Porcelain Basin, Norris Geyser Basin

I've mentioned in a previous post that the main road in Yellowstone is in the rough shape of a figure "8" with two loops. We've been following the upper or northernmost loop counterclockwise in our tour of Yellowstone and have come to the bottom of the upper loop to Norris Junction where you continue south on the lower loop or head east on the bottom side of the upper loop.

At Norris Junction a short side road to the west takes you to Norris Geyser Basin, one of the most active and beautiful areas of Yellowstone. The geyser basin has two parts, Porcelain Basin to the north and the Back Basin to the south. These photos are all of Porcelain Basin reached by stairs from a small visitors' center and a boardwalk around and through the basin.

The first inset shows why this is called Porcelain Basin and is actually on old film photo taken in 1979 on the first trip my wife and I made to Yellowstone. I had been there as a child and she had never been there, so it was a great experience for both of us and we have been there many times since, together or with other family members, usually grandchildren.