Lobby > Exhibits > Hot Water Treasures > Lower Geyser Basin

This is the largest geyser basin in Yellowstone, spanning about 18 square miles (29 square kilometers). It consists of a flat plain interspersed with meadows and stands of lodgepole pine, with the Firehole River flowing through the central part of the basin.

No other area in the park equals the Lower Geyser Basin in terms of hot water discharge. Measurements made in 1930 indicated a volume of about 15,300 gallons per minute. Most of the hydrothermal activity in the Lower Geyser Basin occurs in the Fountain Paint Pot and Firehole Lake areas.

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