Yellowstone became the world's first national park in 1872, and it remains one of the most geologically active places on the planet. Spanning 3,500 square miles across Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, the park sits atop a massive supervolcano and contains more than half of the world's active geysers. From erupting geothermal features to roaming herds of bison and wolves, Yellowstone is a living laboratory of natural wonder.
The park's hydrothermal features — over 10,000 of them — include geysers, hot springs, mud pots, and fumaroles painted in vivid colors by heat-loving microorganisms. Now you can witness it all virtually.
Virtual Tours: Geysers & Hot Springs
🌋 NPS Official Virtual Tours
The National Park Service offers curated 360° tours of Yellowstone's most iconic hydrothermal basins, boardwalks, and viewpoints with ranger narration.
Start the NPS Tour →📍 Yellowstone in Google Street View
Walk the boardwalks around Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic Spring, and Mammoth Hot Springs in full 360° immersive views.
Explore the Park →Areas to Explore
- Old Faithful Geyser — The world's most famous geyser, erupting roughly every 90 minutes with a column of boiling water reaching up to 180 feet.
- Grand Prismatic Spring — The largest hot spring in the United States, renowned for its stunning rainbow bands of thermophilic bacteria.
- Mammoth Hot Springs — Terraced travertine formations built by mineral-rich water flowing over limestone, constantly shifting and growing.
- Yellowstone Lake — One of the largest high-altitude lakes in North America, sitting at 7,733 feet with hidden hydrothermal vents on its floor.
- Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone — A dramatic 20-mile canyon with the thundering Upper and Lower Falls, best viewed from Artist Point.
- Lamar Valley — Known as America's Serengeti, this broad valley is the best place to spot wolves, bison, elk, and grizzly bears.
Fascinating Facts
- First national park in the world — established by President Ulysses S. Grant on March 1, 1872
- Sits on a supervolcano — the Yellowstone Caldera last erupted 640,000 years ago and still powers all geothermal activity
- Over 10,000 hydrothermal features including geysers, hot springs, mud pots, and steam vents
- Half the world's active geysers — roughly 500 of the planet's 1,000 known geysers are found here
- 3,500 square miles of wilderness larger than Rhode Island and Delaware combined
💡 Pro Tip
Use Google Street View to visit the Grand Prismatic Spring overlook trail. From above, you can see the full rainbow pattern of the spring — deep blue at the center where water is hottest, grading through green, yellow, and orange as temperature-dependent bacteria create living art.
Enhance Your Virtual Visit
Recommended Gear for Virtual Travel
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Meta Quest 3S VR Headset
Watch Old Faithful erupt from the boardwalk and feel the scale of Grand Prismatic in immersive VR.
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"Death in Yellowstone" by Lee Whittlesey
A fascinating chronicle of the park's most harrowing accidents, from boiling springs to bear encounters.