Unnamed Thermal Spring
Close to boiling and without a name. This thermal point sits a short distance off the Grand Loop Road inside Yellowstone National Park, on ground the National Park Service keeps open to visitors, and the record puts West Yellowstone under two miles away. Water this hot is for looking at. A 2007 analysis found chloride and sulfate among the dissolved minerals, with a pH a touch on the acid side of neutral.
A fifth of a mile separates the vent from the Grand Loop Road, so it counts as a short walk. Elevation runs a bit over seven thousand feet, cold country with an annual mean in the mid thirties. Winters bring over ten feet of snow. Rain and melt together come to a moderate total. The land is National Park Service, inside the national park boundary.
Winter shows up as the best season on file. Given how much snow this area gets, check whether the Grand Loop Road is open before planning a cold-month visit. The closest camping in the record is Indian Creek Campground, thirteen or fourteen miles off. Stand well back. It will scald in an instant. No fee and no bath type appear on file.
The USGS carries this point as a numbered site in its thermal records and took a water sample here on October 15, 2007.
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 this spring.
Drag the handle to compare the two views. The orange dot marks the spring, in a frame about three quarters of a mile wide.
- Setting
- Hillside
- The spring sits on a steep slope that climbs to the southwest.
- Highest ground nearby
- 411 ft above the spring
- Within a quarter mile, to the southwest
A slice through the ground from south to north, about 0.6 miles end to end.
Elevation data: USGS 3D Elevation Program. Aerial imagery: USGS The National Map. Public domain.
That's about twice the US average of 65. It's higher than at 81% 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 This spring is slightly acidic (pH 6.7). It is notably rich in sodium (supports circulation and skin hydration) and chloride (natural antiseptic with skin health benefits).
Some links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Overview Located about eight miles (13 km) south of Mammoth Hot Springs on the road to Norris, Indian Creek Campground—elevation 7,300 feet (2225 m)—sits near the base of the Gallatin Mountains and offers breathtaking views of Electric Peak. The area offers easy access to fishing and hiking. The campground is away from the main road and provides a quieter, more primitive, experience than many other locations. For reservations at the campgrounds managed by Yellowstone National Park Lodges (Fi...
this spring sits at 7,320 feet above sea level, way above the mile-high mark. You may not feel the altitude strongly, but hot water still dehydrates you faster at elevation. UV is about 29% stronger than at sea level, so bring sunscreen and drink more water than you normally would.
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
this spring is road-accessible, so you can bring more gear. The water is dangerously hot, so bring water shoes and test pools carefully. Cold air temperatures make a changing robe or warm layers essential.
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Springs Near This Spring
More Springs Around 187°F
Slightly Acidic Springs (pH ~6.7)
Hike 6 waterfalls near this spring
Looking for more outdoor adventures? Explore waterfall hikes near this spring, Wyoming.