Norris Geyser Basin Trail

Limited parking, especially 10 am-6 pm. Park at your own risk. When Steamboat Geyser erupts, dissolved minerals in the spray can damage glass and paint on your vehicle. Norris Geyser Basin is one of the hottest and most acidic of Yellowstone's hydrothermal areas. It is outside of the most recent Yellowstone caldera, but inside the first and largest caldera. It sits on the intersection of three major faults and is a very active earthquake area. Constant Change Each year, new hot springs and geysers appear while others become dormant. Geologic events trigger many of these changes. Even small earthquakes can alter hydrothermal behavior. Clear pools become muddy and boil violently, and some temporarily become geysers. Geysers stop erupting or have altered cycles. New features appear. This sudden activity is known as a "thermal disturbance" and can last a few days, or more than a week. Gradually, most features return to "normal." No one fully understands why this happens. Norris has the greatest water chemistry diversity among Yellowstone's hydrothermal areas. The water chemistry changes as the water levels of underground hot water reservoirs fluctuates. Although Norris is known for its acid features, it also has alkaline hot springs and geysers. As underground water and chemistry shift suddenly, they could contribute to dramatic changes in minerals and pH. Philetus Norris Philetus W. Norris was the second superintendent of Yellowstone national Park from 1877 to 1882. He recorded the Norris Geyser Basin area's hydrothermal features in detail and his extensive exploration added immensely to the geographic knowledge of the park. Norris also oversaw construction of the park's first roads, parts of which still remain as the Grand Loop Road. Norris hired the park's first "gamekeeper" and campaigned for legislation to help adequately protect Yellowstone against the ravages of poachers and vandals. Color and Heat Lovers Hydrothermal features are also habitats in which microscopic organisms survive and thrive. They are called thermophiles: "thermo" for heat and "phile" for lover. Although they are too small to be seen with the naked eye, trillions are grouped together and appear as masses of color. They are nourished by energy and chemical building blocks. Colorless and yellow thermophiles grow in the hottest water. Orange, brown, and green thermophiles grow in cooler waters. Imagine living in near-boiling temperatures, in hydrothermal features with the alkalinity of baking soda, or in water so acidic that it can burn holes in clothing. Microorganisms in Yellowstone need these extremes to survive. Norris Geyser Basin Norris Geyser Basin is one of the hottest and most acidic of Yellowstone's hydrothermal areas. It is outside of the most recent Yellowstone caldera, but inside the first and largest caldera. It sits on the intersection of three major faults and is a very active earthquake area. Each year, new hot springs and geysers appear while others become dor