Heading to Yellowstone soon and want to see the world famous Grand Prismatic Spring? So you should!
This is one of the most beautiful natural landmarks in the world and you can be sure of one thing, it will take your breath away!
I’ve travelled to many places and I can tell you one thing, I’ve rarely been as impressed as I was when I saw the Grand Prismatic Spring for the first time!
In this article, you will find some tips for visiting Grand Prismatic Spring and get the best of the experience.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost for you!
1. Start by the boardwalk at the Midway Geyser Basin
There are two places where you can see the Grand Prismatic spring, the midway geyser basin and the overlook.
While I think the overlook is a lot better (but I’ll get back to that), the boardwalk at the midway geyser basin is definitely one you should do and you should go there first.
The boardwalk is quite quick, it can be completed in 30 minutes and includes other thermal features.
Once you get to Grand Prismatic, you’ll discover the beautiful colors right in front of you. It’s absolutely stunning and being able to see them so close is just amazing.
The reason why I recommend going there first is that it’s a different experience and you get to see the colors from a different angle.
Having said that, the overlook is more impressive so it’s better to keep it to the end.
If you want to avoid the crowds, you can go there early in the morning. However, it’s not necessarily the best since it’s very steamy. It’s better to go later on during the day.
Even if it’s busy, you have to stick to the boardwalk anyway so you will get the pretty views.
2. You must go to the Grand Prismatic Overlook
No matter what you do, you have to go to the Grand Prismatic Overlook. This is truly one of the highlights of Yellowstone and you would really be missing out if you weren’t going.
To get there, park at the Fairy falls trail parking lot and start walking on the Fairy Falls trail.
The overlook is located 0.6 miles away from the parking lot (which takes about 20 minutes).
From there, you’ll discover stunning views over the midway geyser basin and the majestic Grand Prismatic overlook.
This is truly one of the best views in the world! It’s so insanely pretty and you get to see all the rainbow colors! It’s stunning.
If you are lucky, you’ll even see the wildlife around (bisons love this spot).
3. Visit around noon (on a summer day)
Midday is the best time of the day to visit Grand Prismatic. There is quite a lot of steam in the morning but it usually burns off by noon which means that you get to see all the colors.
There is nothing worse than going all the way to Yellowstone and not getting to see the beautiful rainbow of Grand Prismatic because it’s hidden by the steam.
Also, if you are visiting in summer you should get even more vibrant colours since the sun reflects on it.
4. Wear a hat (but make sure it’s secure)
There is no shade whatsoever at Grand Prismatic and even the overlook trail is not really shady which means that it can get very hot. The sun is strong in this part of Yellowstone so it’s important to wear a hat.
That said, if you are doing the boardwalk, make sure your hat is quite tight because it gets windy sometimes and if your hat flies off, you won’t be able to get it back.
5. Stay on the boardwalk
This is actually not much of an advice but an actual mandatory rule but it’s worth mentioning it.
Grand Prismatic is a geothermal feature and it’s located within a basin full of other geothermal features. It’s very dangerous to walk on the ground here. Not only will it burn but it also destroys the bacteria that creates these wonderful colors.
It’s very important you stay on the boardwalk and never walk on the ground (even if your hat flies off!).
6. Be careful with the wildlife (especially the bisons)
Bisons love this area and it’s not uncommon to find them on the hiking trail to the overlook.
Please make sure to stay away (at least 25 yards) and be careful. You should never get close to a bison, they are very unpredictable.
7. Wear walking shoes to go to the overlook
While the boardwalk at the midway geyser basin doesn’t require you to wear any specific type of shoes, it is highly recommended to wear walking shoes to go to the overlook.
You will be walking on a hiking trail which means it’s dusty and with some rocks.
There is no climbing involved and you don’t need strong hiking boots but closed-toe shoes will come in handy.
I hope this article was useful and now that you know everything about Grand Prismatic, it’s time to go and explore!
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