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HIKE OR BIKE TO A YELLOWSTONE GEYSER BY CHRISTINE GIANAS WEINHEIMER Yellowstone National Park is home to over half of the Earth’s geysers—more than 500 spouting, steaming, gushing spectacles of nature. While the geysers visible from the park’s excellent system of boardwalks draw the most visitors, a few can be found slightly off the beaten path. The following trails offer close-up encounters with active geysers, and allow bicycles on at least part of the route.
LONE STAR GEYSER TRAIL Escape the Old Faithful crowds by hiking or biking to Lone Star Geyser. A 4.8-mile roundtrip, the trail is mostly flat and follows a former service route along the Firehole River to the large geyser tucked away in the forest. It has some paved sections but the surface is mainly packed gravel. Find the trailhead 3.5 miles south of Old Faithful Overpass on the Grand Loop Road.
Lone Star Geyser erupts nearly every three hours and is a short 5-mile roundtrip hike or bike. PHOTO BY JACOB W. FRANK / NPS
Lone Star Geyser erupts 30-45 feet approximately every three hours from a 12-foot cone. Several small eruptions occur 15-20 minutes before the main eruption, which can last up to 30 minutes. Inquire at the Old Faithful Visitor Education Center, or check the log book at the geyser, for the times of recent eruptions.
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Explore Yellowstone 29
