West Thumb Geyser Basin - Yellowstone National Park
I can think of no better way to kick off Summer and enjoy the Memorial Day holiday than a visit to our original National Park…so join me today as we explore the West Thumb Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park.
West Thumb Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park
Location
Framed by the Absaroka Range to the east, Yellowstone Lake is often considered the heart of Yellowstone. This lake sits at an elevation of over 7,700 feet and covers over 131 square miles. West Thumb is the large western bay of Yellowstone Lake that resembles a “thumb”, which is where we’ll find this beautiful and unique geyser basin. The figure eight trail here is half a mile around the outer boardwalk loop and a quarter mile around the inner loop.
West Thumb Geyser Basin boardwalk in Yellowstone National Park
History
Active hydrothermal features lie under the lake here, as well as in the deeper waters. West Thumb is an excellent example of a volcanic caldera. A powerful volcanic eruption long ago caused the earth’s crust to collapse, creating the West Thumb Caldera, which is actually part of an even larger caldera, the Yellowstone Caldera, which is one of the largest in the world. It encompasses the central and southern portion of the park.
Local Native American tribes favored campsites in this area as they hunted bison in the Summer. The crow people gathered medicinal herbs here and the Shoshone people have stories about the formation of this lake.
The Hayden expedition of 1871 named the paint pot features here “mud puffs” when the mud was active and thrown up in the air. The rustic cabin located near the parking lot was the original West Thumb Raider Station built in 1925 and is one of the few remaining stations.
Perforated Pool at West Thumb Geyser Basin
Blue Funnel Pool at West Thumb Geyser Basin
Notable Features - Upper Group
Nearly two dozen named features can be found along the boardwalk at West Thumb Geyser Basin. Along the upper group, Seismograph and Bluebell pools were once known simply as “Blue Pools”. Blue Funnel Spring was long known for the distinctive color around the perimeter, but years ago the water in it sank, along with the nearby Perforated Pool.
Black Pool at West Thumb Geyser Basin
Fishing Cone at West Thumb Geyser Basin
Notable Features - Lower Group
Lakeshore Geyser has two vents and hasn’t erupted since 2003, but it has been known to shoot up to 25 feet. Fishing Cone’s name comes from stories of fishermen who would catch trout here and then swing their poles around into the boiling pool, cooking their fish while still on the line. Black Pool was a deep black color until 1991 when the water temperature rose and erupted…now the pool is quiet and blue.
Potts Hot Spring Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park
Potts Hot Spring Geyser Basin
Located just up the road from West Thumb, Potts Hot Spring Geyser Basin is home to over 40 geysers. Until 1970 the main road along Yellowstone Lake’s West Thumb Geyser Basin passed along Potts Basin on the shore with a similar boardwalk. The road was then rerouted and the boardwalk removed due to the hydrothermal activity in the area. Now only a small pull off and short path to an overlook is accessible, but you can still see the Mercurial Group and small parts of the Beach Group from here.
Potts Hot Spring Geyser Basin at the edge of Yellowstone Lake
Know Before You Go
• It’s important to stay on the boardwalks and official trails for your safety and to protect the fragile formations here. Never touch or enter hot springs and other hydrothermal features here.
• Never throw any objects into these features as it can choke off water circulation and destroy hot springs and other thermal feature activity here. Please remember and abide by the Leave No Trace Principles on your visit, so that our National Parks and public lands are preserved for the enjoyment of future generations, as well as for the people, animals and plants that call these places home.
• Restrooms, a picnic area, information, and the historic ranger station are located near the parking area entrance.
• This area can be quite windy, so it’s important to secure items such as hats.
• Toxic gases have been measured in some hydrothermal features…if you feel sick, leave the location immediately.
• For their safety, pets are not allowed in Yellowstone’s hydrothermal areas.
• Store food securely and never approach wildlife. Always remain at least 100 yards from bears and wolves and 25 yards from all other wildlife.
Top 10 Yellowstone Attractions
Lamar Valley
West Thumb Geyser Basin
Hayden Valley
Firehole Lake Drive
Mammoth Hot Springs
Gibbon Falls
The West Thumb Geyser Basin boardwalk at sunrise
In Summary
Thanks so much for joining me this week in Yellowstone. For a virtual visit of West Thumb Geyser Basin, see my Behind the Blog video at the top of this post, or watch it on YouTube here. Until next week, I hope you find adventure and encouragement wherever you go.
West Thumb Geyser Basin at the edge of Yellowstone Lake
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About Me
I’m Dawn Marie, a travel and lifestyle blogger based out of Southern California. With in-depth articles, travel guides, and reviews on hotels & products, I seek to share my journeys to help you plan for your own. My adventures take me all over California, the western United States, and around the globe...and every Monday I post new content here, including a comprehensive blog post and YouTube video.
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Join me at the world's first national park as I share my First Timers Guide to Yellowstone National Park. Mostly located in Wyoming, Yellowstone offers so many things to do, so I've put together a travel guide with all of the top spots to visit on your next Yellowstone road trip vacation, including where to find the best geysers (like Old Faithful & Grand Prismatic), wildlife, and waterfalls.