Norris Geyser Basin's Back Basin

Norris Geyser Basin.

Norris Geyser Basin is the worlds most unpredicitable and changing geyser basin, it contains the worlds tallest active geyser (Steamboat Geyser) as well as being the hottest geyser basin in the world. In one scientific drill hole located at Norris Geyser Basin the temperature was recored at 459 F (237 C) only 1,087 feet (326 meters) below the surface. Norris Geyser Basin is the most acidic geyser basins in the world. With some of the geysers having a pH of 3.3 to 3.6 (almost the pH of vinegar) (water has a pH of 7). So this makes Norris Geyser Basin a Geyser Basin one does not want to miss while in Yellowstone.

Echinus Geyser - erupts every 35 to 75 minutes and shoots into the ari 40 to 60 feet (12-18 meters) and lasts for 6 to 14 minutes but can last for 60 minutes or longer. The main attraction though is how close you can get to the geyser when it is going off unlike Old Faithful geyser where you are a couple of hundred of feet away at Echinus you are only 20 to 40 feet away if that.

Steamboat Geyser - The worlds tallest geyser is located at Norris Geyser Basin. When it goes off it goes off for about 20 minutes in the water phase and then the steam phase lasts more then an hour. It shoots to a hight of over 300 feet high. But there is a problem that the interval is 4 days to 50 years. The last time it went off was in 1991. But then it just went of in May of 2000 and once again there was not a ranger present to see it. More on the story later.

Porkchop Geyser - This was a geyser that was a perpetual geyser in 1985. You could here it alomost across the back basin where it is located but then on September 5, 1989 Porkchop Geyser exploded and hurled rocks more than 216 feet from the geyser cone. So today one only sees the boiling hot spring that was once the famous Porkchop Geyser.

Minute Geyser - This use to be a popular geyser at Norris as the wagon road later the main road went by Minute Geyser many people saw this geyser. But due to vandels who threw rocks, logs and even kicked in dirt pluged up the geyser so that now all one can see is a hight of 1 foot or so.

Poreclain Terrace Overlook - To get a good view of the Poreclain Basin all you have to do is walk out of the Museum (which was closed in 1996 due to budget cuts) and you get a great view of the pools and the different colors in the water due to the different temperatures of the water.

Whirligig Geyser - This geyser is located in Porcelain basin. I like this geyser because the pool that later erupts can be clear as glass and then all of a sudden you start to get the riples and then it erupts and then calms down and then the cycle repeats it self.

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Other Things in the Norris Area

The fire Exhibit between Norris Geyser Basin and Canyon Village. This was a famous spot for the news caster in 1988 the year of the Yellowstone Fires. They came to this spot to report that all of the park looked like that when in acutuality on 36 percent of the park was burned.

Virgina Cascades - This is a neat drive but due to the narrowness of the road it is a one way drive going from Norris to Canyon. In 1996 the road was closed due to a landslide. Not only is there cascades but there is also good fishing along the Gibbon River here.

Elk Park - This is a good place to see elk in the fall as the rutting season begins in early September.

Frying Hot Springs - This is right along the road between Norris and Mammoth but most people tend to pass right on by. But here CO2 is bubbling up through the ground and it appears that the pool is like a frying pan. It was a story that the stage coach drivers told their passengers that there were tons of hard boiled eggs in the trees because the birds drank the boiling water and then the birds could only lay hard boiled eggs.

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Good hikes in the area.

Norris Geyser Basin - This is must hike or a walk because of the natural features that you see along the way and the opportunity to see many different geysers going off on their own time schedual not mans.

Artist Paint Pots - This group of hot springs and mud pots is located about 4 miles south of Norris Geyser Basin and is well worth seeing.

Ice Lake - Ice Lake offers a short hike 1/2 mile to the lake. This is where one of the only Handicaped backcountry sites in the park is located and yes it is wheelchair accessible. There is fishing here as well.

Greebe Lake - This is a famous place for fishing for grayling. It is a 4 mile hike one way into the lake but is an easy flat hike with very little elevation gain. This lake use to house one of the hatcherys that use to be located in Yellowstone. It is also a good place to camp overnight providing that you obtain your backcountry permit from any ranger station.

Cascade Lake - This is almost a loop trail that can be started either 1/2 mile north or 1/2 mile west of Canyon Junction. It is 2 1/2 miles to the lake either way and is fairly flat. Many types of animals can be seen but beware of bears as they can be common in the general area.

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Services in the Norris Area

Norris Museum - Located it the Norris Geyser Basin. This outdoor museum explains the workings of the geysers and details the life of the worlds tallest active geyser Steamboat Geyser. The museum is listed on the register of Historic Buildings.

Norris Bookstore - Located inthe Norris Geyser Basin. This use to be the bathrooms for the area but was converted in 1994 or 1995 to be used as the bookstore for the area to free up the breeze way of the Norris Museum.

The Norris Campground is one of the most beautiful campgrounds in Yellowstone National Park. In 1996 this campground was closed due to budget cuts but also allowed for the vegation to gain a foothold back in the campground. This is one campground that fills early in the morning by 8am or so.

The Ranger Museum located at the entrance of the Norris Campground is a museum that is dedicated to the varrious stages that the park service went through. Starting with the Soliders that ran the park for 30 years then to the earliest rangers and then to the present day rangers. Normally during the summer it is staffed by retired Park Rangers who then you have the opportunity to hear about their adventures with the National Park Service.

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Remember... To stay on the boardwalks at all times and if there is not a boardwalk stay on the trail. Many people have gotten burned and people have died by falling in. (one person died just by getting their foot in the hot spring) Do not throw anything into the hot springs or geysers because it will damage the hot spring and geysers and then the activity will change for the worse. Stay at least 25 yards from the Elk, Moose, Bison, Deer, and any other animal and at least 100 yards from the Bears. During the summer of 1996 people were getting chased by the elk on the boardwalks at Norris because people were getting to close and the boardwalks had to be closed in sections. But remember that Yellowstone is home to the animals and that we are visiting their home so be on your best behavior.

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Yellowstone National Park
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Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190
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Entire contents & copy;1997-2001 David Rothenburger (Parkee@worldnet.att.net).

You are the to visit my site since December 8, 1999.

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Last updated Sept 30, 2001.