Firehole Lake Drive in Yellowstone National Park
October is one of my favorite months to visit Yellowstone National Park. The Summer crowds have faded and you can often experience the fresh, crisp chill of Winter before the park roads close to private vehicles for the season. This week we’re exploring one of my favorite (and in my opinion underrated) geyser basins in the park. Join me as we discover the hydrothermal features of Firehole Lake Drive.
Hot Lake & Black Warrior Lake boardwalk
Pebble Geyser erupting along Firehole Lake Drive
Location
Yellowstone is home to nearly half of our world’s geysers, and Firehole Lake Drive is a 3 mile one-way paved road just off Yellowstone’s Grand Loop Road, which circles through a spectacular section of the Lower Geyser Basin. To reach this area you drive about 7 miles north of the Old Faithful interchange, or 9 miles south of Madison Junction along Grand Loop Road. Firehole Lake Drive is conveniently located in between two other wonderful thermal areas, with Fountain Paint Pots one mile to the north and Midway Geyser Basin one mile to the south, which showcases the incredible Grand Prismatic.
Hot Lake & Black Warrior Lake boardwalk in Yellowstone
Crowd Factor
This scenic drive passes geysers, hot lakes, hot springs and even a unique hot cascade, but the incredible features found along this drive don’t often get as much attention as their nearby neighbors…meaning this is a great area to escape some of the large crowds often found inside the park.
Lemon Spring along Firehole Lake Drive
Lemon Spring
As you begin your drive, the first pullover leads you to Lemon Spring, which is named for the layer of yellow and orange bacteria that can encircle the top of this hot spring. Interestingly, the lemon colors aren’t always present here due to temperature changes this feature undergoes throughout the year.
Broken Egg Spring along Firehole Lake Drive
Firehole Spring in Yellowstone National Park
Broken Egg Spring & Firehole Spring
Broken Egg Spring and Firehole Spring can be found just a little further down the road. Firehole Spring is often considered one of the most beautiful and colorful features in the area. Early explorers thought the large bubbles looked like flashes of fiery light – hence the origin of this spring’s name.
Surprise Pool in Yellowstone National Park
Surprise Pool
Surprise Pool comes next along the drive. You can stroll the arching boardwalk around this bubbling pool, but I wouldn’t wait for an eruption here…there’s no record of anyone ever seeing this spot erupt, so I guess we’re all still waiting for the “surprise” here.
Great Fountain Geyser in Yellowstone National Park
Great Fountain Geyser
Just a stone’s throw past Surprise Pool you’ll find the Great Fountain Geyser, which is one of Yellowstone’s major geysers…and it’s probably the most popular stop on this loop. A large viewing platform with plenty of benches can keep visitors comfortable while waiting to see this geyser blow. It’s hard to predict exactly when this mighty geyser will erupt, but it’s often twice a day – somewhere in between every 10-14 hours. Great Fountain Geyser easily erupts up over 100 feet on average, but larger eruptions can tower over 200 feet high and last for an hour or longer.
Pebble Geyser along Firehole Lake Drive
White Dome Geyser erupting in Yellowstone
Pebble Geyser & White Dome Geyser
The drive continues to Pebble Geyser and White Dome Geyser. White Dome has grown over hundreds of years into a massive white cone shape that’s almost sealed off at the top. It only sprays 30 feet high due to the narrow vent, but it’s worth sticking around to see because eruptions here are frequent, happening every 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile the nearby Pebble Geyser hasn’t had a recorded eruption for nearly 20 years since 2003.
Steady Geyser near Black Warrior Lake
Black Warrior Lake & Hot Lake boardwalk in Yellowstone
Steady Geyser
The final stop along this drive is my personal favorite and begins with Steady Geyser, which gets its name from the near constant sputtering and spouting waters here. This geyser emits magnesium oxide, which is one of the reasons Black Warrior Lake has such a dark colored appearance. The reddish brown color in the water is the result of warm water bacteria lying just under the water’s surface.
Steam rising up over the boardwalk at Hot Lake
Hot Lake, Black Warrior Lake & Firehole Lake
Along with Steady Geyser, there is a stunning cluster of geysers and geothermal activity found scattered around Hot Lake, Black Warrior Lake and Firehole Lake. A series of wooden boardwalks allow you to get up close views of several features here. A small steaming waterfall connects Hot Lake to Black Warrior Lake, and you actually get to cross over the bubbling hot cascades here. Several vents supply water that averages over 150° just under the boardwalk path…and on a chilly day you can both see and feel the hot steam rise up against your skin as you walk along the wooden boardwalk trail. My favorite time to visit is golden hour just before sunset…the entire area sparkles.
Firehole Lake in Yellowstone National Park
Know Before You Go
• It’s imperative to stay on the boardwalks and official trails in Yellowstone, especially along Firehole Lake Drive. These hydrothermal areas can be extremely unstable and pose life threatening danger to anyone who ignores the park regulations here.
• Please remember the Leave No Trace Principles on your visit. Always plan ahead and prepare, familiarizing yourself with the park regulations.
• Yellowstone is rich with wildlife, so please drive carefully. Never approach wildlife and never leave food unattended. Remember we are guests in their home.
• Most park roads close to regular vehicles from early November to late April. The only road generally open to year round traffic is from the Gardiner, Montana North Entrance…so consider planning a guided tour if you want to visit the park in the Winter months.
Top 10 Yellowstone Attractions
Lamar Valley
Hayden Valley
Firehole Lake Drive
Gibbon Falls
Great Fountain Geyser in Yellowstone National Park
In Summary
Thank you so much for joining me this week in Yellowstone National Park. For a virtual visit of Firehole Lake Drive, watch my Behind the Blog YouTube video at the top of this post. Until next week, I hope you find adventure and encouragement wherever you go.
Lemon Spring along Firehole Lake Drive
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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.