Yellowstone National Park

Geothermal features - photos

Visitors to Yellowstone get a fast education in Geology 101.

Unique on the planet, the whole park is a "caldera": a volcanic crater. With molten rock a mere three miles below the surface, the park has the largest and most diverse set of "geothermal features" on earth.

"Geothermal features"? Learn these words, because they're used all the time to include hot springs, geysers, mud pots, and fumaroles ("dry geysers" where steam and other gases are expelled from holes.)

Never, never, never let a child or dog get close to a geothermal feature! Temperatures can exceed the boiling point.

Below are pictures of the ethereally beautiful Mammoth terraces: hot springs; Belching Dragon; Mud Volcano; and Old Faithful, the Park's most famous geyser.

CLICK on pictures for enlargement and visitor's tips.

"Cooking Hillside", "Churning Cauldron"... Yellowstone has hundreds of fascinating and beautiful geothermal features. See the US National Park site. Also, the Virtual Guidebook site has numerous photos, and panoramic views, of Yellowstone including many mudpots, hot springs, etc.

more Yellowstone National Park photos & tips:

• starting page: Yellowstone National Park
• Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
• Yellowstone Family Adventure: review

* Images (c) Teresa Plowright.

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