- Yellowstone National Park Superintendent Suzanne Lewis
announced that due to high ground temperatures and increased thermal activity
that could affect visitor and employee safety, a portion of the Back Basin
at Norris Geyser Basin on the west side of the park has been temporarily
closed. Yellowstone's more popular features within the Norris Geyser Basin,
including Steamboat and Echinus Geysers and all of Porcelain Basin, remain
open to the public.
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- The temporary closure is clearly marked and covers most
of the western portion of the Back Basin trail starting at the Norris Museum.
There are approximately 12,500 feet of trails in the Norris Geyser Basin-with
approximately 5,800 feet affected by the temporary closure.
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- Norris is the hottest and most seismically active geyser
basin in Yellowstone. Recent activity in the Norris Geyser Basin has included
formation of new mud pots, an eruption of Porkchop Geyser (dormant since
1989), the draining of several geysers, creating steam vents and significantly
increased measured ground temperatures (up to 200 degrees Fahrenheit).
Additional observations include vegetation dying due to thermal activity
and the changing of several geysers' eruption intervals. Vixen Geyser has
become more frequent and Echinus Geyser has become more regular.
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- Park staff continue to monitor temperatures and thermal
features in the area. When conditions have returned to acceptable ground
temperatures and stable surface conditions have improved, the trail will
be reopened. Norris is another example of Yellowstone's thermal features
that are constantly evolving and changing.
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