Mammoth Hot Springs has been described as a cave that looks like “it has been turned inside out.” It’s a feature of Yellowstone National Park that has some of the most intriguing and unusual rock formations in the country. This is an active area which means the rock formations are constantly growing and changing.

Formation

Flickr/Beth The unusual features are formed when the rain and snow seeps into the earth and interacts with the heat from the remnant of an ancient volcano.

Flickr/AllAroundTheWest The water boils and rises to the surface. As the water cools, it deposits calcium carbonate in layers that build up over time in otherworldly formations.

Liberty Cap

Wikimedia/Martin Kraft Liberty Cap is a 37’ dormant hot spring cone located in the northern section of Mammoth Hot Springs. The Hayden Survey Party gave it that name in 1871 because it resembled the peaked caps worn during the American Revolution.

Orange Mound Spring

Wikimedia/James St. John Orange Spring is named for its color which is a result of the algae and bacteria. The mound shape is the result of a very slow water flow along with the deposition of minerals.

Jupiter Terrace

Wikimedia/Rickymgb The boardwalk passes right by Mound and Jupiter Terraces.

Flickr/Randy Jenkins Yes, this does look like something you would find on another planet.

Wikimedia/Tasma3197 It’s interesting that some of the formations look just like steps.

Flickr/Loren Kerns

Canary Springs

Wikimedia/Brocken Inaglory Canary Terrace is made up of circular white and orange terraces. Water flows down this terrace which is a visible indication that this terrace is still growing.

Flickr/Wendy Seltzer

Flickr/Dan Bodenstein Some of the terraces are formed with a 20’ drop.

Minerva Terrace

Flickr/Limarie Cabrera Minerva Spring features a wide range of colors and intricate formations. The spring ceased to flow in the early 1900s and was completely dry but in 1951 it started to flow again.

Palette Spring

Flickr/Tjflex2 Palette Spring is one of the most striking features in the park. This formation consists of smooth white, orange and brown features created by the flow of water crisscrossing.

Flickr/Beth

Flickr/Yellowstone National Park

Map

Wikimedia/NPS Here’s a handy map of all the different rock formations in Mammoth Hot Springs.

Mammoth Hot Springs is south of the North Entrance to Yellowstone. The area is open year round and is accessible by car and boardwalks that wind through the Upper and Lower Terraces.

Flickr/Beth

The unusual features are formed when the rain and snow seeps into the earth and interacts with the heat from the remnant of an ancient volcano.

Flickr/AllAroundTheWest

The water boils and rises to the surface. As the water cools, it deposits calcium carbonate in layers that build up over time in otherworldly formations.

Wikimedia/Martin Kraft

Liberty Cap is a 37’ dormant hot spring cone located in the northern section of Mammoth Hot Springs. The Hayden Survey Party gave it that name in 1871 because it resembled the peaked caps worn during the American Revolution.

Wikimedia/James St. John

Orange Spring is named for its color which is a result of the algae and bacteria. The mound shape is the result of a very slow water flow along with the deposition of minerals.

Wikimedia/Rickymgb

The boardwalk passes right by Mound and Jupiter Terraces.

Flickr/Randy Jenkins

Yes, this does look like something you would find on another planet.

Wikimedia/Tasma3197

It’s interesting that some of the formations look just like steps.

Flickr/Loren Kerns

Wikimedia/Brocken Inaglory

Canary Terrace is made up of circular white and orange terraces. Water flows down this terrace which is a visible indication that this terrace is still growing.

Flickr/Wendy Seltzer

Flickr/Dan Bodenstein

Some of the terraces are formed with a 20’ drop.

Flickr/Limarie Cabrera

Minerva Spring features a wide range of colors and intricate formations. The spring ceased to flow in the early 1900s and was completely dry but in 1951 it started to flow again.

Flickr/Tjflex2

Palette Spring is one of the most striking features in the park. This formation consists of smooth white, orange and brown features created by the flow of water crisscrossing.

Flickr/Yellowstone National Park

Wikimedia/NPS

Here’s a handy map of all the different rock formations in Mammoth Hot Springs.

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