Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook Trail & Fairy Falls: How To Hike

On your final day in Yellowstone, check out the Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook Trail for some epic views of this massive, rainbow-colored spring on your way to Fairy Falls and Imperial Geyser. This hike has it all! Getting a bird’s-eye view of the Grand Prismatic Spring is a must-do, so head here first.

Then, after your hike to Fairy Falls and Imperial Geyser, head to the Grand Prismatic Spring boardwalk for an up-close and personal view of the spring before heading to your final spot in Yellowstone. Can you guess what it is? Old Faithful, of course!

Get all the details you need below for an epic adventure on your last day in Yellowstone National Park.

Need to Know Info

• Make sure to carry bear spray while hiking in Yellowstone.
• The mosquitoes along the trail to the Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook and Fairy Falls were pretty heavy, so be sure to bring your bug spray.
• During the summer, the parking lot often reaches full capacity, and rangers may be present to direct traffic at the intersection or within the lot. Please follow their guidance, use overflow parking when available, and if that is also full, return at another time. Restrooms are located in the parking lots.
• An entrance fee is required at Yellowstone National Park. Visit our gear page to purchase your America the Beautiful Pass online at REI’s website. In some cases, you can purchase an annual pass at the entrance of most parks, but having it ready to go might save you some time.

Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook to Fairy Falls

Let’s begin! The Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook Trail is technically located along the Fairy Falls Trail, so head to the parking area to begin the hike. If you are looking to hike all the way to Fairy Falls, it’s about a 5-mile out-and-back hike.

You can choose to turn around at Fairy Falls or continue along the trail to reach Imperial Geyser, making it a 7.2-mile out-and-back hike. This trail is mostly flat with some uphill sections, so the entire hike is very doable.

Wait a second, what about Grand Prismatic Spring? Well, to get to the overlook, hike on the Fairy Falls Trail for about 0.7 miles, and the Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook awaits in all its glory.

Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook Trail

The trail begins just before the parking area for the Grand Prismatic Spring at the Fairy Falls Parking Area. This is a very popular hike in the park, so it’s best to get there as early as you can.

The trail to the Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook Trail to Fairy Falls starts by crossing the Firehole River and continues along an old road on the south side of the Midway Geyser Basin. During cool mornings here, you’ll be able to see the steam from the Grand Prismatic Spring and Excelsior Geyser rising in the distance as you hike.

After hiking about 0.7 miles, you’ll reach the overlook with amazing views! This is Yellowstone’s largest hot spring. The colors seen here are due to microorganisms and bacteria in the water that can survive at super high temperatures.

This is a great place to spend some time and take in all the views. From here, you have the option to turn back to the parking lot or hike farther to reach one of Yellowstone’s highest waterfalls – Fairy Falls.

Grand Prismatic Spring to Fairy Falls

We recommend continuing to Fairy Falls. Let’s go! From the Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook, continue hiking along the trail for another 0.3 miles until you reach a trail junction. Here, take a left into the forest and continue on the Fairy Falls Trail.

Continue to hike another 1.5 miles, and you’ll reach Fairy Falls. The trail initially gains a bit of elevation before leveling out until you reach the waterfall. Plunging just under 200 feet, Fairy Falls towers above.

Take some time here to enjoy a snack and the great scenery. This is a nice point to turn around, depending on how long you want to hike. However, you do have the option to hike a little bit farther into the park to see Spray Geyser and Imperial Geyser.

⛰️ Looking for more great easy hikes in Yellowstone? Be sure to visit the Leigh Lake area.

Fairy Falls to Imperial Geyser

To reach these areas, continue on the trail past Fairy Falls. It’s very important to stay on the trails here! You don’t want to fall through the crust into boiling hot water. Be on the lookout for wildlife as you continue the hike toward these geysers. We saw lots of bison here.

It’s about another mile to the end of this trail. Along the way, you’ll reach Spray Geyser first. This geyser erupts fairly frequently, but only to a small height of about 6 feet or so.

Finally, Imperial Geyser is the last stop on the hike. Imperial Geyser shoots water up to 15 feet from the colorful turquoise pool next to it. If it’s not shooting water when you arrive, try to stick around for a few minutes and see what happens. You never know when it might erupt!

That’s it. Now it’s time to head back the way you came on the trail to the parking lot. Feel free to stop at the Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook once more to take in the views before heading there for an up-close and personal view.

Grand Prismatic Spring Up Close

A visit to the Midway Geyser Basin and the Grand Prismatic Spring can’t be missed. Here, you can walk the boardwalk right along the spring to see the amazing colors up close. To get here, head to the Midway Geyser Basin parking area. This is a very busy area of the park

The 0.7-mile boardwalk first visits the Excelsior Geyser just past the Firehole River. This geyser actually discharges about 4,000 gallons of water per minute into the river. That is quite a bit! Now dormant, it used to shoot water up to 300 feet high.

Continue on the boardwalk, and you’ll reach the Grand Prismatic Spring! This was one of our favorite hydrothermal features that we saw in Yellowstone. Its sheer size and color were really impressive, and it was so much fun to walk right near the water. That being said, make sure to stay on the boardwalk here!

Continuing along the boardwalk will loop you right back to the parking lot.

Old Faithful

You can’t go to Yellowstone without seeing Old Faithful, right? After completing the two hikes above, head here and watch the famous geyser erupt and check out the Old Faithful Inn. Once you arrive, head inside the Old Faithful Visitor and Education Center to check the predicted times that an eruption will occur.

Once you have your time nailed down, head outside and find a spot to view Old Faithful. This is probably the most popular area in Yellowstone, so pack your patience and enjoy the show as the eruption occurs.

After that, head inside the Old Faithful Inn, which is a national historical landmark built in 1903-1904. The lobby features a massive stone fireplace, and this is one of the largest log structures ever built.

Safety and Weather in Yellowstone National Park

• Don’t forget to bring your bug spray. Get our favorite here!
• Plan on letting a family member or friend who isn’t on the trip with you know where you’ll be each day while exploring. If you get lost, this will aid in your rescue.
• Water: It’s recommended to carry at least 1 liter of water for every 5 miles you are hiking. Ditch those annoying one-time-use plastic bottles and carry a water bladder instead!
• Food: There are limited food options in Yellowstone. If you are looking for food here, your best bet is to travel back to West Yellowstone, Gardiner, or Cooke City.
• Weather conditions can differ based on where you are in the park. Temperatures tend to be cooler at higher elevations, particularly in forested or shaded areas. In fact, snow may still be present at higher altitudes during the summer. From July to August, keep an eye out for afternoon thunderstorms and the risk of lightning. Check out the current conditions on the national park website.

Animal Safety in Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park has a diverse range of animals living in the park. Grizzly bears, black bears, wolves, mountain lions, bighorn sheep, moose, elk, bison, and mountain goats are just a few. Yellowstone is home to the largest concentration of mammals in the 48 states!

Always carry bear spray while hiking in Yellowstone. Purchase your bear spray before entering the park, or rent it from somewhere if you don’t plan on keeping it. Bear spray is NOT allowed on aircraft in checked or carry-on luggage. Make sure to review the steps to take if you encounter a bear during your adventure.

Before hiking, learn how to spot the difference between grizzly and black bears and what to do if you see one. That being said, it’s unlikely that you will have an aggressive animal encounter, but always be prepared. Do NOT leave food in your car!

🌲 Looking to take a tour instead of hiking? Check out the fun options from Viator!

Where to Stay While Visiting Yellowstone National Park

We recommend staying outside the park while exploring Yellowstone National Park, unless you are camping, of course. Check out some of the options that we recommend based on location below:

• Gardiner (North) – Yellowstone Village Inn: Clean, comfortable, and super convenient to the northern section of Yellowstone. Free coffee anytime and a chance to see wildlife on the huge front lawn. Indoor pool open seasonally with multiple room types available. Book a stay on Expedia or Booking.com.
• Cooke City/Silver Gate, MT (East) – High Country Motel & Cabins: We stayed here in a cabin for one night so we would be super close to Lamar Valley in the morning for the best chance of spotting Yellowstone’s wildlife. Super rustic and limited cell service. However, it is located in town and close to restaurants. We loved it! Check it out here on Booking.com.
• West Yellowstone, MT (West) – Alpine Motel: #1 in West Yellowstone and one of our favorite stays with super-friendly owners and competitive rates. Free parking and air conditioning. It might be a little dated, but it’s immaculately clean! Visit their website and give Brian and Patty a call!

Final Thoughts

This was one of the coolest hikes in Yellowstone! We got here as early as we could to secure parking and did not have an issue. The mosquitoes along the Fairy Falls trail were pretty heavy, so don’t forget your bug spray.

These were the last few adventures we had in Yellowstone as part of our 10-day itinerary, and it was perfect to end our trip here with a visit to Old Faithful before heading to our final destination in Idaho Falls, where we flew out.

🛏️ Secure your lodging now! Compare rates and locations on Expedia in West Yellowstone, MT (West).