Another hydrothermal explosion has occurred at Yellowstone National Park
The US Geological Survey says another hydrothermal eruption has occurred in Yellowstone National Park, highlighting the unstable nature of the reserve’s vast volcanic network.
On June 13, a small hydrothermal explosion occurred in the Yellowstone Biscuit Basin, a popular thermal area located 2 miles northwest of Old Faithful. USGS.
According to the USGS, the explosion occurred at 5:09 a.m. local time and did not cause any injuries. As a result of the activity, a new pool was formed.
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Monitoring equipment in the Biscuit Basin recorded anomalous activity, including seismic activity and infrasound (a low-signal acoustic signal) coming from the direction of the Black Diamond Pool, where a hydrothermal explosion occurred on July 23, 2024.
USGS – PHOTO: Looking south toward Black Diamond Pool (smoking blue area in middle left ground) along a fracture formed during a small hydrothermal explosion on June 13, 2026, in Biscuit Basin in Yellowstone National Park.
When park rangers went to investigate, they noticed that the water in the Firehole River flowing downstream from Biscuit Basin contained a light gray to milky discharge, an “odd” observation, according to the USGS.
In 2025, a camera installed at Black Diamond Pool recorded a dark stream gushing out of the ground to the north of the pool. Geologists assessing the activity discovered that large amounts of hydrothermal water were flowing into the Firehole River from three newly created sets of vents in the Black Diamond Pool.
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Vents allowed pathways to the surface for measuring water at or slightly above boiling temperatures. The USGS said the water turning into steam triggered a hydrothermal explosion.
One of the vents was found to have a crack in the north-northwest of the pool that measured approximately 61 feet long and 5 feet wide in some places. The crack was surrounded by several rocks that were thrown out during the explosion. Another linear vent, located to the northeast, was approximately 49 feet long.
USGS – PHOTO: A pool of boiling water formed in the Biscuit Basin in Yellowstone National Park a few days after the hydrothermal explosion on June 13, 2026
The USGS said the water measured between 185 degrees and 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
Days later, geologists discovered that a new pool of “violent” boiling water, described as gray in color and filled with silt, had formed near the middle of the vent group.
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The pool probably formed as a result of the collapse of the land underneath.
Camera observations taken on June 18 showed intermittent flushing events in the pool. Some jets reached heights of 20 feet to 30 feet, geologists said. When not showing geyser-like activity, the pool was actively boiling.
USGS – PHOTO: Aerial view of the Black Diamond Pool area in Biscuit Basin in Yellowstone National Park
The USGS said the explosion highlighted the unstable and dangerous nature of hydrothermal activity in the region.
Since the Biscuit Basin has been closed since the eruption in 2024, no one was affected by the latest incident.
Temporary seismic monitoring stations have been established within the basin to record signals about the evolution of newly formed vents, the USGS said.
