Guide to the Norris Geyser Basin Trail in Yellowstone National Park
It is no secret that Yellowstone is full of wondrous geothermal activity everywhere you look. But if you are wondering where is the one spot where you can witness the largest collection of natural geothermal wonders in one place, it is the Norris Geyser Basin Trail in Yellowstone National Park! This pleasant boardwalk trail has a surprise around every bend – from geysers, to colorful pools and streams, to paint pots and mud pots, to steam vents and fumaroles!
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Table of Contents
Guide to the Norris Geyser Basin Trail in Yellowstone National Park
This guide to the Norris Geyser Basin includes:
- Background on the Norris Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park
- Location of the Norris Geyser Basin Trail
- What to Know Before You Go
- Helpful Distances
- Safety Precautions for the Norris Geyser Basin Trail
- Quick Overview of the Norris Geyser Basin Trail
- Full Report of the Norris Geyser Basin Trail
- Other Attractions Near the Norris Geyser Basin Trail in Yellowstone National Park
Background on the Norris Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park
If you are looking for the oldest geyser basin in Yellowstone, as well as the hottest area of thermal activity, the Norris Geyser Basin is it! Despite its age, the Norris Geyser Basin is continually changing, thanks to water fluctuations and underground activity, meaning that there is constantly something new to witness in this fascinating environment!
What many visitors may not know is that the Norris Geyser Basin is home to the world’s tallest geyser, Steamboat Geyser. While Steamboat is not as regular or predictable as its neighbor Old Faithful, when it does erupt, it does so with sprays up to 300 or 400 feet, dwarfing Old Faithful’s average eruptions between 100 and 200 feet in height!
The Norris Geyser Basin is comprised of two sections, the Porcelain Basin and the Back Basin. The Porcelain Basin is alive with sights and sounds, an expansive kaleidoscope of streams, pools, geysers, vents, and colors!
The Back Basin is characteristically more wooded, providing another unique perspective on this basin.
Location of the Norris Geyser Basin Trail
The Norris Geyser Basin Trail is located in the Norris Geyser Basin area of Yellowstone National Park. It is approximately 30 minutes from the west entrance of Yellowstone National Park, on Highway 89/Grand Loop Road.
(Google Map of the Norris Geyser Basin)
What to Know Before You Go
Location: the Norris Geyser Basin Trailhead is located off of Highway 89/Grand Loop Road (Google Map)
Hours: Yellowstone National Park is open daily (though there are seasonal closures – check the park website for more details)
Fees:$35 per vehicle, good for 7 consecutive days
Best Time of Year to Visit: Late Spring – Early Fall (Highway 89/Grand Loop Road is closed from December – April)
Pet Policy: pets are NOT allowed on the Norris Geyser Basin Trail
Closest Town: West Yellowstone (Google Map)
Camping: the closest campground is Madison Campground, located approximately 25 minutes away (Google Map)
Helpful Distances:
- Yellowstone National Park West Entrance to Norris Geyser Basin Trail: 30 minutes
- Norris Geyser Basin Trail to Madison Campground: 25 minutes
- Norris Geyser Basin Trail to Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone: 30 minutes
- Norris Geyser Basin Trail Midway Geyser Basin and Grand Prismatic Spring: 40 minutes
- Norris Geyser Basin Trail to Old Faithful: 50 minutes
*Note that these are estimates – during peak times it could be longer due to traffic
Safety Precautions for the Norris Geyser Basin Trail
As beautiful and mesmerizing and the sights are along the Norris Geyser Basin Trail, it is imperative to enjoy them safely and responsibly by following these safety precautions for all geothermal areas in Yellowstone:
- ALWAYS stay on boardwalks, behind railings, and on the designated trail!
- NEVER attempt to touch pools, springs, vents, pots, geysers, etc.!
- Do NOT run on the trail!
- Be mindful of others and do not push or shove.
- Supervise children at all times, and NEVER allow them to break any of these rules!
- Do NOT hoist children above railings!
- Do NOT bring pets on the trail!
- Do NOT attempt to pick up items that may have dropped near geothermal activity.
Quick Overview of the Norris Geyser Basin Trail
Length: 1.8 miles roundtrip loop
Rating: Easy – this is a boardwalk trail, with some portions of bare ground trail. There is low elevation gain, and no technical hiking.
Estimated Time to Complete: 45 – 60 minutes
Elevation Gain: 150 feet
The Norris Geyser Basin Trail Elevation Chart
Parking: there is parking at the Norris Geyser Basin Trail, but it fills up quickly during peak season, days, and times. There is overflow parking located on Highway 89/Grand Loop Road.
Facilities: there are bathrooms, a Visitor Center, and a museum located at the Norris Geyser Basin.
Full Report on the Norris Geyser Basin Trail
It is a challenging task to name all the things happening on the Norris Geyser Basin Trail. For its short length, it sure packs a punch, making it one of the best ways to get a glimpse of just about every geothermal bit of activity happening in Yellowstone, all in one place!
The Norris Geyser Basin Trailhead is located off of Highway 89/Grand Loop Road. As it is a major tourist spot in Yellowstone, there is ample signage along the road. There is plenty of parking, but it does fill up fast, especially during the summer, and even more so on summer weekends. If you want to grab a parking spot right by the trailhead, plan to arrive very early. Otherwise, there is overflow parking along Highway 89, with a short 5 minute walk from the overflow parking to the trailhead.
The Norris Geyser Basin Trail is a loop trail, but if you are looking at a picture of it, it almost resembles a “figure 8” trail. However, the loops do not actually intersect. The most popular route when arriving at the Norris Geyser Basin Trailhead is to start to the right and follow the loop trail around.
NOTE: there is a small “shortcut” option on the northern portion of the trail.
Then the fun starts, with plenty of sights and sounds, and an abundance of springs, geysers, pools, and steam!
Bathtub, Locomotive, Mystic, Mud, Dishwater, Green Dragon, Black Pit, Crater, Emerald, and Steamvalve are a handful of springs to expect to see on the Norris Geyser Basin Trail!
When it comes to geysers, there’s Blue, Bear Den, Minute, Fearless, Rubble, Vixen, Porkchop, Bastille, Puff n’ Stuff, and of course, the tallest in Yellowstone, Steamboat Geyser, plus many more!
Gaze into numerous colorful pools, like Yellow Mud, Root, Congress, and Colloidal Pools.
And while some steam vents are more “steamy” than others, there are plenty escaping the earth’s crust surrounding the Norris Geyser Basin Trail, like the Arch Steam Vent, the Forgotten Fumarole, and the Blue Mud Steam Vent.
No matter where you turn, there is something fascinating to behold here. I highly recommend going into this hike planning to take your time and just soak in the other-worldly atmosphere here, especially some of the higher perspectives that allow you to look out over the entire Norris Geyser Basin!
As I mentioned before, this is a boardwalk trail, with some smaller portions of bare ground. Always follow the above mentioned safety rules for this geothermal area of Yellowstone! And don’t forget to visit the Norris Geyser Basin Museum before or after hiking the trail. In fact, a visit beforehand may be beneficial in learning more about deciphering what is along the trail ahead of time!
Other Attractions Near the Norris Geyser Basin Trail in Yellowstone National Park
Don’t miss out on these other top attractions in the area around the Norris Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park!
The Norris Geyser Basin Museum and Museum of the National Park Ranger
The Norris Geyser Basin Museum is a historic building almost 100 years old! Here you can learn from exhibits on the geothermal activity in the area. Ever wondered what the difference is between a geyser and a fumarole? You can find out the answers to questions like this as well!
The Museum of the National Park Ranger is also close by, and also a historic building built in 1908. Once a U.S. Army outpost, this museum now houses exhibits on the park ranger profession and history.
Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
While not as big as Arizona’s Grand Canyon, this deep gorge in the heart of Yellowstone has this nickname for a reason. There are plenty of hikes, overlooks, and viewpoints from which to soak in the views of the thunderous falls!
Gibbon Falls
The smaller sibling of the “Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone”, Gibbon Falls is an easy and convenient roadside waterfall that makes for a perfect pit stop to enjoy the easy canyon side trail from which to overlook the humble and beautiful Gibbon Falls.
Artists Paint Pot Trail
Paint pots are plentiful in Yellowstone, and if you are hoping to find out more about these unique bubbling pots, the Artist Paint Pot Trail is an ideal spot to check them out, up close and personal!
Fountain Paint Pot Trail
Another trail that highlights paint pots, as well as colorful pools and streams, groves of decaying lodgepole pines, and geysers like the “Red Spouter”, is the short and sweet Fountain Paint Pot Trail!
Midway Geyser Basin and Grand Prismatic Spring
Don’t miss out on one of the most recognizable and iconic sights in all of Yellowstone, the Midway Geyser Basin and its colorful Grand Prismatic Spring!
Old Faithful
While Old Faithful might be the most famous of Yellowstone’s geysers, it is actually not the tallest. That title belongs to the Norris Geyser Basin’s own Steamboat Geyser! But, Old Faithful has Steamboat Geyser beat on regularity, so it is absolutely worth scheduling a visit to this epic geyser, as well as taking in some of the hiking trails in the area, and the historic Old Faithful Inn!
West Yellowstone Town
The town of West Yellowstone, the sight of Yellowstone National Park’s west entrance, is a destination in itself. There is plenty of dining, shopping, museums, and other amenities to enjoy, including one of my favorites, the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center.
Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center
The Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center, located in West Yellowstone, is a great place to learn more about Yellowstone’s unique wildlife, and witness them up close. In residence here are bears, wolves, birds of prey, otters, a prairie dog town, and more!
Mesa Falls, Idaho
While this outdoor attraction is outside of Yellowstone National Park, in neighboring east Idaho, it is less than an hour from the west entrance of Yellowstone, making it well within the realms of a day trip!
Mesa Falls is arguably the most spectacular waterfall in Idaho, and is one of the last remaining waterfalls in the state to be unaltered and untouched by man. Mesa Falls actually consists of two separate areas, the Upper Mesa Falls and the Lower Mesa Falls. The Upper Mesa Falls is the highlight, with its 114 foot tall, 200 foot wide waterfall! You can take the short hiking trail to multiple overlooks directly above the falls, as well as enjoy an easy nature trail around the grounds of Upper Mesa Falls. Then check out Lower Mesa Falls for a different angle, one with a view of the aftermath of Upper Mesa Falls from a distance!
One advantage of Mesa Falls is that it is very budget friendly ($5 a vehicle), and the crowds are generally low, even during peak summer season. I have personally been to Mesa Falls several times in the summer over several years, and there are never more than a dozen or so people at any given time! Quite a change from some of the locations in neighboring Yellowstone National Park!
There you have it, a complete guide on how to get the most out of a visit to the Norris Geyser Basin Trail in Yellowstone National Park, as well as additional activities to enjoy if you are looking for the perfect Yellowstone itinerary based on the west entrance!
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