Visitors Can Say They “Had a Blast” In Yellowstone NP!

YELLOWSTONE NP - By now you've probably seen the video going viral on social media platforms like Facebook and X. Yellowstone National Park officials confirm that around 10am this (Tuesday) morning, a small hydrothermal explosion occurred in Yellowstone's Biscuit Basin thermal area, about 2.1 miles northwest of Old Faithful. Numerous videos of the event were recorded by visitors, who scrambled to get away as the hot muddy water covered the boardwalk near the Black Diamond Pool. Park officials issued a statement confirming that the boardwalk was damaged, but there were no reports of injury.

Biscuit Basin, including the parking lot and boardwalks, are temporary closed for visitor safety. Yellowstone National Park geologists are investigating the event.

Hydrothermal explosions occur when water suddenly flashes to steam underground, and they are relatively common in Yellowstone. A similar explosion also occurred in Biscuit Basin on May 17, 2009. Park officials say that hydrothermal explosions like this one are not a sign of impending volcanic eruptions, and they are not caused by magma rising towards the surface.

More information about hydrothermal explosions is available at https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/yvo/news/hydrothermal-explosions-yellowstone-national-park.