Old Faithful

Old Faithful is the most famous geyser in the world and the iconic symbol of Yellowstone National Park, a towering eruption of steam and boiling water that bursts skyward from the geothermal heart of the world’s first national park in northwestern Wyoming. Renowned above all for its remarkable predictability — erupting roughly every 90 minutes, day and night, year after year — Old Faithful sends a column of superheated water soaring 100 to 180 feet into the air, lasting several thrilling minutes, to the delight of the crowds who gather to witness it.

Named by an early expedition for its dependable eruptions, Old Faithful is the centerpiece of the Upper Geyser Basin, which holds the greatest concentration of geysers on Earth, and is overlooked by the historic Old Faithful Inn, a grand log lodge. While not the largest or tallest geyser in Yellowstone, its faithfulness, accessibility and grandeur have made it the most beloved and visited geothermal feature in the world. Predictable, powerful and iconic, Old Faithful is a treasured symbol of Yellowstone and one of the great natural wonders of the American landscape.

Old Faithful is experienced by watching its faithful eruptions from the boardwalk and viewing area (predicted eruption times are posted at the visitor center and on the park app), and by exploring the surrounding Upper Geyser Basin, which holds the greatest concentration of geysers on Earth — with boardwalk trails leading to many other geysers and hot springs (Grand, Castle, Riverside and the beautiful Morning Glory Pool). Watching the geyser, exploring the geyser basin, and visiting the historic Old Faithful Inn are the signature draws. The combination of the iconic, predictable geyser and the surrounding wonderland of geothermal features makes Old Faithful an unforgettable destination.

Summer is the busy peak, when all services are open and the geyser draws crowds, while spring and fall offer fewer people and pleasant weather for the boardwalks, and winter brings a magical scene of the steaming geyser amid snow (accessible by snowcoach or snowmobile). Old Faithful erupts faithfully year-round, roughly every 90 minutes; check the predicted time and arrive a bit early for a seat on the boardwalk. Early morning, evening, and the shoulder seasons are quieter; the geyser and the surrounding basin are rewarding in any season, with the winter steam-and-snow scene especially magical.

Old Faithful was named in 1870 by the Washburn expedition, which was so struck by the geyser’s dependable, regular eruptions that they dubbed it ‘Old Faithful’ — and it has been delighting visitors ever since, becoming the iconic symbol of Yellowstone, the world’s first national park (established 1872). The grand Old Faithful Inn, built of log and stone in 1903–04, overlooks the geyser. Generations of visitors have gathered to watch the faithful eruptions. Old Faithful preserves and presents one of the great natural wonders, a treasured and historic symbol of Yellowstone and the national park idea.

Old Faithful is a geyser — a hot spring that periodically erupts — powered by Yellowstone’s volcanic heat. Deep underground, water seeping into the rock is heated by the magma below to well above boiling; constricted plumbing traps the superheated water and building pressure until it flashes explosively to steam, blasting the column of water and steam skyward, then refilling to repeat the cycle. Old Faithful’s relatively regular plumbing gives it its famous predictability (roughly every 90 minutes). The volcanic heat, the groundwater and the constricted underground plumbing create the faithful, powerful eruptions of this iconic geyser.

The Upper Geyser Basin and the forests and Firehole River around Old Faithful host elk and bison (which sometimes wander among the geysers and the boardwalks — keep your distance), along with the broader Yellowstone wildlife of the surrounding forests and river, and a community of birds. The geothermal features themselves harbor unique heat-loving microorganisms (thermophiles) that color the springs and runoff. While Old Faithful is visited for the geyser, the surrounding area shares in Yellowstone’s rich wildlife, and visitors should keep a safe distance from any bison or elk near the boardwalks and features.

Old Faithful and the Upper Geyser Basin are part of Yellowstone’s extraordinary geothermal ecosystem, where the hot springs, geysers and their runoff channels harbor thermophilic microorganisms (heat-loving bacteria and archaea) — extremophiles that thrive in the scalding, mineral-rich water and color the features in vivid hues, and that are of great scientific interest (one Yellowstone microbe revolutionized DNA technology). The surrounding forest and the Firehole River add habitat. Protecting the fragile geothermal features and their microbial life — by keeping strictly to the boardwalks — sustains both the wonder and the scientifically significant ecology of this geyser basin.

Old Faithful, the most famous geyser in the world and the iconic symbol of Yellowstone, holds a treasured place among America’s natural wonders, beloved for over 150 years for its faithful, awe-inspiring eruptions. The geyser that helped inspire the creation of the world’s first national park, watched by generations of visitors gathered on its boardwalk, embodies the wonder of Yellowstone and the geothermal marvels that astonished the nation. Old Faithful is a cherished and instantly recognizable icon of Yellowstone, the national park idea, and the natural wonders of the American West.

Old Faithful is in the Upper Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park, in northwestern Wyoming, along the Grand Loop Road, reached most easily from the West (West Yellowstone) and South (Grand Teton/Jackson) entrances. The Yellowstone entrance fee applies. The Old Faithful area offers a visitor center (with eruption predictions), the historic Old Faithful Inn and other lodging, the geyser boardwalk and viewing area, and boardwalk trails through the Upper Geyser Basin. Most facilities are seasonal (summer); winter access is by snowcoach or snowmobile. Check the National Park Service for predictions, road status and conditions before visiting.

The National Park Service protects Old Faithful, the Upper Geyser Basin and its fragile geothermal features and microbial life within Yellowstone National Park. Visitors help by staying strictly on the boardwalks and designated trails (the thin crust and scalding water are deadly, and stepping off damages the fragile features and their microbes), never touching, entering or throwing anything into the features, keeping a safe distance from wildlife near the boardwalks, packing out everything, and following the rules. Protecting the geothermal features and their thermophilic life — by keeping to the boardwalks — sustains both the wonder and the scientific value of this iconic geyser basin.

At Old Faithful and the geyser basin, stay strictly on the boardwalks and designated trails — the ground around the features is a thin, fragile crust that can break, plunging you into scalding, often acidic water that has severely injured and killed people; never step off, touch, or enter the features. Keep a safe distance from bison or elk that may wander near the boardwalks (they are dangerous; never approach them). Watch children closely. The high elevation and weather can affect visitors; carry water and layers. Respect the deadly geothermal hazards and the wildlife above all.

The Yellowstone entrance fee applies. Stay strictly on the boardwalks and designated trails; do not step off, touch, enter, or throw anything into the geothermal features. Keep required distances from wildlife (25 yards from bison and elk); never approach or feed them. Do not collect anything. Pets are restricted (not allowed on boardwalks). Drones are prohibited. Pack out all trash. Most facilities are seasonal. Check the National Park Service for eruption predictions, road status and current rules before visiting; follow all Yellowstone regulations.

The Old Faithful area lies within Yellowstone’s geyser country, with the rest of the Upper, Midway (Grand Prismatic Spring) and Lower geyser basins, Yellowstone Lake, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, and the wildlife valleys in the broader park, and Grand Teton National Park to the south. The gateway towns of West Yellowstone and Jackson lie outside the park. The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem defines the region. Old Faithful anchors the geothermal heart of Yellowstone, the world’s first national park, a centerpiece of a Yellowstone visit and the most famous geyser on Earth.

Check the predicted eruption time for Old Faithful at the visitor center or on the park app, and arrive a few minutes early for a spot on the boardwalk to watch the faithful eruption soar up to 180 feet (eruptions come roughly every 90 minutes). Then explore the surrounding Upper Geyser Basin — the greatest concentration of geysers on Earth — on the boardwalk trails to Grand Geyser, the Morning Glory Pool and more, staying strictly on the boardwalks (the crust and water are deadly). Visit the historic Old Faithful Inn, keep your distance from wildlife, and explore the wider park.