About
I love to see nature and its power. One of the best experiences I have had doing this is to visit the Grand Prismatic Spring. It is within the Midway Geyser Basin and is a marvelous sight for its power and overall coloring.
I took the time to learn as much as I could about the spring and why it is there. I found out that it was first “discovered” as being active in 1839 when a fur trapper named Osborne Russell came into the area. He wrote about the thermal features of the spring at that time, and since then, it has been a must-see location for many people.
While visiting, I discovered the temperatures are super hot, and it is illegal for anyone to touch or throw anything into the water. In fact, you can be banned from the park fully by doing so, as it can also be fatal to do so. So make sure to stay on the path—they tell you that numerous times and it is very important to listen.
And as the largest of the hot springs, anyone that wants to learn the geographic history of the area will want to visit this location. I spent about 30 minutes on the hike and then spent a couple of hours seeing the overall area.
It was quite the experience!
Fun Facts About Grand Prismatic Spring
This spring is the hottest spring in the park, which makes it pretty impressive when you consider how hot the water is from other geysers in the area.
The Grand Prismatic Spring is 370 feet in diameter, making it pretty big too! It is also 121 feet deep, which is impressive considering its location.
There are many colors to the spring, including orange, yellow, and green rings that showcase in the deep blue waters of it. That is due to the thermophile bacteria that grow and live in the water.
These bacteria love the hot water that is produced here and do a great job of exploring it. It is a mesmerizing experience to see it all.
Getting There
The Grand Prismatic Spring is located just off I-191. You can get there by taking the Fairy Falls Hike trail. It is also close to I-287. It is close to Island Park and only takes a few minutes to get to the rest of the area.
Local Tips
- A lot of people talk about Old Faithful, and rightfully so, but Grand Prismatic Hot Spring is perhaps one of the most beautiful experiences because of the super bright colors that are on it. It is such a beauty.
- Did you know that Grand Prismatic Spring is deeper than a 10-story building? I found that out and then sought after a building to see just how deep that was in person.
- You can visit the spring at any time of the day, but I have found that going in the early morning is best if you do not want to deal with crowds.
- I enjoyed my hike around Fairy Falls first and then stopped by the Grand Spring to check out the water and production there. It was the perfect timing.
- Be sure to bring some shoes that are good for walking, as the trail can be somewhat long. I also found that it can be very hot because of the springs, of course.