At first glance, Yellowstone seems to be unreal with boiling rivers cutting through forests, sapphire-colored pools bubbling with acid, and geysers blasting scalding water 100 feet into the sky like clockwork. It’s a place where the Earth breathes visibly and loudly, and where nothing stays the same for long.
Set atop one of the world’s largest active volcanoes, Yellowstone is a living, simmering landscape unlike anywhere else. As the first national park, Yellowstone sparked a global movement to protect wild places. Visiting today means stepping into the original blueprint for conservation.
On our National Parks & Legendary Rivers cruise, American Cruise Lines takes you beyond the ordinary Yellowstone experience. We offer small group excursions to legendary geyser basins, an evening dinner at a historic hotel, and the chance to stand quietly beside some of the most powerful geothermal features on Earth.
History of Yellowstone
In 1871, a group of surveyors led by Ferdinand Hayden returned from the Yellowstone region with something no one could ignore: irrefutable proof that the rumors were true. Their team brought sketches, samples, and some of the first photographs ever taken of geysers, petrified trees, and steaming craters. What they showed Congress looked less like America and more like another planet.
By 1872, Yellowstone became the first national park in the world. But long before it gained that title, the land was deeply known by Native peoples. The Crow, Shoshone, Blackfeet, and others lived in and around the region for thousands of years, weaving the park’s geothermal wonders into their cultures and oral traditions. Some avoided the geyser basins, seeing them as sacred. Others used the area for hunting, healing, and trade.
Yellowstone remains one of the most geologically active areas on Earth. It's the caldera of a supervolcano with a magma chamber big enough to fill the Grand Canyon several times. Thankfully, it last erupted 640,000 years ago, but the evidence of its power is everywhere.
Yellowstone’s Hot Springs
With more than 10,000 thermal features, Yellowstone has the largest concentration of geysers, hot springs, and steaming vents on the planet. Many springs are clear and calm. Others hiss, churn, and stink of sulfur. The colors—blues, yellows, oranges, even blood reds—come from heat-loving microorganisms called thermophiles, which survive in boiling water where nothing else can.
Hot springs here can reach temperatures over 190°F. Some are so acidic they can dissolve flesh and bone, while others are alkaline enough to grow rare extremophile bacteria.
Mammoth Hot Springs
Unlike any other feature in the park, Mammoth Hot Springs has chalky white and orange terraces formed by calcium deposits that rise with the spring water and harden into cascading steps. These formations are constantly shifting. What you see today may be gone tomorrow.
After exploring the boardwalks that wind through the upper portion of the Grand Loop, guests enjoy an exclusive catered meal at the historic Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel. Built in 1936, the hotel sits right on the edge of this otherworldly landscape.
Norris Geyser Basin
The Norris Geyser Basin is Yellowstone’s most volatile, acidic, and unpredictable one. The underground water here is hotter than boiling, and some of the geysers can change behavior overnight. Steamboat Geyser, the tallest active geyser in the world, lives here. When it erupts, it shoots water more than 300 feet into the air.
The smell of sulfur is strong. The ground looks like a watercolor painting with muted greens, burnt oranges, and gleaming whites swirling together beneath your feet. Bring your camera. Steam rising from the basin makes for unreal photos, especially in the morning or near sunset.
West Thumb Geyser Basin
This basin sits right along the edge of Yellowstone Lake. So close, in fact, that some of the hot springs are actually in the lake.
Abyss Pool, one of the most famous features in this area, is over 50 feet deep and an intense, almost glowing blue. It’s so clear you can see straight down into it. Scientists still don’t fully understand how it stays as stable as it does.
The combination of lake views, geothermal activity, and relative quiet (this area sees fewer crowds) makes West Thumb a favorite among photographers and returning visitors alike.
Old Faithful
Sure, it’s famous. Yes, Old Faithful erupts on time, but it’s also a lesson in how much we still don’t understand about the Earth. Its massive underground water reservoir heats up until the pressure forces a violent release through the surface. This cycle repeats about every 90 minutes.
Watching it erupt is unforgettable. You feel the rumble first, and then a column of steam and water explodes into the sky, usually over 100 feet high. Led by Adventure Guides, you can see the famous spew from the best vantage points and gain insights on the history of this iconic geyser.
Biscuit Basin
Just a few minutes from Old Faithful, Biscuit Basin is easy to overlook, but this is a must-see spot in Yellowstone. It’s a compact collection of geysers and hot springs that includes Sapphire Pool, a nearly perfect circular spring with vivid, almost neon water.
The “biscuits” that gave the basin its name were strange, bubbly mineral formations destroyed in a 1959 earthquake. But the basin still offers unique textures, colors, and a more peaceful walk than some of the larger basins nearby.
Plan Your Trip to Yellowstone
Our National Parks cruises are designed to help guests experience Yellowstone in meaningful, respectful ways. Don’t just see the hot springs, understand how they formed, what they mean, and why protecting them matters.
Learn more about visiting Yellowstone with American Cruise Lines on our National Parks and Legendary Rivers cruise.
