Old Faithful was the first geyser to be named in Yellowstone back in 1870. It was named for its frequent and predictable eruptions. It erupts every 44-90 minutes and its eruption times have been predicted since 2000. It can erupt anywhere from 106 feet up to 185 feet. If you’ve never seen it, it’s pretty incredible!
Have you ever seen Old Faithful geyser erupt in person? If you want to, you’ll have to plan a trip to Yellowstone but, of course, it’s worth it! If you don’t feel like traveling all the way to Yellowstone, you can watch a video of it erupting below.
several times. magnificent!!
Yes, once several years ago. Won’t be seeing it again since I don’t plan on ever returning to Yellowstone NP. Too many people now days!!!
Back in June of 75.
Many times, but the best was as a Boy Scout on a winter campout at the Park. Seeing the steam form frost on our clothes and fall like snow made everyone laugh. The Park was a wonderland.
I’ve been fortunate to see it many times having worked in Yellowstone one summer and on multiple family trips — my parents carried me, we have taken our children and three grandchildren on multiple trips. Pretty good for someone who lives in NC!
No, but I sure would like too.
We were fortunate to make a Yellowstone trip in 2018. Stayed and watched Old Faithful three times. An amazing sight.
Many years ago got a room at Lodge right in front of it. Beautiful and breath taking. Would love to do it again.
Yes, we have seen it. Amazing. As is all of Yellowstone. The polls have been working great for some time (after having issues). We are traveling, using a hotspot from iphone on my ipad. Mysteriously, no polls 🤷🏻♀️.
No, watching on TV is close enough for me when the volcano blows I’ll be in FL.
I have visited Yellowstone Twice. There is another attraction to see, but not to be in. It is the two miles of traffic at the Entrance road on the West side. Do yourself a favor, camp in the park !
Was there August 2019, camped outside the park. Went in twice and had no problem getting in. Get there early in the morning. Only had about a 15 minute wait at the most. Leaving the park, oh yea the line was backed up pretty good.
You can watch Old Faithful erupt live on the NP web cam as often as there is day light. I did this for my students I taught over the years as many of them had never been to Yellowstone National Park. They loved it!! They would even come and eat their lunch in my classroom If an eruption was to occur during their lunch time.
Never needed to see it. I was married to her years ago.
Saw it many times as we stayed 3 nights at the original hotel. Best was my private viewing at 3:00 am on a perfect full moon night without anyone else around.
Yes, twice. First time was as a Boy Scout in 1978 and took my wife who had never seen it, on a week long trip to Yellowstone in 2019.
Yes, back in 1959. Fortunately, my family packed up and left right before the earthquake hit.
I was there in Aug 1959 also. Had bears in our camp and Dad even had a mama bear bite him on the elbow while he was trying to take a picture of her cubs. The bear thought it was food as everyone was feeding the bears. We also left the day before the earthquake. We have been back 3 times since.
I was there but I had my eye glued to a camera, so it didn’t seem so direct. It was like I was watching it on TV.
Went through Yelllowstone on my bicycle in 1979. Just rode on up to the geyser and waited a short bit for it to faithfully erupt. I vowed to never return in a car – because the road(s) were bumper to bumper in both directions. I easily rode out with no problem, passing cars and RV’s with impunity.
Back in 2010 we decided to take a massive trip west thru Mount Rushmore to Yellowstone and then due north to Glacier in summer 2011. In Yellowstone I hired a tour service for three days to tour the area. I knew it was massive and by hiring a tour group would give us the best bang for our buck and avoid trying to find parking and hassling with the crowds. Yup it was worth every penny. My mother husband and daughter and 2 dogs went with us. Great trip ever and a ton of photos. Did a final trip out west to Colorado Utah and Arizona the year before my mother died. Greatest thing we ever did. Great memories to fall back on. Thanks for the memories….
My first time was in winter, on a weekday. It drowned out the noise of the snowmobiles coming in/out the parking lot.
I worked for a fire alarm system contractor for 24 years. For many years I worked in the park installing and servicing these systems. I spent years at Old Faithful Inn working and watched this spectacular show from nature many times.
Yes in September before the pandemic.
I worked as a dude wrangler at Mammoth Hot Springs in the early 60’s. I was able to see it often. Not crowded then but it’s still a beautiful sight today.
Yes. Saw it a few winters back. Must say, I was underwhelmed.
Either your standards are other-worldly or you were looking in the wrong direction.
Yes. Before they heavily regulated the park to snowmobile traffic I saw it many times in the winter. Zipped in and out of the park. Two years ago, against my better judgment I cut through the park, entering by the South entrance and was going to exit by the North entrance. Took three hours to get to the junction because of traffic stopping to look at everything from ground squirrel’s to pigeons. Well at the Junction the road was closed because of a semi wreck so we had to detour to the West entrance, 5 hours later we get to West Yellowstone, 33 miles 8 hours. Limited to a few hundred snowmobiles daily but a 33 mile traffic jam is ok.
We stayed in the Old Faithful Inn and sat on the deck drinking a beer watching it erupt. BTW if you travel to Yellowstone take some time to enter the Old Faithful Inn and walk around, it is billed as the largest log hotel in the world and is extremely beautiful
Worked in Yellowstone’s Norris geyser basin in 1972-73 and saw Old Faithful, Steamboat, Whirligig, and several others erupt while I was there. Only traffic jams back then were the daily “bear jams” near West Thumb. Later, we took our sons to see it erupt when they were in elementary school. We have also been back multiple times as empty-nestors. But we were always there in fall during the off-season, not in summer. Now we hear that there is no “off-season” and the crowds set new records every year. Guess we will just have to be satisfied with our memories and photos!
I’ve been there several times, both as a child with my parents, and with my husband and kids. The last time we were there, summer 2013, we were walking from the building to Old Faithful. I noticed 2 bison to our left, ambling along with the crowd gathering. All of a sudden, they charged the crowd, I found myself yelling ‘Bison! Run!’ and we all took off at top speed for the building. I was in a panic because I was having knee surgery shortly after that for a torn meniscus & never knew when it would buckle. We all made it safely to the building and the bison kept going. I remember when it was over, my husband said, “I think we all need some ice cream!” LOL.
Worked at Yellowston Fishing Bridge Store several years ago and got to witness Old Faithful several times. Really enjoyed it. Also witnessed Bee Hive as well, impressive. Have been back several times with friends in RV’s and they enjoyed the geysers. It is impressive when you think about what is going on down below where you are standing.
We made our first trip there in 2005. After our visit we were visiting with my mom and telling her about our trip. When I started to talk about Old Faithful she immediately said about the sulfur smell. She and my dad went there on their cross country honeymoon in 1939, she said sulfur smells remained with her and always reminded her of their trip together.
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When Yellowstone is in your backyard… we’ve been lucky enough to have many, many in person visits to witness Old Faithful erupt over 60+ years. Of course NEVER between May thru August. Sadly September has become overly crowded so we’ll scratch that month in the future. YNP never disappoints!
It wasn’t very spectacular a few years ago. Maybe Old Faithful was having a bad day.
Been to YNP twice, once as a kid in the early 80’s and about a decade ago after we first got our RV. Both trips had surprise engagements with buffalo… (long story for another time).
Saw Old Faithful both before and after the 1998 quake that changed the eruptive pattern, and it seemed to me the newer one has a higher eruptive column, but that could just be my impression. Was definitely neat to see it, but I couldn’t imagine trying to go there in the middle of summer these days. Waiting until after Labor Day was a smart move on our part, but evidently it has gotten more crowded now.
Went to Yellowstone in 2014 from Ontario on our Harleys.
It was an awesome trip except for the let down of old faithful.
We waited patiently anticipating a huge stream of water, only to be deflated when it rose maybe 40’ at most!
Highlight of the trip was meeting a person that worked at,and visited YNP for over 50 years.
had some very interesting stories about the park over the years. Our next time will be in our C Class for sure
Nope but I watched an old geyser erupt. My grandfather when I drove the tractor thru the chicken coop.
😆 And I’ll bet you watched a few chickens “erupt” from the coop also, Skip? Take care. 😀 –Diane
I have scheduled a trip to Yellowstone several times, but each time life intervenes. I do hope to get there some day.
Last summer and about 10 years ago in winter via snowmobile. Last summer no problem getting there and lots of parking albeit a bit of a walk but leaving was more interesting when a bison decided to walk down the middle of the road. We were “buffaloed” with a 2 hour bison delay of traffic – they have the right of way in Yellowstone and are bigger than our Jeep.