The Excelsior Geyser

Excelsior Geyser – The Largest Geyser in the World

Located in Yellowstone’s Midway Geyser Basin, Excelsior Geyser is the largest geyser in the world. The geyser is largely dormant these days. The last major eruptions of the geyser were in the 1880s, when the water would reach a height of up to 300 feet. The stunning display of natural splendor gave Excelsior Geyser its fame. According to geologists, the ferocity of the eruptions in the 19th century may have damaged the ground formations resulting in gas leaks,and resulting causing the geyser to die out. The Excelsior Geyser erupted again 1985 for about two days, but the foamy spurts managed to reach a height of only about 20 and 80 feet. The hot spring remains and is reputed to be rich in natural minerals and have healing properties.

The spring currently discharges over 4050 gallons of water in each minute. The serene blue expanse of the spring now remains one of the best-loved attractions of the Yellowstone National Park. The water discharged by the Excelsior Geyser flows directly into the Firehole River. It is believed that when the geyser was active the waters in the Firehole River would be scalding and horses would refuse to cross the river. The Midway Geyser Basin is a collection of huge springs. It forms part of the Lower Geyser Basin. Rudyard Kipling, who visited Yellowstone in 1889, referred to the basin as “Hell’s Half Acre”.  The basin is still referred to by that name. The Yellowstone National Park spans over 2,219,791 acres and recorded a footfall of over 3,394,326 visitors in 2012. It is one of the top attractions of the west American state of Wyoming.