Blue Star Spring
Eruptions: Very rare
Height: 2 feet (.6 meters)
Name: Comes from the shape of the pool
Location: On the Old Faithful Loop
BLUE STAR SPRING is a pretty blue pool just behind Old Faithful. The dangerous sinter overhangs do make it look somewhat like a star. In decades past, long before we really understood just how fragile thermal features can be, this spring was used as a trash can by the people camping here or the various concessionaires located nearby. In 1946, Park Geologist, George Marler, decided to clean out the spring resulting in a pile of rubbish that was 6 feet long and 3 feet wide! Look carefully and you may see the bones from a bison calf that fell into the spring sometime in the 1980’s.
WATCH FOR: Rare 1 to 2 foot high splashes. Blue Star Spring is generally a gently overflowing hot spring that occasionally sends up bubbles and can have steam bubble “flames” show in the vent. But when it has those rare larger splashes, it’s something the rangers and geyser enthusiasts would be extremely interested in knowing about. There has been more bubbling in recent years, so as with any hot spring, it has the potential of becoming a geyser.
Blue Star Spring Gallery Slideshow
FIELD NOTES
2018
- 4 May – VERY heavy overflow in Blue Star Spring from spots I’ve not seen it overflow from before. Microbes growing in these overflow channels indicate this higher water has existed for awhile.
- 30 May – Extra overflow at Blue Star Spring is done – or if cycling, not often enough to support microbe growth.
- 7 June – 1007 | Bubbles at Blue Star Spring – not overflowing other than the main runoff channel.
- 25 July – 0924 | Strong Flaming down in the vent. (MKipple GeyserTimes Note #9293)
- 31 July – 0929 | Flaming Strongly, thumping and light ebullition. (MKipple GeyserTimes Note #9349) Not flaming at 0956. (GeyserTimes Note #9350)
2016
- 31 May – 0845ish – Good bubbles rising.
- 18 July – 0956ish – Sending up bubbles and possibly cycling based on a wet area by the overflow channel.
Blog Posts
Get to know Blue Star Spring
Everyone wants to see Old Faithful erupt on their visit to Yellowstone. Before or after you watch this world-famous geyser ...
Unusual Activity on Geyser Hill (Part 2)
I recently wrote about my observations of the Geyser Hill area before the September 2018 energy surge. It’s taken a ...