Hiking to the Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook in Yellowstone: A Complete Trail Guide
THINKING ABOUT HIKING TO GRAND PRISMATIC SPRING OVERLOOK?
You’ve landed on the right article! We visit Yellowstone often and have hiked to Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook ourselves. This hike and the view are one of our favorite things to do in the park. We’ll share insights and what to expect on your hike from our own experience.
This is a relatively easy hike that everyone in your group will enjoy. It is a great place to go on a hike in Yellowstone because of the family-friendliness of the trail and the beautiful views. We hiked the Grand Prismatic Spring Trail with my twins who were six at the time and they had no problem with the trail. We did carry our two-year-old for part of the trail.
Overview of the Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone
The Grand Prismatic is the largest hot spring in the United States. It is about 370 feet wide and about 10 stories deep. The Grand Prismatic is one of the most popular attractions in Yellowstone due to its beautiful and vibrant colors.
The Grand Prismatic is by far the biggest and brightest of the geothermal features in Yellowstone National Park. It is also the deepest hot springs in Yellowstone Park. This makes it a very famous hot spring.
What makes the colors in the Grand Prismatic Spring?
The Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone is formed by hot water coming out through cracks in the earth’s crust. This hot water is a perfect place for bacteria to grow.
The vibrant colors in the Grand Prismatic are caused by microbes in the water. The thermophilic living organisms are created at high temperatures and multiply. As the water temperature changes, so do the microbes.
The Grand Prismatic in Yellowstone has different colors because of the different species in each area. The types of bacteria change as the water temperature changes. The farther away from the hot water source, the cooler the water is and thus you get the different types of bacteria.
The temperatures are lower around the outer edges where the coloring is red. As the temperatures increase, the colors change to yellow and green. The water in the center is too hot for any bacteria to live which is why it stays the beautiful blue color.
The spring also changes seasonally as the air temperature rises and falls. The colors are not as bright in the winter months compared in the summer. During the summer months, the Grand Prismatic has more of an orange color. In the winter, it transforms to more of a dark green color.
How to See the Grand Prismatic in Yellowstone
One of our favorite places to see in Yellowstone and something we recommend not missing is the Grand Prismatic Spring. There are two ways to see the Grand Prismatic and we recommend you visit both places because it is so pretty.
The first is the Midway Geyser Basin boardwalk. This is a nice and short hike, an 0.8-mile trail, meandering through the Midway Geyser. It has a very nice boardwalk and is stroller and wheelchair friendly. The Grand Prismatic Spring boardwalk goes around the edges so you can see it at ground level.
The second way to see it is from the Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook Trail. This is where you can see the spring from above and take the aerial pictures that you often see of the Grand Prismatic.
Can you see the Grand Prismatic Spring from the road?
You cannot really see the Grand Prismatic Hot Spring from the road. You can see parts of the Midway Geyser Basin as you are driving by but the Grand Prismatic is towards the back requiring you to park and walk on the boardwalk to see it.
Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook Hike
How do I get to the Grand Prismatic Spring overlook?
To get to the Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook you will need to hike about .6 miles from the Fairy Falls Trailhead. The trailhead is one mile south of Midway Geyser Basin and six miles north of Old Faithful and the Upper Geyser Basin. The Fairy Falls trailhead is a different location than the Grand Prismatic Hot Spring parking lot.
If you are coming in from the West Yellowstone, the Fairy Falls parking area will be on your right shortly after driving past the parking area for the Midway Geyser Basin.
Parking for the Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook
To get to the Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook hike, you will park at the Fairy Falls Trailhead parking lot. Keep in mind that RVs, buses, and trailers are not allowed in this parking lot.
There is a small loop parking lot. If that is full, there is a second larger parking area with a lot more spots. We hiked this trail on Labor Day weekend and the park was so busy but we did not have a problem finding a parking spot.
There are no restrooms at this trailhead.
How long is the hike to the Grand Prismatic Spring?
The hike to the Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook is not too long of a hike but is longer than some of the short boardwalks around some of the other geothermal features. The overlook is about 0.6 miles from the Fairy Falls Trailhead and parking area.
- Length: 1.5 miles
- Elevation Gain: 180 feet
- Route Type: Out & Back
- Difficulty: Easy
Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook Trail Description
There is a flat walk on the Fairy Falls Trail before taking a spurt in the trail to the overlook. The start of the trail will take you over the Firehole River on an old steel truss bridge, build in 1911. After crossing the bridge, you will go on a short walk down a flat road, known as the Fountain Freight Road.
The Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook Trail is on your left about six-tenths of a mile into the hike. After the turn off the main trail, there is a gradual uphill climb to the overlook. There is about 180 feet in elevation gain before reaching the end of the trail. From the top, you can see the Grand Prismatic and Midway Geyser Basin.
There is a large viewing platform at the top which is a great place to see the Grand Prismatic. You’ll more than likely be sharing the platform, especially if you are visiting in the afternoon. Everyone is usually pretty courteous about sharing space to take pictures.
Bicycles are allowed on the Fairy Falls Trail. They are not allowed on the Grand Prismatic Overlook Trail.
You should plan on spending one to two hours on this trail. If you go on the Fairy Falls hike, it takes up to three hours. This is a popular trail so plan on sharing it with other hikers.
Midway Geyser Basin Boardwalk
Either before or after hiking to the overlook, you should take some time to visit the Midway Geyser Basin Boardwalk. This will take you by the Grand Prismatic as well as the Opal Pool, Excelsior Geyser Crater, and Turquoise Pool.
As you are walking up from the parking area, you can also see the boiling hot spring water flow into the Firehole River.
Parking for the Grand Prismatic Boardwalk
Visiting the Grand Prismatic Boardwalk is one of the most popular things to do in Yellowstone, so parking can be tricky. This is especially true if you are trying to visit midday when the rainbow colors are the brightest because it is a popular time for people to be out and about in the park.
The Grand Prismatic Spring parking lot is small so you may need to have some patience when it comes to finding a parking space. There is overflow parking on the side of the road where you can park. This can lead to some extra walking from your car to the start of the boardwalk.
Other Features to See at the Midway Geyser Basin
While you are walking out to the edge of the Grand Prismatic on the boardwalk, you will pass by three other pretty formations. The Grand Prismatic hike is a loop so be sure to walk the entire way around. The other geothermal features are not nearly as colorful or large as the Grand Prismatic but still worth enjoying.
It will take you about thirty minutes to an hour to walk around the Grand Prismatic Spring hike.
Excelsior Geyser: This is a dormant geyser so now it resembles more of a hot spring. It hasn’t erupted since the 1980s. It is a beautiful blue color and pumps out about 15,000 liters of water every minute.
Opal Pool: The Opal Pool gets its name from the clear blue color of its water. Although it is called a pool, it is a geyser that erupts a few times a year.
Turquoise Pool: This is my second favorite feature at the Midway Geyser because of the amazing shades of blue in the pool.
Best Time to Visit the Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook
The best time to visit the Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook is during the late mornings and afternoons on a sunny day. If you are visiting during the morning hours, you will find a lot of steam covering large portions of the spring. It is still cool to see covered in steam, but you will miss out on seeing the entire outline and inner vibrant colors.
Also, the more the sun is out, the brighter the colors will be. If you are vising at dusk or on a particularly cloudy day, the colors in the Grand Prismatic won’t be as bright.
When is the Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook Trail Open?
The Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook trail is part of the Bear Management area. It is closed to visitors between March 10th and the Friday of Memorial Day weekend. This is when bear activity is at its peak.
The Park Loop Road is also closed during the winter months unless you are going with a tour group or snowmobiling. This makes the trail difficult to get to. Because of this, the best time to hike this trail is from late May through the end of October.
Continuing on the Fairy Falls Trail
After visiting the Grand Prismatic Overlook, you can continue on the Fairy Falls Trails to other points of interest and other hikes if you’d like to extend your hike.
Hikes near the Grand Prismatic Spring
Here is the one-way hiking distance from the trailhead –
- Fairy Falls Trail Junction: 1 mile
- Fairy Falls: 2.5 miles
- Freight Road Trailhead: 4 miles
The most popular destination to continue on to after the Grand Prismatic Overlook is Fairy Falls. It is about 200 feet tall and one of the tallest waterfalls in Yellowstone.
Fairy Falls Trail at the Grand Prismatic Spring is a hike with minimal elevation gain. There are signs directing you to the falls. After the turnoff on Fountain Flat Drive, there is a 1.6-mile hike to the falls.
If you get to the trailhead in the morning and want to see the Grand Prismatic with less steam, you can hike to the waterfall first and then go up to the overlook on your way back to the trailhead. Parking will be easier in the morning, but you will still get to see the vibrant afternoon colors.
Keep in mind this is part of the bear management area, so it is a good idea to make some noise on the trail and carry some bear spray.
Conclusion: Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook
We hope you have found this guide helpful in planning your visit to the Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook. It is the best place to see the Grand Prismatic from an awesome vantage point.
Be sure to check out our other Yellowstone resources below. We love Yellowstone and hope you have a great time visiting this beautiful national park.
More Yellowstone Resources
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17 Best Things to Do in Yellowstone with Kids + Essential Tips
The Best Time to Visit Yellowstone National Park
10 Best Binoculars for Yellowstone National Park
12 Best Campgrounds in Yellowstone National Park
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