Y E L L O W S T O N E   N A T I O N A L   P A R K
O L D   F A I T H F U L   A R E A

Northwestern Wyoming

Friday, August 6, 2004

Park: #4.4

Established: 1872 (first national park)

Acres: 2,219,791

Annual Budget: $28,116,000 (FY 2004)

Visitors: 2,900,971 (FY 2004)

Highlights: Active volcano, unique geothermal activity, Old Faithful, Yellowstone Canyon

Location: Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Hours: Open year round

Phone: (307) 344-7381

Fees: Individual - $10 (7 days), Single Vehicle - $20 (7 days), $40 Annual

Links: Official Website | NPS Online Tour

Top Pics: 12 Images

Rating:

(5 max)

NOTE: Portions of this writing were taken directly from Yellowstone's Old Faithful Area Trail Guide.
All excepts are denoted with double-quotes.

"The largest concentration of geysers in the world is in the Upper Geyser Basin. When the Old Faithful Visitor Center is open, you can find eruption predictions for six major geysers posted in the lobby. However a geyser's pattern of eruptions may change at any time."

The trail starts near the Old Faithful Inn and begins with the Old Faithful Geyser.

"Old Faithful erupts more frequently than any of the big geysers, although it is not the largest of most regular geyser in the park. Its average interval between eruptions is about 94 minutes, varying 45-120 minutes. An eruption lasts 1-1/2 to 5 minutes, expels 3,700-3,800 gallons of boiling water and reaches a height of 106-184 feet. Members of the Washburn Expedition of 1870 named this geyser for its consistent performance. Although its average interval has lengthened, Old Faithful is a spectacular as it was a century ago."