Lone Star geyser is a unique thermal feature in Yellowstone. It is located roughly 3 miles away from Old Faithful and is just as far from any other large thermal features, hence the name "Lone Star." The day the trail opened I made the hike out to Lone Star geyser, my favorite active geyser in all of Yellowstone. It erupts every almost every 3 hours on the dot (more consistent than the more famed "Old Faithful" geyser), an eruption can go as high as 40-70 feet, and each eruption lasts roughly 20 minutes. It can only be accessed via hiking an old forest service road (6 miles roundtrip), though because it requires at least some effort to reach the trail deters probably 95% of the park's visitors so you never get large crowds at Lone Star like you do with many other geysers. All reasons why Lone Star geyser is my favorite place in the park. If you come to visit and only have time for one short day hike, I would suggest this one.

I feel like I have cheated with photoshop here, but I have been trying to teach myself HDR toning lately and this is the first time I think I have worked out a presentable photo.

Photo by: Me
Upper Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
May 2013