New Thermal Vent Emerges in Yellowstone National Park

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. (AP) — A newly discovered thermal vent is captivating visitors at Yellowstone National Park, primarily because it is clearly visible from a nearby road. The vent, located about a mile north of the Norris Geyser Basin, is expected to attract tourists when the park’s roads open to vehicle traffic in April.

This steam column was first identified by scientists over the summer of 2024, who indicated that the vent emits steam at temperatures reaching 171 degrees Fahrenheit (77 degrees Celsius). The experts made their way through marshy terrain to observe the new feature and found evidence, such as a thin layer of gray mud, affirming its recent formation.

Mike Poland, the scientist in charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, explained that such thermal features are regularly forming and evolving in the park. “The feature itself is new. That there would be a new feature is, you know, mundane,” Poland said. “The noteworthy part … was just that it was so noticeable.”

The new thermal vent is situated within a 200-foot (60-meter) zone of warm ground. It appears to be connected to hot water that appeared in a similar area approximately 700 feet away back in 2003.

As winter progresses, the steam plume has reduced in size. Geologists remain uncertain if it will remain visible from the road during the summer or if it will be obstructed by water accumulation in the vent.

Changes in Yellowstone’s geology often capture public interest because the park sits atop a massive volcanic system responsible for some of the most powerful eruptions in Earth’s history. Although it has not seen any lava eruptions in the past 70,000 years or significant eruptions for 631,000 years, the volcano’s magma chamber lies between 5 and 10 miles (8 and 16 kilometers) beneath the surface, heating underground water and causing geothermal activity.

Current estimates suggest that only 10% to 30% of the magma chamber contains liquid magma. Despite Yellowstone’s dramatic hydrothermal events, authorities assert that there are no indications of an imminent volcanic eruption.

Yellowstone’s thermal features are known for their variability; while the new feature may come and go, the iconic Old Faithful Geyser continues to spout reliably. Poland added, “There’s so many thermal features. Not only do they come and go, but they change.”