Midway Geyser Basin is the loop where you can see Yellowstone’s famous rainbow colored Grand Prismatic Spring, the one that’s in all the books and postcards about Yellowstone. This is a must-see when visiting Yellowstone National Park, and make sure you do both the boardwalk loop and then take a short hike up to see the Grand Prismatic Spring from above.

Midway Geyser Basin Boardwalk Trail

Start at the Grand Prismatic Spring Parking lot and walk the .08 mile boardwalk loop. You first crossover the Firehole River to see the stunning site below of bright orange microorganisms from the springs.

Tip: If you have kids, keep a close eye to make sure they don’t touch the springs or go off the path. The springs can reach temperatures over 204 degrees celsius.

Excelsior Geyser Crater

After crossing the river, you see the large Excelsior Geyser Crater, a dormant geyser basin and vibrant steaming spring pool. This is really a show stopper.

Grand Prismatic Spring

Next stop is the arguably the coolest feature of the park, the Grand Prismatic Spring, the largest hot spring in the United States. The colors of the spring are rich and match most of the colors seen in a rainbow. It’s otherworldly! Don’t leave Yellowstone without seeing this natural wonder.

Grand Prismatic Spring View from Above (Don’t Miss it)

After the boardwalk, drive to the Fairy Falls Trail Parking Lot and hike about .08 miles to check out the Grand Prismatic Spring from a high vantage point. You’ll start in the parking lot near this small spring below.

When you get to the viewing area after the short steep hike, you can look at the spring from above. From this location, you can see the display of color more holistically. It’s definitely worth the extra effort.

This is a wonderful nature trail that shouldn’t be missed. Do you have any more tips on Yellowstone? Please leave them in the comments below.