If you needed another reminder that Yellowstone is basically Earth’s most dramatic science experiment… here it is.
One of the park’s more unusual geothermal features — Echinus Geyser — has erupted for the first time since 2020, briefly returning to life in the Norris Geyser Basin, one of the hottest and most unpredictable thermal areas in the park.
The geyser’s latest activity began Feb. 7, with additional eruptions on Feb. 9, 12 and 15 before ramping up to erupt roughly every two to five hours for a short stretch in mid-February.
For visitors lucky enough to catch it, the bursts shoot 20–30 feet into the air and last just a few minutes, basically Yellowstone’s version of a quick espresso shot of boiling water and steam.
Yellowstone’s Weirdest Geyser? Possibly.
Echinus isn’t just another geyser. It holds a particularly odd title: The largest acidic geyser in the world.
Its water has a pH around 3.3–3.6 — roughly as acidic as vinegar or orange juice, which is why the pool is surrounded by striking mineral colors created by iron, aluminum, and arsenic deposits.
A Brief Comeback – Probably
Before the late 1990s, Echinus erupted regularly, sometimes every 40–80 minutes, and occasionally blasting water as high as 75 feet.
But geothermal plumbing in Yellowstone shifts constantly, and Echinus has spent much of the past two decades quiet, occasionally waking up for short bursts of activity before going dormant again.
In fact, scientists say this latest run might be another short “wake-up” phase rather than a long-term comeback.
Yellowstone Doing Yellowstone Things
If you live anywhere in northwest Wyoming, none of this is exactly shocking.
Yellowstone regularly reminds everyone that beneath those postcard views of bison and waterfalls sits one of the most active geothermal systems on Earth.
Most of the time, it politely vents steam. Sometimes it launches boiling acid water into the air.
And every few years, a random geyser decides: “You know what? I’m back.”
Just another normal day in the neighborhood.
AntlersArch founder and the voice behind Teton Tattle.
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