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Old Faithful
See Yellowstone Park, Wyoming family vacation
Old Faithful
West Yellowstone
view websiteUpper Geyser Basin
Yellowstone, WY 82190
307-344-7381
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Good-for-Kids Rating
Babies
Toddlers & Pre-KSchool-Age KidsPre-Teens & Teens
Old Faithful Description
The timely and touristy geyser known as Old Faithful is as iconic to Yellowstone as Yellowstone is to national parks. Some complain of feeling let down by waiting in a crowd just to see water spout out of the ground, but when you consider that no other geyser erupts with such regularity (on average, every 74 minutes), it might seem more remarkable. Besides viewing the signature geyser, there's plenty to do at Old Faithful to occupy families, from boardwalk hikes along the Upper Geyser Basin to shopping for souvenirs at the visitor center (a new interpretive visitor center is under construction) or grabbing a snack at the historic Old Faithful Inn.
Hot Spring
Park
Kid Tips
Babies: Because pretty much everything in the immediate vicinity of Old Faithful is reachable via boardwalks, this is a good place to use a stroller.
Toddlers & Pre-K: Some kids might complain about the smell of sulfur near geysers.
School-Age Kids: Remind kids repeatedly not to leave the established boardwalks along the geyser field here due to risks from unstable ground and scalding water.
Pre-Teens & Teens: There's room to roam on their own here, but don't forget to refresh kids about the rules.
Planning Notes
- Dress for altitude. This is repeated often for a reason: The air is thinner, the sun hotter, and terrain rougher than you're probably used to. Dressing in layers, including hats, donning sunscreen, and drinking plenty of water is a must at Yellowstone. Wear durable, comfy shoes, too.
Just the Facts
Hours: The Old Faithful area is open to visitors year-round, but it's only accessible via snow coach or snowmobile in winter.
Recommended Time: 2 to 4 hours
Reviews of Old Faithful
What a Sight!
By jschwo247 December 10, 2007
Toddlers & Pre-K
School-Age Kids
Pre-Teens & Teens
What we loved:
Awesome water show
What we didn't love:
Crowds, not as faithful as its claim
My family and I loved visiting Old Faithful, along with some of the lesser-known geysers in the Basin. We went in September and the weather was cool and comfortable. Our friends brought along their infant, who slept through most of the show. However, we were told afterward that there is a childcare option in the area called Little Geysers Child Care. Might be worth investigating if you and your older kids want to do some backpacking after the geyser experience.Read More
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What's Nearby?
- Firehole Canyon Drive & Firehole Lake Drive Between Madison and Old Faithful Junctions
Yellowstone, WY 82190
307-344-7381 44.54160861111111 -110.80029472222222 - Grand Prismatic Spring Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone, WY 82190
307-344-7381 44.51952027777778 -110.8304213888889
