West Thumb Geyser Basin Trail: A Yellowstone Landscape Sampler

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Another one of the trails I wanted to do on this visit to Yellowstone since I didn’t on my first trip was the West Thumb Geyser Basin boardwalk.

This is a geyser basin right on the shore of Yellowstone Lake, so you get to see the lake AND thermal features at the same time, AND mountains off in the distance. I think it’s one of the more unique trails in the park for it’s location/scenery.

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Sure, you can see lakes and thermal features elsewhere in the park but next to each other like this? Much less likely (please tell me if I’m wrong here, I am unaware of another trail like this in the park).

This was our last hike in the park, at the end of the day on our second full day here, so we were just able to squeeze it in, and I’m so glad we did!

I really loved this trail, the only downside was how far it was of a drive back to the hotel in Gardiner, almost 2.5 hours up the west side of the park.

Since it was a bit later in the day we had no problem getting a parking spot here but it’s a popular spot so I’m sure in the middle of the day, especially in the middle of summer, it could be hard to get a spot.

Always have a backup plan and be prepared to be flexible in the order you do things in a park as busy as Yellowstone. We would check a parking lot on our way in and if it was full, save it for the drive back out instead.

This trail is all boardwalk and made up of three little loops but we only did the biggest loop closest to the lake, going along the right side of the smaller loops.

The first small loop really just connects both sides to the parking area so I don’t think much will be missed skipping that.

We went to the right from the parking lot and passed the first left turn of the trail, heading right to the next one. From this second left, you can still see what is in the middle of the smaller loop that you skipped.

There are thermal features along both sides of the boardwalk, so there’s plenty to look at as you go, with lots of grass around them, which I also loved and makes this basin a little different.

I just think it’s so cool seeing the barren ashy rock full of colorful pools of steaming water, also surrounded by grass. You don’t see a ton of grass in the geyser basins, though it’s definitely not unique to this one either.

Once you approach the corner where it starts to turn right, there will be a large feature straight ahead/on the left up ahead a little bit, and some smaller ones before that.

This big one is King Geyser and there is a nice viewing area and side boardwalk here to get another angle of it. There will still be features on both sides of the boardwalk.

I’m not sure which feature is which, but some of the ones you’ll see along the trail are King Geyser (of course), Thumb Geyser, Surging Spring, Abyss Pool, Big Cone Geyser, Thumb Paint Pots, and Lakeshore Geyser (on the lake side).

Abyss Pool is a really deep, blue pool (the deepest in the park at 53 feet deep!), and Big Cone Geyser is basically in the lake which is so weird, you don’t expect to see geysers in the lake! Or at least I don’t, I’m not sure what you expect.

Lakeshore Geyser and Fishing Cone are both underwater in the lake and no longer erupt, and Big Cone is occasionally underwater and also only erupts occasionally.

The next part of the boardwalk follows the shore of the lake, with lake to your left and thermal features to your right. There are little spots, pull outs if you will, along this part, some with benches.

Before you know it, you’re headed back up toward the parking lot. You can either head straight back or across that first left (now a right) to go along the top side of the middle loop that you saw at the beginnig of your hike.

This is a busy trail, so chances are pretty low that you’ll have it to yourself, but it wasn’t stifling and overcrowded, just busy, but most of the boardwalks here will be similar I think. It could also just depend on the time of day you’re there.

Overall, I think this is a great easy hike that you should try and squeeze in to your probably already packed schedule if you can.

It’s a beautiful trail that I don’t want to say is underrated because it’s definitely not but I don’t hear quite as much about this one as others. It’s definitely worth the 30-45 minutes to stop here though!

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National Park Goodies

If you’re planning to visit three or more national parks within a year from your trip, definitely get the America the Beautiful pass. It will save you money in the long run if you’re going to more than three parks in a year. Buy the pass here.
If you’re planning on doing a lot of hiking on your trip, or even at home, check out AllTrails! This is my favorite app to find, keep track of, and track my hiking activity. And it’s FREE! Sign up here.
This Ultimate National Park Planning Bundle is a must-have. You get two ebooks and a planner, saving 50% by getting them as a bundle! If you want all the details, this is the bundle for you. Buy the Ultimate bundle here.
Doing a road trip? Want an adventure? Consider an Escape Campervan Rental! It’s a great way to see the parks and is perfect for couples and small (but close) friend groups. Book a campervan here!
This National Park Planner (one of the ebooks from the bundle above) is perfect if you just want some guidance in your planning. Buy the planner here.
Get yourself a National Park journal for all of the NPS sites (400+!) to keep track of your travels!
Consider reading some of these books set in national parks before your big trip, on your adventure, or once you get home to take you back to the parks until next time.

Where is the West Thumb Geyser Basin Trail?

The West Thumb Geyser Basin trailhead is in the southeast corner or the park on the shores of Yellowstone Lake.

It’s about 30 minutes from Old Faithful, almost 1.5 hours from Brink of the Lower Falls, almost 2.5 hours from Gardiner, Montana, and about 2 hours from Jackson Hole. All driving times are traffic dependent, which can vary in the park especially if there’s wildlife.

How long is the West Thumb Geyser Basin Trail?

This is a one mile loop that is actually three loops put together. It’s like a wonky snowman shape. We just did the big loop closest to the lake and it came in around 0.9 miles on AllTrails.

Is the West Thumb Geyser Basin Trail hard?

Nope! This trail is all boardwalk and has 62 feet of elevation change for the whole thing. It’s easy to follow and not too long either.

Is the West Thumb Geyser Basin Trail worth it?

Yes! I really enjoyed this trail and loved seeing the thermal features right next to the lake. It’s a nice way to see classic Yellowstone but in a different way than all the other geyser basin boardwalks.