Old Faithful in 3D

Yellowstone's Upper Geyser Basin

Upper Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA

Old Faithful was named in 1870 for its regularity: it erupts about every 60 to 110 minutes, throwing water 32 to 56 m high for 1.5 to 5 minutes. Its cone is geyserite, silica left behind layer on layer as the hot water cools. In this walk one cycle is shortened to 90 seconds.

Where: Upper Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA
Eruptions: About every 60 to 110 minutes
Height: 32 to 56 m
Named: 1870, for its regularity
UNESCO World Heritage: 1978

Official site

Walk Old Faithful in 3D

A real-time 3D model, built from open elevation data and published measurements. Loads 2.4 MB when you start.

Works in VR on Meta Quest and other WebXR headsets: open this page in the headset's browser, start the 3D walk, then choose View in VR.

Walk it yourself. Works on this phone.

Part of the American Parks II pack: a one-time unlock in this browser.

Terrain from open elevation data · a 3D reconstruction, not a photograph · tags as in the app

Hear the guide

The narrator from the app reads each tour stop. Transcripts below.

Old Faithful
Known0:19

Named in 1870 for its regularity, it erupts about every 60 to 110 minutes, sending water 32 to 56 m high for 1.5 to 5 minutes. Here one cycle is shortened to 90 seconds.
Geyserite
Known0:10

The pale crust is sinter: silica carried up in the hot water and left behind as it cools. The cone has grown this way, layer on layer.
The first national park
Known0:13

Yellowstone became the world's first national park in 1872. The Upper Geyser Basin holds the largest concentration of geysers on Earth.

How to visit Old Faithful

Old Faithful is beside the main park road with a boardwalk around the cone, and the park posts predicted eruption times. Stay on the boardwalks: the ground around hot springs can be thin crust over boiling water.

Opening times and tickets change: check the official site. Official site

Open Old Faithful in Farstep

The full site on your phone: a narrated guided tour, passport stamps, offline, and smoother graphics than a browser can give.

Narrated guided tour, stop by stop, in nine languages
Passport stamps for every hotspot and finished tour
Works offline once installed
Stonehenge free; other sites are one-time packs. No ads, no subscription.

Open in Farstep

Get it onGoogle Play Download on theApp Store

On iPhone the button opens the App Store.

Old Faithful: questions and answers

How often does Old Faithful erupt?

About every 60 to 110 minutes, for 1.5 to 5 minutes, throwing water 32 to 56 m high. The park posts predicted times.

Why is it called Old Faithful?

It was named in 1870 for its regularity.

Can I walk around Old Faithful in 3D?

Yes, in your browser. Everything on this page is free to read. Walking Old Faithful in 3D is part of the American Parks II pack: a one-time purchase with no subscription, and signing in with the same account unlocks it in the Farstep app too.

Can I walk Old Faithful in VR?

Yes, on a Meta Quest or another WebXR headset: open this page in the headset's browser, start the 3D walk, then choose View in VR. The left stick walks, the right stick turns and the trigger opens the fact cards.