Grand Prismatic Spring
attraction
Accessible during park operating hours; boardwalk access dependent on seasonal road closures.
Access is included with Yellowstone National Park entrance fees; no additional fee for the spring itself.
This massive spring features rings of vivid, bacteria-fed color circling a deep blue center, creating a surreal landscape.
Description
Located in the Midway Geyser Basin, this feature owes its signature palette to pigmented bacteria in the microbial mats that ring the mineral-rich, boiling water. While it is a celebrated, photogenic site, it is not always a steady watch. On cooler or breezier days, the rising steam can frequently obscure the view, occasionally shifting across the boardwalk to shroud your path entirely.
Good to know
Steam obscures view