Old Faithful Geyser
The Basics
Most tours of Yellowstone National Park stop by Old Faithful to see one of the geyser’s spectacular eruptions. Day trips to Yellowstone can last up to 13 hours and typically leave from Jackson or Jackson Hole, and visit Old Faithful along with park highlights such as Hayden Valley, Yellowstone Lake, and the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. Small-group tours offer a personalized experience, while self-guided tours are also available if you want to explore the park at your own pace.
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Things to Know Before You Go
Old Faithful is a must-see for nature lovers and first-time visitors to Yellowstone National Park.
You can find predicted eruption times in the adjacent visitor center.
The geyser-viewing area is one of Yellowstone’s most accessible destinations, with bench seating, a large parking lot, and a ranger station.
How to Get There
Old Faithful is located in Yellowstone’s Upper Geyser Basin, in the southwest section of the park. The geyser is roughly a 50-minute drive from West Yellowstone, and 80 minutes from Mammoth Hot Springs and the park’s southern entrance.
Trip ideas
When to Get There
You can visit Old Faithful from May to October, although summer is the most popular time. To beat the crowds, consider visiting in the early morning or in the moments just before dusk. If the eruption schedule aligns with sunrise, be sure to set an alarm so you can watch Old Faithful spout water at dawn.
Yellowstone’s Hot Springs and Geysers
There are more geysers in Yellowstone than any other place in the world. To visit the park’s geysers, enter through the West Entrance and continue to Madison, the jumping-off point for geyser basins to the north and south. The Lower Geyser Basin, which includes Fountain Paint Pot, and the Upper Geyser Basin, home to Old Faithful, are both to the south. The Mammoth Hot Springs and Steamboat geysers are in the Norris Geyser Basin to the north.