Parking
Start at Biscuit Basin Trailhead (OK4), the access point for the boardwalk loop.
Overview
About Biscuit Basin Trail
Why go
- Several distinctive hot springs and geysers packed into a short loop
The name comes from biscuit-shaped mineral deposits that once ringed Sapphire Pool. After the 1959 Hebgen Lake earthquake, the pool erupted and blew those deposits away. Sapphire last erupted in 1991, a reminder that the features here are active parts of Yellowstone's volcanic system.
Parkwolf’s verdictWhy it's called Biscuit BasinMap & elevation
The route
Loading the Yellowstone map
Full mapElevation7,267–7,297 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
5 active Yellowstone alerts
- ClosureBiscuit Basin closed after hydrothermal explosionMentions Biscuit Basin, referenced in this guideBiscuit Basin’s parking lot, boardwalk, and Firehole River are closed to all travel.Official details
- ClosureMost Yellowstone roads close to regular vehicles November 1Most Yellowstone roads and the West, South, and East entrances are scheduled to close to regular vehicles November 1, 2026, as the park prepares for winter operations.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Yellowstone Tour Guide
Hear Yellowstone as you drive it.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Yellowstone National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Yellowstone audio tourRecorded for this area
A New Rack Every Spring0:00 / 0:30
“A bull elk grows that whole set of antlers again each year. Most Yellowstone bulls drop theirs in March or April, and new growth starts soon afterward.”
Plays on the road 1.2 mi from the trailhead in the Parkwolf Yellowstone Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Black Sand Basin
- Old Faithful Inn and Village
- Old Faithful and Upper Geyser Basin
- Grand Prismatic Overlook and Fairy Falls
- 243 audio storiesacross Yellowstone’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Wolf, Grizzly Bear, Bison, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 167 trails, 192 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“First time driving through a national park. We used the Yellowstone tour on grand loop Road and it’s just like having a tour guide in your car with you.”
Trail guide
Hiking Biscuit Basin Trail
A short loop with a lot to seeBiscuit Basin Trail is an easy 0.
Biscuit Basin Trail is an easy 0.6-mile lollipop loop on boardwalk through a compact field of hot springs and geysers. Start at Biscuit Basin Trailhead (OK4); allow about 30 to 60 minutes so you can stop at the pools. The entrance stem is shared on the way back. This is the basin circuit, not the separate Mystic Falls hike or the longer Summit Lake route that also start nearby.
Look for the colorThe boardwalk passes Sapphire Pool, Avoca Spring, and Jewel Geyser.
The boardwalk passes Sapphire Pool, Avoca Spring, and Jewel Geyser. Sapphire is the basin's vivid blue pool; Mustard Spring adds a striking yellow contrast. Jewel Geyser is known for frequent eruptions, about every 7 to 10 minutes, so it's worth pausing if it's active. The bright colors come from heat-loving microorganisms living in water at different temperatures.
Stay on the boardwalkHydrothermal water can cause severe burns, so stay on boardwalks and designated trails.
Hydrothermal water can cause severe burns, so stay on boardwalks and designated trails. Pets aren't allowed on trails, boardwalks, or in thermal areas. There's a wheelchair-accessible overlook at Wall Pool; that doesn't mean every part of the loop is accessible.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Yellowstone
713 sightingsGrizzly BearMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
743 sightingsWolfMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
5,273 sightingsBisonMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
3,258 sightingsElkMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
397 sightingsMooseMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
1,494 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Yellowstone. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
