10 Beautiful Hot Springs of Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, the USA, is one of the most geothermically active regions in the planet. Half of the world's all geothermal features are located here. The park spanning an area of nearly 9000 square km comprises of 10,000 geysers, hot springs, mud pots, and fumaroles, thanks to its location in an ancient active caldera. Yellowstone itself is one massive super volcano that erupted with tremendous force several times in the last two million years. Lava flows and rocks from volcanic eruptions cover most of the land area of Yellowstone. The park is the centerpiece of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, the largest remaining, nearly intact ecosystem in the Earth's northern temperate zone.

Here is are some of the most beautiful hot springs within Yellowstone National Park.

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The Grand Prismatic Spring is the largest hot spring in the Yellowstone National Park and in the United States, and the third largest in the world. It is located in the Midway Geyser Basin.

Grand Prismatic Spring was noted by geologists working in the Hayden Geological Survey of 1871, and named by them for its striking coloration. Its colors include blue, green, yellow, orange, gold, red and brown, and recall the rainbow disperson of white light by an optical prism.

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Crested Pool is a 42 feet deep hot spring in the Upper Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park. It is named for the "crest" which surrounds the pool. Although it is considered a spring, Crested Pool sometimes erupts like a geyser.

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Chromatic Spring is located in the Upper Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park. It is connected to the nearby Beauty Pool. During periodic energy shifts the level of one spring descends while the other rises and overflows. The time interval between shifts has ranged from a few weeks to several years.

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Emerald Spring is located in Norris Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park. The spring gets its name from the emerald green color of the water created by sunlight filtering through the water, giving the light a blue color, and reflecting off the yellow sulphur creating the green hue.

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Lion Geyser is a cone-type geyser in the Upper Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park. It was named for the roaring sound it makes when steam releases during an eruption. Eruptions can reach 90 feet and last from 1 to 7 minutes. Lion is the largest of the Lion Group which includes Little Cub Geyser and the currently inactive Big Cub and Lioness geysers.

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Morning Glory Pool is located in the Upper Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park. The pool was named by the wife of an Assistant Park Superintendent, in 1883, after she called it "Convolutus", the Latin name for the morning glory flower, which the spring resembles. By 1889, the name Morning Glory Pool had become common usage in the park.

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Opal Pool is located in the Midway Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park. Though usually active as a hot spring, Opal Pool is considered a fountain-type geyser.

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Sapphire Pool is located in Biscuit Basin in Yellowstone National Park. The pool got its name from the biscuit-shaped deposits that were found around it.

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Cistern Spring and Steamboat Geyser located in Norris Geyser Basin are linked underground. Normally, Cistern is a beautiful blue pool from which water continually overflows, but during a major eruption of Steamboat, the water in Cistern Spring's pool drains.

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Doublet Pool is located in the Upper Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park. Doublet Pool has a strikingly complex series of ledges, an elaborate border ornamentation, and deep blue waters. Occasionally, Doublet produces periodic vibrations underfoot, surface wave motion, and audible thumping. This is most likely the result of collapsing gas and steam bubbles deep underground.