Yellowstone National Park (3)

Yellowstone National Park sits on top of a dormant volcano and is home to more geysers and hot springs than any other place on earth. 50 percent of the world’s hydrothermal features are at Yellowstone National Park, creating an effect that makes the ground appear to be on fire. The most famous of all the geysers is Old Faithful, one of the most popular and recognized natural wonders in the United States.

You’ve heard of porcelain skin and porcelain dolls, but porcelain geyser areas? In Yellowstone National Park, nature never ceases to amaze. There, visitors will find Porcelain Basin, the fastest changing section of the Norris Geyser Basin.
Porcelain Basin is named due to the milky color of the mineral deposited here. That whitish-colored mineral is siliceous sinter, also known as geyserite. Brought to the surface by hot water, the mineral collects on the ground as the water spreads over the flat basin. The settled geyserite resembles a big white sheet covering the ground.

The Porcelain Basin is always changing, thanks in large part to the geyserite. As the mineral collects around a hot spring or geyser, it’s prone to accumulating around the vent.
Take in the sites and snap a few pics while walking around the 3/4-mile dirt and boardwalk trail that winds through the area. Trees can’t survive in the area, though, so be sure to wear sunscreen.

Park at the Old Faithful Village and walk counter clockwise around the Old Faithful boardwalk. When you see the sign for Geyser Hill, take a right and you’ll see the trailhead after you cross Firehole River. It’s .3 miles from the visitor center. If you continue west to Solitary Geyser, which is know for frequent eruptions, your hike will be 2.2 miles round trip. Check in at the visitor center before you go to learn if there has been bear activity in the area.