Riverside Geyser

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

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Riverside Geyser Details

We are situated across the Firehole River from one of Yellowstone's most picturesque geysers, appropriately named Riverside, since it is located right along the bank of the river. Riverside is similar to Old Faithful, in that the geyser has been a consistent and regular performer for many years. In fact, the name "Old Reliable" could well apply to this geyser. As is the case with Old Faithful, Riverside is rather isolated and must have a very deep, durable plumbing system that it does not have to share with other nearby thermal features. Therefore, earthquakes are less prone to change its behavior. Over the years, Riverside's intervals between eruptions have ranged from about 5 ½ to 8 hours. The duration is rather long, with eruptions lasting a full 20 minutes. One of the most beautiful sights in all of Yellowstone is to witness a late afternoon eruption of Riverside, with the water propelling out at an angle over the river, reaching a height of 75 feet, and catching the late afternoon sun which often creates a spectacular rainbow. The geyser crater resembles a bench, and approximately 1 ½ to 2 hours before erupting, water begins to overflow and spill out across the bench. Its regularity, predictability, picturesque setting, and beautiful long eruptions, all make Riverside Geyser one of Yellowstone's favored geysers. 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 Riverside Geyser

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

13.8 mi away

Yellowstone

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57.0 mi away

Grand Teton

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317.3 mi away

Glacier

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391.1 mi away

Theodore Roosevelt

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391.1 mi away

Rocky Mountain

National Park · CO

409.6 mi away

Arches

National Park · UT

Nearby Points of Interest Around Riverside Geyser

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

0.1 mi away

Grotto Geyser

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

0.2 mi away

Morning Glory Pool

Named for the distinctive shape of its vent, which resembles that of a Morning Glory Flower.

0.2 mi away

Giant Geyser

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

0.3 mi away

Beauty and Chromatic Pools

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

0.3 mi away

Oblong Geyser

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