the park's signature attraction for a century and a half. Eruptions typically shoot between 106 and 185 feet into the air and last one and a half to five minutes, discharging thousands of gallons of boiling water and steam each time. Park rangers and the visitor center post predicted eruption windows, calculated from the duration of the previous eruption, with the NPS noting accuracy within about plus or minus 10 minutes. The geyser sits within the Old Faithful Historic District, anchored by the century-old Old Faithful Inn, and is surrounded by boardwalks that let visitors watch safely from close range without disturbing the fragile thermal ground.

Old Faithful is located in the Upper Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park, in the park's south-central section, accessible from the Grand Loop Road and closest to the park's South and West entrances. The surrounding area is known as the Old Faithful Historic District.

As part of Yellowstone's high plateau (around 7,300 feet at Old Faithful specifically, on the lower end of the park's roughly 8,000-foot average elevation), the geyser area experiences cool mountain summers and long, snowy winters; steam from the geyser and surrounding thermal features is a striking sight against snow in winter, when the area remains accessible only via guided snowcoach or snowmobile.

Because eruptions occur around the clock, Old Faithful can be visited at any hour, though summer offers full road access to reach it directly by car. Predicted eruption windows are posted at the visitor center, so timing a visit around the posted estimate (accurate to roughly plus or minus 10 minutes per NPS) is the most reliable way to catch an eruption without a long wait.

Old Faithful was named in September 1870 by Henry D. Washburn, a member of the Washburn-Langford-Doane Expedition, becoming the first geyser in what would become Yellowstone National Park to receive a name. Early visitors reportedly used the geyser functionally, placing garments in the crater during dormant periods so the next eruption would clean them, though woolen items were often damaged in the process. The geyser's relative predictability made it a centerpiece of the park from its earliest tourism era, and the Old Faithful Inn, a large log-built lodge, was constructed nearby to serve the growing crowds drawn to watch it.

Most visitors watch an eruption from the boardwalk and benches surrounding the geyser, then explore the wider Upper Geyser Basin, which contains the largest concentration of geysers in the world along a network of walking trails. The nearby Old Faithful Inn is itself a destination, known for its multi-story log lobby, and the Old Faithful Visitor Education Center provides exhibits and posted eruption predictions.

Beyond Old Faithful itself, the Upper Geyser Basin includes numerous other named geysers and hot springs reachable via boardwalk trails. The historic Old Faithful Inn and the Old Faithful Visitor Education Center are the main built landmarks at the site.

Old Faithful sits along the Grand Loop Road in Yellowstone's south-central section, roughly midway between the park's West and South entrances, and is reached by car (seasonally) or, in winter, guided snowcoach or snowmobile, since surrounding roads close to regular vehicles from early November to late April.

The geyser itself erupts continuously year-round on its own natural schedule, roughly every 35 to 120 minutes (92 minutes on average). The Old Faithful Visitor Education Center, which posts eruption predictions, keeps seasonal hours; check nps.gov/yell for current hours, since they vary between summer and winter operating seasons.

There is no separate fee to view Old Faithful; it is included within the standard Yellowstone National Park entrance fee ($35 per vehicle for 7 days, per NPS), since the geyser sits inside the park.

Allow at least one to two hours to see an eruption and walk a portion of the surrounding Upper Geyser Basin boardwalk trails; a half day allows time to also visit the Old Faithful Inn and visitor center.

The historic Old Faithful Inn and nearby Old Faithful Lodge and Snow Lodge, operated by the park's concessioner, offer in-park lodging directly adjacent to the geyser. Gateway towns such as West Yellowstone, Montana, and Jackson, Wyoming, offer additional lodging options for visitors staying just outside the park.

Dining options directly at Old Faithful include the Old Faithful Inn's dining room and a cafeteria-style option at the Old Faithful Snow Lodge, both run by the park's concessioner. Gateway towns outside the park offer a wider range of restaurants for visitors not staying on-site.

The wider Upper Geyser Basin surrounding Old Faithful contains the world's largest concentration of geysers. Grand Prismatic Spring, in the nearby Midway Geyser Basin, is a short drive north along the Grand Loop Road and commonly visited on the same day.

The nearest airports serving this part of Yellowstone are Jackson Hole Airport (via the South Entrance) and Yellowstone Airport in West Yellowstone, Montana (seasonal, via the West Entrance); from either, a rental car is the standard way to reach Old Faithful.

Stay on marked boardwalks at all times around Old Faithful and the surrounding basin; the ground near thermal features can be thin, and the water is scalding hot. Keep a safe distance from wildlife that may wander through the basin, and watch for slippery boardwalk conditions after rain or snow.

Warm layers even in summer, since evenings can be cool at this elevation; sturdy shoes for boardwalk walking; and a camera, since eruptions happen quickly and predicted windows give useful advance notice.

Check the predicted eruption time posted at the visitor center as soon as you arrive, and use the roughly 90-minute wait window to walk part of the surrounding basin rather than standing in place. Arrive a little before the predicted window, since the NPS notes eruptions can occur within about plus or minus 10 minutes of the estimate.

Dial 911 for any emergency within Yellowstone. The park's general visitor information line is 307-344-7381.

Yellowstone National Park - Old Faithful area (National Park Service) - https://www.nps.gov/yell/index.htm

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.