Old Faithful Geyser

Most tours of Yellowstone National Park stop by Old Faithful to see one of the geyser’s spectacular eruptions. Day trips to Yellowstone can last up to 13 hours and typically leave from Jackson or Jackson Hole, and visit Old Faithful along with park highlights such as Hayden Valley, Yellowstone Lake, and the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. Small-group tours offer a personalized experience, while self-guided tours are also available if you want to explore the park at your own pace.

• Old Faithful is a must-see for nature lovers and first-time visitors to Yellowstone National Park.

• You can find predicted eruption times in the adjacent visitor center.

• The geyser-viewing area is one of Yellowstone’s most accessible destinations, with bench seating, a large parking lot, and a ranger station.

Old Faithful is located in Yellowstone’s Upper Geyser Basin, in the southwest section of the park. The geyser is roughly a 50-minute drive from West Yellowstone, and 80 minutes from Mammoth Hot Springs and the park’s southern entrance.

You can visit Old Faithful from May to October, although summer is the most popular time. To beat the crowds, consider visiting in the early morning or in the moments just before dusk. If the eruption schedule aligns with sunrise, be sure to set an alarm so you can watch Old Faithful spout water at dawn.

There are more geysers in Yellowstone than any other place in the world. To visit the park’s geysers, enter through the West Entrance and continue to Madison, the jumping-off point for geyser basins to the north and south. The Lower Geyser Basin, which includes Fountain Paint Pot, and the Upper Geyser Basin, home to Old Faithful, are both to the south. The Mammoth Hot Springs and Steamboat geysers are in the Norris Geyser Basin to the north.

Old Faithful erupts about every 1-2 hours on average, with around 20 eruptions taking place daily. Each day a Yellowstone National Park worker will predict the next eruption time, which is then posted at the Old Faithful Visitor Center and online. The prediction is typically accurate within 10 minutes of the actual eruption.

Like all other geysers, Old Faithful is a hot spring that erupts with water and steam. Geysers are found in very specific locations, where there is heat below the ground—hence why they’re often in volcanic areas—and plenty of water. Eruptions are caused when underground cavities fill with water and steam, causing pressure that accumulates and leads to the release of jets of boiling water and steam.

Yes, there are viewing areas near Old Faithful. One of the most popular spots is the viewing boardwalk area, which has wooden benches. You can also watch eruptions from the viewing deck at the Old Faithful Inn.

Although any time the geyser erupts offers a great opportunity for photographs, some of the best pictures come at the first eruption of the morning and during the midday sunlight. The least crowded times are dawn until 11am, then later in the day after 6pm.

Yes, the Old Faithful Visitor Education Center is located at the Upper Geyser Basin. The center features information about the national park, including its geysers, while kids can enjoy the interactive Young Scientist exhibition room.

Yes, there are many hiking trails in Yellowstone National Park, including routes close to Old Faithful. Some popular options include Observation Point Trailhead, Artemisia Trailhead, Howard Eaton Trailhead 0K2, Fairy Falls Trailhead, and Monument Geyser Basin Trailhead.