Description

Find the trailhead about a mile south of Midway Geyser Basin, along the Madison to Old Faithful road.

Crossing the Firehole River Bridge, the trail heads north on the Fountain Freight Road, snaking along the south side of Midway Geyser Basin.

On the right you’ll see the dazzling Grand Prismatic Spring.

Its colourful, unusual and enormous: measuring 370 feet across and 120 feet deep, it holds the record for being the second largest hot spring in the world.

The array of colours you see come from different kinds of bacteria which thrive in the spring’s hot water, and even the steam over Grand Prismatic reflects the colours of the pool, adding to its alluring beauty.

After 1 mile the trail leaves the freight road, turning left into the forest which burnt to a crisp in the mighty 1988 fires, but is now very much rejuvenating.

At the 2.5 mile mark you’ll reach Fairy Falls, which shoots out over the edge of the Madison Plateau and plunges 197 feet into a peaceful pool beneath.

Continue a further half mile along the trail and you will come to Imperial Geyser.

Once dramatically cascading, today Imperial Geyser has somewhat retired, finished with its 80 foot hight bursts, it now merely boils and overflows its impressively large crater.

Follow Imperial's large runoff channel 0.2 miles to the east to find Spray Geyser.

This colourful geyser is located north of the channel and erupts frequently through several openings to a height of 6 feet.

When you are finished exploring, return to the trailhead via the same route from which you came.