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Lower Terraces - South Trailhead
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Montana
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Inside Yellowstone National Park
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Lower Terraces - South Trailhead
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This trailhead leads into the top of the Lower Terraces, with close walks to Mound & Jupiter Terraces, New Blue Spring, Cleopatra Spring & Terrace, and Minerva Spring and Terrace. Continuing along the boardwalk beyond New Blue Spring leads to the Upper Terrace boardwalk. Mammoth Hot Springs A network of fractures and fissures form the plumbing system that allows hot water from underground to reach the surface at Mammoth Hot Springs. Small earthquakes may keep the plumbing open. The water comes from rain and snow falling on surrounding mountains and seeping deep into the earth where it is heated. The volcanic heat source for Mammoth Hot Springs remains somewhat of a mystery. Scientists have proposed two sources: the large magma chamber underlying the Yellowstone Caldera or a smaller heat source closer to Mammoth. For hundreds of years, Shoshone and Bannock people collected minerals from the Mammoth Hot Springs terraces for white paint. Travertine Terraces Travertine terraces are formed from limestone (calcium carbonate). Water rises through the limestone, carrying high amounts of dissolved calcium carbonate. At the surface, carbon dioxide is released and calcium carbonate is deposited, forming travertine, the chalky white rock of the terraces. Due to the rapid rate of deposition, these features constantly and quickly change. Accessibility Transitions from asphalt walkways to boardwalks may require assistance. Some sections of boardwalk are wheelchair-accessible. The rest of the area has stairs or steep grades due to terrain. Distance from parking in front of Liberty Cap to the end of the boardwalk at Palette Spring is approximately 135 yards. Use Caution in Hydrothermal Areas Stay on boardwalks and designated trails. Hydrothermal water can severely burn you. Never run, push, or shove. Supervise children at all times. Do not scratch hydrothermal mats. You are responsible for your safety. Think safety, act safely. Yellowstone is a dangerous place.
Lower Terraces - Middle Trailhead
~0 min drive
This trailhead starts partway up the Lower Terraces, with boardwalks leading to both Liberty Cap and Palette Spring at the base of the Lower Terraces to the north and Minerva Spring & Terrace to the south. The boardwalk and trail continues into the Lower Terraces, providing vi…
Minerva Terrace
~0 min drive
<p>Activity shifts dramatically around this terrace, named for the Roman goddess of artists and sculptors.</p> <p>The cascades of travertine beside the boardwalks were formed in the 1990s. Some years, they are dry.</p> <p>In dry areas, you can clearly see the many layers and t…
Cleopatra Spring
~0 min drive
<p>These terraces are like living sculptures, shaped by the volume of water, the slope of the ground, and objects in the water’s path. Travertine builds up rapidly here and causes the features to change quickly and constantly.</p> <p>Some vents will clog completely, new vents…
Canary Spring (View of Top)
~0 min drive
<p>Imagine you are here in the late 1800s, a time when yellow filamentous bacteria was prominent. What colors are present today?</p> <p>This spring occasionally goes dormant for brief periods of time. Vibrant pinks and neons are sometimes seen.</p> <h2>Mammoth Hot Springs</h2>…
Liberty Cap
~0 min drive
<p>Liberty Cap is 37 feet (11 m) tall. It was created by a hot spring that was active in one location for a long time. Its internal pressure was sufficient to raise the water to a great height, allowing mineral deposits to build slowly and continuously for perhaps hundreds of…
Upper Terrace Overlook & Trailhead
~0 min drive
Walkways lead to the Lower Terraces, overlooks of the Main Terrace, and to Canary Spring. From the nearby overlook, you can view the Main Terrace and its colorful springs from several vantage points. At the beginning of the trail to Canary Spring, a short spur trail takes you…
Fort Yellowstone Overlook
~1 min drive
<p>The US Army administered the park from 1886 through 1918.</p> <p>In 1910, at the height of the Army's presence in Yellowstone, there were 324 soldiers here, plus some families and numerous civilian employees. These troops staffed Fort Yellowstone and the park's outposts.</p…
Prospect Spring
~1 min drive
Like many of the features in Mammoth Hot Springs, Prospect Spring has had periods of activity and inactivity. Listen and look for hot water bubbling up and flowing across the area, forming new terraces.
Upper Terrace Trailhead
~1 min drive
This trailhead leads out to the top of Mammoth Hot Springs, with close-up views of Dryad Spring, Canary Spring, Grassy Spring, and Cupid Spring along boardwalks. The boardwalks near Cupid Spring begin descending down through the Mammoth Hot Springs terraces, connecting to the…
Angel Terrace
~1 min drive
Considered the "Gem of the Mammoth formations" in the 1920s and 1930s, Angel Terrace has recently reawoken and has periods of dramatic hot spring activity with large volumes of water cascading down the thermophile-draped terraces.
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