Biscuit Basin at Yellowstone National Park is closed until further notice 2024 due to a hydrothermal explosion which occurred near Sapphire Pool at approximately 10:19 in the morning Mountain Daylight Time yesterday, Tuesday, July 23, 2024 and caused damage.
Biscuit Basin at Yellowstone National Park Closed Until Further Notice 2024 Due To Hydrothermal Explosion: Travel Alert
The unexpected incident occurred at a location which is approximately 2.1 miles north northwest of the popular Old Faithful geyser. For reasons of safety, the temporary closure of Biscuit Basin includes the parking lot and all boardwalks.
The Grand Loop Road — which is also known as United States Highway 191 — remains open to traffic.
“No injuries were reported and the extent of damage is unknown at this time”, according to this official Internet web site of the National Park Service of the Department of the Interior of the United States. “No other monitoring data show changes in the Yellowstone region. Today’s explosion does not reflect a change in the volcanic system, which remains at normal background levels of activity. This is an evolving incident, and additional details will be shared as more facts are known.”
Members of the staff from both the National Park Service and the United States Geological Survey will monitor conditions and reopen the area once it is deemed safe to do so. According to this official volcano notice from the United States Geological Survey, “The explosion appears to have originated near Black Diamond Pool.”
According to this article by the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory at the official Internet web site of the United States Geological Survey, “most people do not know about the potential hazard associated with a hydrothermal (hot water) explosion, which is far more common than any eruption of lava or volcanic ash.”
Some people have posted recordings of the actual explosion and its aftermath on social media.
Watch: An unusually large eruption of one of Yellowstone’s geysers occurred at Biscuit Basin moments ago.
“Police Frequency” pic.twitter.com/ggbTJfqqzE— Andrew Hernandez, J6 Political Prisoner (@J_6_Patriot) July 23, 2024
#yellowstone #biscuitbasin Yellowstone National Park pic.twitter.com/RNHYkwibxR
— Nomis (@NomisRensiew) July 23, 2024
Wow. Crazy aftermath of the HUGE explosion at Biscuit Basin in Yellowstone. Boardwalk viewing of the geyser wrecked! pic.twitter.com/6Q4ufLK6YX
— Justin Hart (@justin_hart) July 23, 2024
Final Boarding Call
This incident at Biscuit Basin is arguably the worst natural “disaster” — for lack of a better word — since the entirety of Yellowstone National Park was closed in June of 2022 due to significant flooding. Most of Yellowstone National Park was open to the public again approximately one week later for the continuation of its anniversary of 150 years since the first national park in the world opened to the public on Friday, March 1, 1872.
I have not been to Yellowstone National Park in years; but I know that I have visited virtually every accessible part of the park, which would include Biscuit Basin. Being there was a truly amazing experience that I enjoyed very much.
Hopefully Biscuit Basin will open again soon. If you get a chance to visit Yellowstone National Park, do not hesitate in taking advantage of that opportunity…
…and have your camera ready, as you never know what could happen…
Source: 2009 University Navstar Consortium Earthscope Field Trip Participants.
