Description

Discover the enormous Mystic Falls and the Jewel of Biscuit Basin—Saphire Pool—on this relatively short and flat hike.

**Directions:** Beginning at the Biscuit Basin parking-lot, cross the bridge over Firehole River and follow the path on the other side.

Soon enough you will come to Biscuit Basin, which contains a series of majestic geysers and hot springs: Black Opal Pool and Wall Pool on the right, and then a little further up is the sparkling blue and enormous Sapphire Pool.

Continue on the boardwalk and you will see Jewel Geyser, Shell Geyser, Silver Globe Spring and Avoca Spring.

Try to spot the features that inspired the names of each geyser- some are more obvious than others! After another 2 miles along the path, turn down the path to the left, signed 'Mystic Falls Trail'.

This path which will take you deep into a burnt forest, which was destroyed in the 1988 wildfires.

Leaving the forest, the path then takes you along the Little Firehole River and then ascends gradually for 1.1 miles to the base of Mystic Falls.

Once at the falls you are greeted with a majestic sight: surrounded by several small hot springs, Mystic Falls cascades from 70 feet over Canyon Rhyolite rock.

From Mystic Falls, the trail continues to the right and ascends steeply up more than 500 feet for half a mile, bringing you to the top of the Madison Plateau.

When you meet the trail junction, turn right and follow the Fairy Creek Trail, which rolls up and down along the top of the plateau for 2.2 miles, eventually coming to a spectacularly scenic lookout.

Enjoy sweeping views of the entire Geyser Basin, 150 active geysers lay before you, including the iconic Old Faithful.

To return to the trailhead, continue along the path which descends steeply all the way to the valley floor.

Hop on the Mystic Falls Trail, which brings you back across Biscuit Basin, and all the way to the Mystic Falls trailhead.

**Sources:** https://www.americansouthwest.net/wyoming/yellowstone/mystic-falls-trail.html https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/yell-trail-mystic-falls.htm