Explore Norris Geyser Basin, the hottest geyser basin in the park, on two loops of boardwalks and marked trails.
Norris Geyser Basin is one of the most intense geysers of Yellowstone’s hydrothermal areas due to its high temperature and acidity. The basin trail is made up of two main loops, one for the Back Basin and the other for the Porcelain Basin.
Norris Geyser Basin Trail Basics
1 – 2 Hours
3 Miles Round Trip
Loop
190 Feet
Duration: 1-2 Hours
Give yourself at least one hour, closer to two hours, to walk the entirety of the 3 miles of boardwalks through the area.
Distance: 3 Miles Roundtrip
To go through both areas of the entire Norris Geyser Basin will be about 3 miles worth of walking, depending on which path you take.
Type: Loop Trail
The Norris Basin is comprised of two major loops with a few cut-through trails. No matter which direction you go or which loop you start with, you can easily get back to the trail to the parking area.
Elevation Change: 190 Feet
There are a few places along the trail with steep grades, otherwise, this is a fairly level trail with minor elevation changes.
Season: Spring, Summer, Fall
The best time to visit Yellowstone’s Geyser Basins is in the late spring through early fall. Some of the roads in the park close seasonally, making it difficult to get to the area.
Time of Day: Any
The Norris Geyser Basin Trail is accessible at any time of the day. To avoid crowds, try to get there early, before 8 AM, or later in the afternoon after 4 PM.
Amount of Shade: Minimal
Most of the boardwalk trails are in direct sunlight as you walk through the basin. There are a few places where the trail goes into the trees, giving a bit of a respite from the sun.
Difficulty: Easy
Overall, the Norris Geyser Basin Trail is an easy boardwalk trail to follow based on the slight elevation change and mostly flat terrain.
What Makes Norris Geyser Basin Trail a Great Hike?
There are so many geothermal features in such a small area around the Norris Geyser Basin. Taking a walk along this trail gives you a chance to see many steam vents, hot water springs, acidic water pools, thermal areas, mud pots, and even a small geyser or two with minor eruptions. Even though there are hydrothermal features in other areas, such as Mammoth Hot Springs, West Thumb Geyser Basin, the Upper Geyser Basin (Old Faithful), Midway Geyser Basin (Grand Prismatic Spring), and the Lower Geyser Basin (Fountain Paint Pots), Norris is still its own unique area.
Thanks to the looping network of boardwalks, no matter where you are at on the trail, there’s so much to look at. You can look across the area and see the steam rising from so many of the vents. Any major eruptions would be visible from most places on the trail since there are very few trees inside the boardwalk loop.
Part of the fun of Norris is seeing so many features in one small area. Scientists have recorded the highest temperature in any geothermal area here at Norris with a temperature of 459 degrees Fahrenheit at just over 1,000 feet below the surface. Almost all of the features here are above the boiling point of 199 degrees Fahrenheit at this elevation.
Scenery on the Norris Geyser Basin Trail
Start of the Trail
The trail from the parking lot brings you along a paved route to the junction of the two distinct sections of the trail. From there, choose which area you want to start with. Porcelain Basin will be to your right, and Back Basin will be to your left.
On the Trail
As you walk along the trail, you will wind between the many thermal features of the area and the sparse trees. Make sure to walk slowly so you have time to enjoy each of the geysers, pools, and other views. Try to get a glimpse of an eruption of Steamboat Geyser, the largest active geyser.
End of the Trail
The trail ends back where you started near the Norris Museum.
Notable Places on the Hike
There are dozens of geothermal features and hydrothermal features along these two loops:
Porcelain Basin
- Congress Pool
- Porcelain Springs
- Hurricane Vent
- Sunday Geyser
- Colloidal Pool
- Blue Geyser
- Whirligig Geyser
- Constant Geyser
- Pinwheel Geyser
- Whale’s Mouth
- Crackling Lake
- Nuphar Lake
Back Basin
- Minute Geyser
- Monarch Geyser
- Fearless Geyser
- Palpitator Spring
- Corporal Geyser
- Veteran Geyser
- Cistern Spring
- Vixen Geyser
- Pearl Geyser
- Porkchop Geyser
- Yellow Funnel Spring
- Blue Mud Steam Vent
- Green Dragon Spring
- Black Hermit Caldron
- Puff ‘N Stuff Geyser
- Mystic Spring
- Arch Steam Vent
- Echinus Geyser
- Black Pit Spring
- Steamboat Geyser
- Emerald Spring
- Gray Lakes
Norris Geyser Basin Trailhead Information
Park Name: Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park is the oldest national park in the United States and is located mostly in Wyoming with a small portion in Idaho and Montana. Due to the size of the park, there are many ways to get to the area, including a flight to Bozeman or Billings in Montana or Jackson Hole in Wyoming. Norris Geyser Basin Trail is closest to the North Entrance from Gardiner, Montana, after passing through the Roosevelt Arch. It's also close to the West Entrance in West Yellowstone, almost in the middle of the two entrances.
Finding the Trailhead
After parking, the trail toward the museum, park store, and geyser basin is near the northwest corner of the lot. Follow this past the park store on the left and the museum on the right. Then choose which direction you are going to walk to start your hike.
Markers Along the Trail
Most of the named features along the trail have signs to indicate what you are looking at. There are also interpretive signs throughout that describe things such as the water levels, fault lines, early explorers in the area, seismic activity, and other geothermal activity and the changes it makes to the landscape.
Nearest Restrooms
There are flushing and pit toilet restrooms in the parking area for the Norris Geyser Basin. This is the closest restroom as there is not one in the museum, store, or along the boardwalk.
Parking Area
The main parking area, and the closest to the thermal features, is off of Grand Loop Road at Norris Canyon Road. This parking lot has room for about 150 vehicles and is nearest to the Norris Museum. Otherwise, for a further walk through the park, you can park at the pull-off on the right side of Grand Lake Road near the Museum of the National Park Ranger and Norris Campground. If you are driving from the south, the parking area is before you cross the Gibbon River. From the north, the parking area is on your left just past the river and crosswalk. This path adds almost one mile each way to your walk through the Norris area.
Other Trails at this Trailhead
There are no other trails that can be accessed from this parking area. If you choose to park near the Norris Campground, there is a trail that starts there called the Solfatara Creek Trail.
Tips for Norris Geyser Basin Trail
- Don't forget to take time to visit the Norris Geyser Basin Museum and Information Center as well as the Norris Yellowstone Forever Park Store before or after walking on the trail.
- The area was named after Philetus W. Norris, the second superintendent of Yellowstone, who provided the first detailed information about the thermal features.
- As with all trails through Yellowstone National Park, make sure to stay on the marked trail. It is extremely dangerous to step off the trail as the crust is oftentimes unstable with scalding hot waters underneath.
Accessibility Information for Norris Geyser Basin Trail
Steep Boardwalk, Pavement, Packed Gravel
Paved
Trail Type: Steep Boardwalk, Pavement, Packed Gravel
Most of the trail is accessible for those in a wheelchair or with mobility issues, especially along the Porcelain Basin side as there are steep inclines and steps along the pathway closest to the museum.
Parking: Paved
The parking area is paved with multiple handicap-accessible parking spots in the lot.