Ponuntpa Springs Group
Drag the handle to compare the two views. The orange dot marks the spring, in a frame about three quarters of a mile wide.
Ponuntpa Springs Group is a cluster of thermal springs deep in the Yellowstone backcountry, in the Gallatin County portion of the park. Scalding. The water on record runs far above anything a body could stand, so this is a feature to look at and give room. West Yellowstone is the town on file as nearest, and the closest pavement is a long way off on foot.
Getting there means leaving the Grand Loop Road and covering six and a half miles or so of park backcountry. The springs sit high, above eight thousand feet, which means a short summer. Snowfall on record is heavy, roughly twelve feet a season, with moderate precipitation the rest of the year. Park Service land throughout, protected as national park.
Backcountry travel in a national park usually means permits, so check with the park before setting out. The three winter months are listed as best, though with the snow on record that only makes sense for skiers. The water is scalding; stay on solid ground and keep pets and kids well back. Tower Fall Campground is the camp on record, around sixteen miles away.
Aircraft with laser scanners measured this ground to within inches. The scan strips out trees and buildings, leaving the bare shape of the land around Ponuntpa Springs Group.
- Setting
- Open ground
- Flat, open ground all around.
- Highest ground nearby
- 75 ft above the spring
- Within a quarter mile, to the north
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.
That's about 1½ times the US average of 65. It's higher than at 60% 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.
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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 8,265 feet, Ponuntpa Springs Group 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 33% stronger here. Wear sunscreen even on overcast days and take breaks from the water to rehydrate.
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Ponuntpa Springs Group requires a hike to reach, so pack light but prepared. The water is dangerously hot, so bring water shoes and test pools carefully. Cold air temperatures make a changing robe or warm layers essential.
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