Gas Vents
The orange dot marks the spring, in a frame about three quarters of a mile wide.
Gas Vents, plural on the record, is a roadside thermal point along the Norris-Canyon Road in Yellowstone National Park, Gallatin County, Wyoming. The temperature is listed as hot with no figure. A 2007 water sample came back mildly acidic. West Yellowstone is the closest town on file, about nine miles. The land is National Park Service and the access is open. No photo on record.
The Norris-Canyon Road runs within about a hundred and seventy-five feet, so this is a roadside stop. Elevation is around 8,000 feet. Cold climate on file, with snow near a hundred and thirty-six inches a year and an average temperature in the low thirties. National Park Service land inside Yellowstone.
Nothing on record recommends a season. Winter here is heavy snow, so the road's seasonal status decides when you can stop. Roadside, public access. The nearest listed camping is Tower Fall Campground, about fourteen and a half miles. With no temperature measured, assume nothing about the water and keep to the roadside.
USGS hasn't flown a detailed laser scan here yet, so this view comes from aerial photos and older elevation data.
- Setting
- Open ground
- Flat, open ground all around.
- Highest ground nearby
- 24 ft above the spring
- Within a quarter mile, to the southwest
A slice through the ground from northwest to southeast, about 0.6 miles end to end.
Elevation data: USGS 3D Elevation Program. Aerial imagery: USGS The National Map. Public domain.
Landsat's thermal camera passed over on a clear winter day, December 30, 2023. This spring's heat shows up from about 440 miles up. The brightest yellow marks the warmest ground, roughly 13°F warmer than the land around it.
Drag to compare. The view is about 2½ miles across, and each thermal pixel covers roughly 300 feet of ground, so individual pools blur into one warm patch.
Thermal: Landsat 8/9 surface temperature, USGS (public domain), via Microsoft Planetary Computer. Aerial: USGS The National Map. More springs seen from space.
That's about twice the US average of 65. It's higher than at 72% of the springs on this site.
Heat flow measures the warmth working its way up through the ground from deep inside the earth. Where it runs high, rain and snowmelt that seep down through cracks in the rock come back up hot.
See every spring on the geothermal heat map →
Heat flow estimate: Stanford Thermal Earth Model (Aljubran & Horne, 2024), CC BY 4.0.
The water at Gas Vents is slightly acidic (pH 5.9).
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Overview Tower Fall Campground—elevation 6,600 feet (2012 m)—is on the north side of the steep, winding, road to Dunraven Pass. The campground is near the Tower General Store and Tower Fall. The Lamar Valley, with spectacular wildlife viewing opportunities, is nearby as are several Day Hikes in the Tower and Northeast Area. Roosevelt Lodge, a short drive from the campground, offers dining and horseback riding. For reservations at the campgrounds managed by Yellowstone National Park Lodges (F...
At 8,020 feet, Gas Vents is in high-altitude territory where the air is noticeably thinner. Soaking in hot water accelerates dehydration and can amplify altitude effects like headache and fatigue. UV radiation is roughly 32% stronger here. Wear sunscreen even on overcast days and take breaks from the water to rehydrate.
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Gas Vents is road-accessible, so you can bring more gear. Cold air temperatures make a changing robe or warm layers essential.
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Springs Near Gas Vents
Slightly Acidic Springs (pH ~5.9)
Hike 6 waterfalls near Gas Vents
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