Grotto Geyser

No other geyser in this basin is more revered for its unique mineral formations than Grotto Geyser.

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Grotto Geyser Details

No other geyser in this basin is more revered for its unique mineral formations than Grotto Geyser. How do you suppose it acquired its unusual shape? Well, as you can see there are lodgepole pine trees growing all around us here. Apparently, well over 1000 years ago, there were trees growing right where Grotto Geyser is now located. Perhaps an earthquake caused a new thermal feature to break out which killed the trees. Over many years, the sinter built up over the dead tree stumps, eventually creating this natural masterpiece. It has been said that Yellowstone is like a living sculpture, always changing. During a typical eruption, Grotto discharges many thousands of gallons of hot water into the Firehole River. The most impressive part of the eruption is the very beginning, when the water may surge to a height of 45 feet. The geyser then quickly settles down to splashes of up to 15 feet. Both the interval between the eruptions and the duration of an eruption can vary significantly. Due to its interesting and ornate mineral formation, and the tremendous discharge of water during an eruption, Grotto is considered to be one of the major geysers in the basin. Source: National Park Service, Exploring the Upper Geyser Basin, Orville Bach

Difficulty

Low

Distance

N/A

Estimated time

Region

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Nearby Parks Around Grotto Geyser

Compare nearby parks around Grotto Geyser when deciding whether to expand the route after this stop.

13.8 mi away

Yellowstone

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Grand Teton

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Glacier

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391.0 mi away

Rocky Mountain

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391.2 mi away

Theodore Roosevelt

National Park · ND

409.5 mi away

Arches

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Nearby Points of Interest Around Grotto Geyser

Use nearby POIs to quickly expand your options beyond Grotto Geyser while the map context is still fresh.

0.1 mi away

Giant Geyser

Giant Geyser is without question one of the greatest geysers in the world.

0.1 mi away

Riverside Geyser

Its regularity, predictability, picturesque setting, and beautiful long eruptions, make it a favored geyser.

0.2 mi away

Daisy Geyser

This highly predictable geyser erupts roughly every 200 minutes, and lasts for 3 to 5 minutes.

0.2 mi away

Oblong Geyser

What makes Oblong so impressive is the volume of water it discharges during an eruption.

0.2 mi away

Beauty and Chromatic Pools

A well-deserved name given the wide range of colors due to the bacteria present here.