Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

When you go to Yellowstone National Park you have to see Old Faithful…it’s the law you know! One of the wonders of the world, at least for me. The last time I was there, some thirty something years ago, Old Faithful erupted every hour on the hour plus or minus a few minutes. This past June on our National Park vacation, Old Faithful now erupts every hour and twenty minutes due to ongoing seismic events affecting subterranean water levels.

Sometime in the past the US Park Service installed a nice comfortable bench system practically surrounding the geyser to enhance visitors experience and comfort. However, an hour and a half is a little long sitting on the hard, wood surface waiting for the next eruption. Behind this great bench system is the Visitor Center where you can ask questions or buy anything you want about Old Faithful. Yes, we got our refrigerator magnet. There is also an old fashion soda fountain cafe in case you want to eat something before the next eruption, you have an hour and a half.

There are other smaller geysers all around Old Faithful and this is called the Upper Geyser Basin in which Old Faithful is in the southern section. A trail system connects most of the geysers and it is a hit and miss proposition if and when the smaller geysers erupt.

I think early morning or late afternoon when the air is colder you get the most photogenic images due to the dense hot water hitting the cold air…lots of steam to make that spectacular photograph.

Oh, and did I tell you, you have to wait an hour and a half between eruptions?

Text, photographs, and other media are © Copyright Ben Gundy and are not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from Ben Gundy.

Canon G12

ISO 100, 1/400 sec at f/7.1