Why I Love the Great Fountain Geyser

Undoubtedly, the Great Fountain Geyser is my favorite geyser in Yellowstone. The first time I experienced an eruption here, I was blown away by its awesomeness.

From the house I grew up in, West Yellowstone was one hour, and I can recall many road trips to “the Park.” Which usually meant driving up, seeing Old Faithful, turning around, and coming home. Call me spoiled, but when you’re a kid, and that’s a typical Saturday, it’s hard to appreciate how good you have it.

Now I know my memory is skewed because I have pictures of me as a kid all over Yellowstone, but those trips to Old Faithful are the ones I remember most. That’s probably why that area of Yellowstone is the most familiar. Now that I have a few more years behind me, I enjoy taking my kids to see this iconic gem of the west.

Yellowstone is so big that even as a “local,” there is still more of the park that I have not seen than what I have seen. With over 1000 miles of hiking trails, I have yet to take tons of backpacking trips. I love finding opportunities to capture new areas of Yellowstone for my landscape photography gallery.

I love discovering new things, and that’s why when I decided to explore this side trip named Fire Hole Drive and witnessed this geyser, I was so excited. I could not believe that for more than 30 years, I’d been driving right past this and had no idea.

What Makes the Great Fountain Geyser so Awesome?

• Crowds – Much less crowded than Old Faithful. The first time I saw this geyser erupt, there were maybe five other people.
• Proximity to the geyser – When Great Fountain erupts, anywhere from 75 feet to over 200 ft, you stand about 60 feet from the center of the geyser. What does this mean? You stand a fair chance of getting wet, possibly even your car. It also means you not only hear the roar, but you feel the roar of the eruption.
• Frequency and predictability – I view this one as a benefit. Depending on the type of person you are, you may not. Great Fountain eruptions were roughly 7 hours apart the last I visited. However, they change yearly and are less predictable than Old Faithful. Rangers try to keep a sign out saying when to expect the next eruption, and my experience is they generally get it pinned down to about a 3-hour window. Because of this, experiencing Great Fountain gives you more of an “I won the lottery” feeling and makes the adventure more memorable and exciting.

Planning an Adventure to Yellowstone?

Are you planning a visit to Yellowstone National Park?? Did you know that Yellowstone was the first national park in the world? Plan your trip with the 15 Best Things to do in Yellowstone! Our favorite spots to visit as a family are Old Faithful, the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, the Grand Prismatic Spring, and Yellowstone Lake! Are you interested in learning more about Yellowstone? Visit the Yellowstone website for the latest updates and information to help plan your trip. Let David Reimann Photography help you bring your adventure home with stunning nature wall art from my Yellowstone Photography Gallery below. Keep updated on my new nature photography selections and stay in touch by joining my email list.