Closest entrances and distances: 28 miles from West Yellowstone (west) entrance; 26 miles from Gardiner (north) entrance
Perhaps more than any other area in Yellowstone, this basin is living testimony to the park's unique thermal activity. It is never the same, changing from year to year as thermal activity and the ravages of wind, rain, and snow create new and different ponds and landscapes. Trees fall, slides occur, and geysers erupt. The Norris Geyser Basin was named for the second superintendent of the park, the outgoing Philetus Norris, whose name graces many park roads and attractions. It is also the location of one of the park's highest concentration of thermal features, including the most active geysers, with underground water temperatures that reach 459°F (237°C).
There are two loop trails here, both fairly level with wheelchair access, to the Porcelain Basin and the Back Basin. If you complete both of them, you'll see most of the area's interesting thermal features. If you're pressed for time, however, take the shorter Porcelain Basin Trail, a .8-mile round-trip that can be completed in 45 minutes. Along this boardwalk are Black Growler Steam Vent, Ledge Geyser, and the descriptively named Whale's Mouth.
The 1.5-mile Back Basin Loop is easily negotiable in 1 hour and passes by Steamboat Geyser, which has been known to produce the world's highest and most memorable eruptions. However, these 400-foot waterspouts occur infrequently, so it will take some luck to see one -- it erupted six times between 2000 and late 2005, and blew only twice during the preceding 12 years. Conversely, Echinus Geyser, farther down the trail, erupts several times a day. Note: About 1,000 feet of boardwalk have been closed since 2003 due to new thermal activity; call the park service for up-to-date information.
Among the many highlights of the area is the Norris Geyser Basin Museum, a beautiful single-story stone-and-log building, the stone archway of which leads to an overlook of the Porcelain Basin. The museum houses several excellent exhibits; with luck, you'll arrive in time for a ranger-led tour. In the past, ranger programs have been scheduled three times a day; ask at a visitor center for current schedules.
Also nearby is the Museum of the National Park Ranger, which is little more than a room full of artifacts in a small building near the Norris Campground .
Both museums open in mid- to late May, weather permitting, and are open until September; hours vary by season, but you can expect the museums to be open from 9 or 10am to 5pm during the busiest times (roughly Memorial Day to Labor Day, but weather is a factor).
The Norris Campground, which is just slightly north of the Norris Junction, is another very popular campground, so plan an early arrival or be prepared to look for an alternative site, which isn't easy during the peak season.
