Without a doubt the landscape in Yellowstone National Park is
breathtaking. When taking a breath in the Mud Volcano area, you may
notice something more than the scenery. There’s something in the
air that smells like a rotten egg. What you are smelling is sulfur.
The area may not smell like a bed of roses but a visit to Mud Volcano
is worth stopping to smell the sulfur. After all, it’s part of the
Yellowstone experience.
The Mud Volcano is a thermal area located along the Canyon to Fishing
Bridge section of the Grand Loop Road (5.9 miles north of Fishing
Bridge Junction or 9.7 miles south of Canyon Junction).
Park Map
The exhibit map (shown below) recommends walking the trail in a
clock-wise direction. So, that’s what we do. It’s a short
2/3’s of mile boardwalk/paved trail with some steeper stretches
along the route. Because of the sulfur smell, many people don’t
spend a lot of time here.
Exhibit Map of Mud Volcano Area
At the beginning of the trail (next to the parking lot) is Mud Caldron. Steam rises to the surface heating the water. However, the bubbling we see is not caused by boiling water but by gases rising from below.
Mud Caldron
From the parking lot, we turn left and begin walking the trail. A
short distance later, we see a side path leading to Mud Geyser. In 1870, members of the Washburn party estimated its size to be 35' x 45' x 75' with muddy
water exploding up to 50 feet into the air. Today, we see a
quiet, bubbling hot spring.
Mud Geyser
The trail begins to climb up a steep hill now known as Cooking
Hillside. This area is another example of how Yellowstone is in a
constant state of change. Prior to 1978, trees grew on this
hillside. After a series of earthquakes shook the area in 1978-79, the rising
ground temperature killed the trees. The toppled tree roots boiled in a steamy bath creating this cookin’ hillside.
Cooking Hillside
Churning Cauldron was also affected by the 1978-79 earthquakes.
Prior to then, it was a more colorful and cooler pool. After the
earthquakes, the increasing water temperature killed the colorful
microbial mats.
Churning Cauldron
We continue walking a little further to a split in the trail. We
turn left along a short path to see Black Dragon’s Cauldron. In
1948, this feature was created in an explosion of mud.
Black Dragon's Caldron
We return to the main trail and turn left for another short stretch
before the main trail splits again. We take the short spur trail
that goes left toward Sour Lake. The water in Sour Lake is so acidic that it can burn your skin as if it were battery acid.
Sour Lake
Once again, we return to the main trail and continue walking it in a
clock-wise direction. The boardwalk trail hugs the hillside leading
us to the next thermal feature - the Grizzly Fumarole.
Boardwalk Trail
The Grizzly Fumarole can appear different depending upon how long its been since any precipitation has occurred. During wet times, it might look like a thick mud pot or steam vent (fumarole). During dry periods, it may look like dry mud formations. We see it during its dry stage.
Grizzly Fumarole
We proceed down a steep section of the trail to find the area’s
namesake - the Mud Volcano.
Boardwalk Trail with Stairs
In 1870, members of the Washburn party
gave this thermal feature the name Mud Volcano because it was shaped
like a cone volcano. At that time, it was a 30-foot high cone
splattering mud all around it. Since then, nature has taken its toll
on the cone and left it as a crater filled with bubbling mud. That
is how we see it today.
Mud Volcano
The last thermal feature we see is Dragon's Mouth Spring. Through the years, Dragon's Mouth Spring has been known by 17 different names. In 1870, the Washburn party called it Cave Spring. Other colorful names included: Gothic Grotto, Devil's Kitchen, and Belching Spring.
Dragon's Mouth Spring
We return to the parking lot for one fnal view of the Mud Volcano area.
View of Mud Volcano area from Parking Lot
There is another thermal
feature that we didn’t see - Sulphur
Cauldron (across the road). They will have to wait for a future
visit. It’s another reason for us to stop and smell the sulfur.
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:
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