Best Places to Watch Yellowstone's Old Faithful Erupt: Tips from an Insider!

The Old Faithful Geyser is one of the most famous geysers in the world. It erupts approximately every 90 minutes. Eruptions last 1 '½ to 5 minutes. It is so famous, that almost 90% of the Yellowstone National Park visitors stop at the Upper Geyser Basin to witness Old Faithful blow her top! Old Faithful spews thousands of gallons of water over 100 feet into the air. This makes it possible to see Old Faithful's eruption from many different places. Here are the five best viewing spots for watching Old Faithful erupt.

Old Faithful Boardwalk. Most park visitors watch Old Faithful from the large boardwalk that circles half way around the geyser itself. This place is usually crowded and the benches fill up quickly. This is a great place to watch Old Faithful on a beautiful, sunny day and works well if you have mobility issues. It is close to the Visitor Center and the parking lots. You are eye level with Old Faithful and the view is excellent from the Boardwalk.

Observation Point. The trail to Observation Point begins about .3 miles from the Visitor Center. When facing Old Faithful, take the boardwalk right to the trail head. This is a short trail of .5 miles that follows switchbacks up to the viewing area. This trail is steep, so stop and catch your breath as needed. The view from the top is amazing and you can see the Inn and the other buildings in the distance. The Observation Point trail continues west for another .5 miles on a mostly level trail to Solitary Geyser. This is a great place to get away from the crowds and see the Yellow Bellied Marmot that lives in the area. After leaving Solitary Geyser, the trail slopes downhill for .8 miles to the boardwalk in the Geyser Hill area.

Old Faithful Visitor Center. The Old Faithful Visitor Center opened in 2010. It is a beautiful building with interactive displays about geysers and other geothermal features. The Visitor Center posts the predictions for geyser eruptions. The friendly, interpretive rangers are happy to answer questions. Two short movies are shown in the auditorium and nightly ranger talks are informative. Don't miss the Yellowstone Association bookstore! It has an excellent selection of books for adults and kids, along with gifts. The Visitor Center has floor to ceiling windows for watching on a cold or rainy day, but there is no place to sit and relax.

Old Faithful Lodge Lobby. The Old Faithful Lodge is a one-story building that was built in the 1920's. This is a great place to grab lunch from the cafeteria or a snack from the bakery. The lobby has floor to ceiling windows and tables and chairs. You can visit the Lodge gift shop. On cool evenings, there will be a fire in the huge fireplace. This is a great viewing point and a good choice when you want to be inside, grab a bite to eat, and sit in a comfortable chair while wait for Old Faithful. The Lodge lobby is a great place for relaxing and reading a book.

Old Faithful Inn Mezzanine and Breezeway Porches. These are probably the least known viewing places and also two of the best. On the second level of the Inn, the mezzanine porch is a large area with lots of seating. You can also head for the East Wing to the Breezeway Porch, which is small with limited seating. Both porches are covered. The Inn operates coffee and wine bars on the mezzanine and also has a deli, a lounge, and a dining room. You can take your drinks on the porches or wait inside. You are welcome to bring your own snacks and guests are frequently seen enjoying a bottle of wine and a game of cards. There are tables and chairs and also comfortable sofas that overlook the busy comings and goings on the first floor. There will be a fire in the huge stone fire place on chilly evenings. This is one of my favorite places and a great place to relax and experience the essence of the Old Faithful area.

Jackie will be working at the front desk of the Old Faithful Inn during the summer of 2011. Please stop by and say hello!