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4w ago

Geologists Monitor New Thermal Steam Vent in Yellowstone as Activity Declines

The vent, discovered in 2024 near the Roadside Springs thermal area, remains active but is emitting little to no steam as of March 2025.

Nymph Lake in Yellowstone National Park, Wyo., is fed in part by Nymph Creek. There are many hot spots around this body of water. White silica dusts the perimeter.
Looking south from near a pullout along the Mammoth to Norris road just north of the Nymph Lake overlook on Sept. 1, 2024, in Yellowstone National Park, Wyo. On the other side of the marsh is a tree-covered rhyolite lava flow, and at the base of the flow is a new thermal feature that formed in early August 2024, marked by a plume of steam.
National Park Service officials examine the debris field after a hydrothermal explosion at Black Diamond Pool in Biscuit Basin that launched debris over 600 feet in the air on July 26, 2024, in Yellowstone National Park, Wyo.
A woman visiting a hot spring in winter in Yellowstone National Park, Wyo.

Overview

  • The new thermal vent, located near the Norris Geyser Basin, was first identified in August 2024 and confirmed to be a new feature by geologists.
  • The vent's activity, which was prominent last summer, has diminished significantly over the winter, and its visibility this summer is uncertain.
  • Scientists believe the vent may be linked to hydrothermal activity that began nearby in 2003, highlighting Yellowstone's dynamic geological processes.
  • The Yellowstone Volcano Observatory continues to monitor the vent and emphasizes that such features are normal and not indicative of any imminent volcanic activity.
  • Thermal features like this vent can alter the surrounding environment, potentially impacting vegetation and soil conditions over time.