Friday, August 17, 2018

Yellowstone Scenic Drive: Firehole Lake

Yellowstone National Park is a picturesque and popular piece of property predominately located in Wyoming (USA). Its diverse and scenic landscape draws millions of visitors every year. There are so many things to see and do. That is why I have created this series of posts featuring some of my favorite Yellowstone places. This blog post is all about Firehole Lake Drive.

Not to be confused with Firehole Canyon Drive, Firehole Lake Drive is another scenic, one-way paved road located off the Grand Loop Road between Old Faithful and Madison Junction.
NPS Map
Yellowstone Association/NPS Map
This short (3 mile) road offers views of geysers and hot springs.  They are considered part of Yellowstone’s Lower Geyser Basin.  Many of these thermal features can be seen from the comfort of our car; but, I prefer to leave the car and walk the boardwalk trails. I like feeling the steam and sprays of mist from these natural wonders. We will have the opportunity to do this because there are several pullouts and parking areas along the road.

After we enter the Drive, the first feature (on the left) is Lemon Spring. Most people pass by it - including us.  On our next Yellowstone visit,  we will photograph Lemon Spring and Firehole Spring to add to this post.

Firehole Spring (left side of the road) is usually the first thermal feature most visitors see along this drive. Sometime in the early 1890’s someone thought the rising gas bubbles bursting at the water’s surface and shimmering in sunlight reminded them of a “flickering flame”.

A short distance down the road is another small pullout for Surprise Pool. It has been known by this name since 1896. Apparently early visitors threw gravel or sand into the spring. This disturbance in the surface of the boiling water resulted in the pool bubbling – like seltzer - giving it that “surprise” effect. Fortunately, this destructive practice was discontinued. Today, visitors are prohibited from throwing anything into any thermal feature.
Surprise Pool
The main attraction of Firehole Lake Drive is Great Fountain Geyser.  Eruptions occur every 9-15 hours and last for 45-60 minutes.  Bursts can reach up to 200 feet but average is 100 feet.  About 70-100 minutes before it erupts, its pool begins filling with water and then violent boiling begins.  While the Old Faithful Visitor Center offers a possible prediction time (give or take an hour or two), 

On one of our visits, we witness the first few initial high bursts of water as we approached the Great Fountain parking area. A word of caution - once people see it is erupting, the parking area may get congested. Please be watchful of traffic and excited pedestrians hurrying across the road to see the erupting geyser. 
Great Fountain Geyser
We sit on one of the viewing benches to watch this spectacular geyser show.

Even during those visits when Great Fountain Geyser isn’t erupting, the circular terraced pool (150 feet in diameter) that surrounds the geyser’s cone is worth a photo stop.   
Great Fountain Geyser Terraces
Nearby, we can see White Dome Geyser is spouting a few bursts too. While the 20-30’ high eruptions last only a minute or two, eruptions can occur as frequently as 15-30 minutes. Over the centuries, White Dome Geyser has built up a cone 20 feet in height. Looks are deceptive. The opening to this cone is a mere 4-7 inches wide. Over time, the opening could close completely.
White Dome Geyser
Next stop is Pink Cone Geyser. This is another future photo for us. In 1871, the Hayden Expedition named this 18-inch high, pink-colored cone for its color.   Located on the left side of the road fairly close to Firehole Lake Drive, this geyser blasts columns of water to a height of 20-35 feet. We have never seen it erupting …. maybe someday we will.

We continue driving toward the Firehole Lake parking area. Before we arrive there, we get a nice view of Hot Lake (left side of road) with one of the yellow tour buses on the opposite side. If you Google Firehole Lake Drive and look at the TripAdvisor reviews you will see that TripAdvisor chose my photo to represent Firehole Lake Drive. How cool is that!   Hot Lake is about 1,000' x 300' in size.
Hot Lake and Tour Bus
There is a large parking area on both sides of the road.  We walk across the footbridge and disappear into the steamy thermal area.  Here’s a word of caution. The heat and mist from these thermal features could damage camera lenses.  Be aware of these conditions and do what you can to protect your equipment.
 Boardwalk Trail
We walk clockwise around the boardwalk trail. The first named feature we see is the aptly named Steady Geyser. So named because it’s – well – steady. Its eruptions range from 1'-15' high.  The name Steady Geyser was officially accepted in 1927.
Steady Geyser
Continuing along the boardwalk trail, we get a closer view of Hot Cascades.  This small “waterfall” is where the hot water from Black Warrior Lake drops down into Hot Lake.   
Hot Cascades
At the end of the boardwalk trail is Black Warrior Lake. In the mid-1880’s, this area was referred to as Ebony Basin.  Manganese oxide discharged from Steady Geyser gives the water its dark color.   
 Black Warrior Lake
On the opposite side of the road is Firehole Lake. Thermophiles (warm water bacteria) create the brown color of this hot spring which is the namesake for the Firehole Lake Drive.
Firehole Lake
A short boardwalk trail along the edge of Firehole Lake provides us with a close-up view of two small but playful geysers – Young Hopeful and Artesia Geysers.
Young Hopeful Geyser
Artesia Geyser
We take a little time to walk around the area looking for other nearby thermal features.
Unnamed Thermal Feature
A close-up of the thermal run-off can create some cool-looking graphic art images.   
Art in Nature - Thermal Run-Off
From here, the road continues through the woods back to Grand Loop Road. At this point, the parking lot for Fountain Paint Pot is right across the road. Coincidentally, this area will be the focus of my next blog post.

No matter how many times I visit Yellowstone, I never get tired of seeing its ever-changing scenery. I invite you to view my other blog posts on Yellowstone National Park by clicking on the following links:

Planning a visit to Yellowstone? Food and lodging options are available inside the park and in towns just outside the park (West Yellowstone, Gardiner, and Cooke City/Silver Gate – all located in Montana). I highly recommend making lodging reservations in advance. Yellowstone is a popular destination and “No Vacancy” signs are common especially during the peak summer months. Since opinions, preferences, and budgets vary, I suggest checking a trusted travel source for current reviews.

My best advice is this - don’t just drive through Yellowstone – experience it!

The National Park Service has created a series of short videos titled “Inside Yellowstone”. It’s a fast and fun way to learn about the Park. Click on the following link to begin this Yellowstone experience.   

Family vacations created some of my favorite memories. To start planning your memorable trip to Yellowstone, please click on the following link:
Plan Your Visit - Yellowstone NP

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