Yellowstone Old Faithful Tour | Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour

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Tour Details

Tour Type: Walking
Duration: 1 - 2 Hours
Distance:2.5 miles
Audio Stories: 35+ Stories
Purchase Qty: One Per Person
Tour At Your Own Pace
Valid for One Year
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About the Yellowstone Old Faithful Tour

Witness the power of Old Faithful and explore the surrounding geyser basin with this self-guided walking tour! As one of the most densely-packed geyser regions in the park, there’s no shortage of explosive wonders on display here. Watch huge geysers like Old Faithful, Castle Geyser, and Grand Geyser erupt. Stroll past smaller, bubbling pools. Find out how geysers form, how they work, and uncover the hidden systems underlying the whole basin. This walking tour makes for the perfect addition to any Yellowstone visit!

About the Tour

Your tour begins at Old Faithful herself, Yellowstone’s most famous geyser. From here, you’ll walk around this iconic geyser, hear more about it, and find out how geysers actually work.

From there, continue to the Upper Geyser Basin, home to one of the world’s largest concentrations of geysers. Explore this geothermal area that hosts a multitude of hot springs, geysers, and prismatic pools, witnessing eruptions large and small as you walk.

At each notable geyser or spring, you’ll learn more about its history, how it functions, and how an interconnected system beneath the ground affects all of it. You’ll see crowd favorites like the Lion Geysers and the Beehive Geyser before strolling down to some of the park’s biggest geysers, like Grand Geyser, which produces larger eruptions than Old Faithful!

You’ll also see stunning hot springs and pools like the colorful Chromatic Pool and cross the perpetually-steaming Firehole River. As you circle back, you’ll also visit the gargantuan Castle Geyser, a can’t-miss landmark!

Finally, your tour will return to Old Faithful, where the journey concludes.

Combine this with the Yellowstone Driving Tour and get the most out of your trip to America’s first national park!

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Where To Start?

Start your Old Faithful tour from the Old Faithful Visitor and Education Center: View Avenue, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190

How Does It Work?

Once you book a tour, you’ll get a text/email with instructions.
Download the app (while in good wifi/signal) and use your unique password to access your tours. If there are multiple versions or entrances for your tour, be sure to download all audio guides.
To begin touring, go to the starting point and launch the app.
The audio starts automatically once you reach the starting point. Stick to the tour route and speed limit for the best experience.
Please note that no one will meet you at the starting point.

Audio Story Highlights

Welcome: South Entrance (Jackson)
Introducing Yellowstone, the first national park, known for wildlife and geysers. Follow the clockwise Grand Loop Road.
Animals & Geysers
Yellowstone's history, abundant wildlife including elk and bison, and the unique geothermal wonders.
Bribery, Corruption, and Poaching
Early mismanagement, army intervention, and the battle against poaching in Yellowstone's history.
The Origin of the Name
The name "Yellowstone" comes from a mistranslation of the local Minnetaree tribe's name for the river.
Grant Village & Visitor Center
Introduction to the Grand Loop Road, its history, and significance. The Grant Visitor Center offers resources.
West Thumb
The West Thumb Geyser Basin, including features like Fisherman’s Cone, Abyss Pool, and their geological origins.
William Trumbull
Henry Winser’s “Fish Story” - Another account of cooking fish in a hot spring at West Thumb, demonstrating the extreme temperatures.
Writing About Geysers
Henry Winser’s “Fish Story” - Another account of cooking fish in a hot spring at West Thumb, demonstrating the extreme temperatures.
Clark’s Nutcracker Bird
Insights into Clark's Nutcracker bird and its vital role in Yellowstone's ecosystem.
Birds of Yellowstone
Diversity of birds in Yellowstone, from raptors to songbirds, contributing to the park's vibrant environment.
Shoshone Lake & DeLacy Creek Trail
A hidden gem, Shoshone Lake's history and significance, along with safety reminders for hiking.
Kepler Cascade
An impressive 150-foot waterfall accessible from a turnout, with historical significance from early explorers.
Bighorn Sheep
Bighorn sheep's remarkable agility and survival strategies, along with their conservation challenges.
Toxic Fumes
Explanation of hydrogen sulfide's distinctive smell around geothermal features, and its effects on wildlife.
Clogging Yellowstone
The negative impact of human actions on geothermal features, like throwing objects into geysers and springs.
Invisible, Revolutionary Bacteria
The significance of Thermus aquaticus bacteria in DNA replication, disease diagnosis, and even brewing beer.
Old Faithful
Introduction to the iconic Old Faithful geyser, its regular eruptions, safety precautions, and historical use for laundry.
Nearby Geysers
Explore the iconic Old Faithful geyser and the rich geyser basin with over 150 geysers.
Beehive
Witness the impressive Beehive geyser, which shoots boiling water 100 feet into the air.
Grand Geyser
Marvel at the powerful Grand Geyser, capable of erupting up to 200 feet in height every 7 to 15 hours.
Castle Geyser
Observe the ancient Castle Geyser surrounded by a calcified cone and possibly petrified trees.
Morning Glory
See the Morning Glory pool, once vibrant blue but now changed due to human impact. It erupted in 1950, revealing coins and even handkerchiefs.
Fairy Falls & Grand Prismatic
Visit Fairy Falls, a 5-mile hike, and Grand Prismatic, a massive colorful hot spring with distinct bands of bacteria.
New Zealand Mud Snai
Learn about the invasive New Zealand Mud Snail that affects the local ecosystem, passing through fish undigested.
Firehole River
Observe Firehole River, a thermal river that's great for trout fishing due to its warm, mineral-rich waters.
Grand Prismatic Parking Lot
Stop at the Grand Prismatic parking lot for an up-close view of the spring itself, although the colors are best appreciated from a distance.
Fountain Paint Pot
Visit Fountain Paint Pot, a fascinating mud pot with bubbling mud in vibrant colors, caused by iron oxidation.
What’s That Smell?
Learn about the distinct smell of mudpots due to hydrogen sulfide gas.
Alice’s Adventures in Yellowstone
Learn how the park's nickname "Wonderland" came about through brochures that connected Yellowstone to the enchanting world of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
Electric Peak
Admire Electric Peak, the highest in the Gallatin range. It offers breathtaking alpine views and has a link to a stormy ascent during its measurement.
Sheepeater Cliffs
Discover the hexagonal Sheepeater Cliffs, formed by ancient volcanic eruptions. The name pays homage to the Eastern Shoshone tribe's resourcefulness.
Swan Lake Flats
Observe Swan Lake, the birthplace of Yellowstone's first wolf pack in 1996, symbolizing the hope of wolf recovery in the park's ecosystem.
Bunsen Peak
See Bunsen Peak, named after chemist Robert Bunsen, which offers stunning views but can be a challenging hike due to its elevation and wildlife presence.
Golden Gate Bridge
Cross the viaduct known as the Golden Gate, named for one of the park's largest canyons, and learn about its history and construction challenges.
Hoodoos
Encounter the Hoodoos, unique rock formations created by an ancient landslide, and anticipate a quick but impressive detour.
Mammoth Hot Springs
Experience Mammoth Hot Springs, known for its terraced formations created by mineral-rich hot water spilling over and calcifying.
The Town of Mammoth
Explore Mammoth, initially established as Fort Yellowstone, now offering services to visitors and serving as a haven for a herd of elk.

Preview The Tour

Tour FAQs

The tour explores the Upper Geyser Basin, featuring geysers like Old Faithful, Castle Geyser, and Grand Geyser, alongside colorful hot springs and other geothermal features.

It typically lasts between 1 to 2 hours, depending on your pace.

It begins at the Old Faithful Visitor Education Center.

It was named in 1870 during the Washburn-Langford-Doane Expedition due to its regular eruptions, which made it a reliable natural phenomenon for early explorers and researchers.

While the immediate area around Old Faithful is primarily geothermal, visitors might see bison, elk, and occasionally bears along the roads and in the forests nearby.

Old Faithful can be visited year-round, but summer offers the most accessible viewing experiences. Winter visits offer a unique perspective with fewer crowds, though access may require guided snow vehicle tours.

Yes, there are several rest areas and facilities available near major attractions along the route.

Yes, you can download the tour onto your smartphone and access all its features without needing an internet connection.

If you arrive and Old Faithful is already erupting, enjoy the display! Eruptions typically last between 1.5 to 5 minutes, so you’ll have plenty of time to witness this spectacular natural event.

Eruption times for Old Faithful are posted at the Old Faithful Visitor Center and are also available online through various apps and Yellowstone’s official website, based on past eruption data.