Emerald Spring

Emerald Spring is a hot spring in the Norris Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park featuring deep green and blue colored waters. The colors come from dissolved minerals and heat-loving microorganisms that thrive in the warm environment.

Yellowstone National Park, where this spring is located, was established in 1872 as the first protected national park in the United States. This designation marked a turning point in preserving geothermal features for future generations.

Native American tribes regarded these heated waters as sacred and valued their healing properties for centuries. The spring remains a place where the natural world reveals its most powerful forces.

You can reach this spring via wooden boardwalks built throughout the Norris Geyser Basin for safe movement around thermal features. Staying on marked paths keeps you safe and protects the delicate geothermal environment.

The color of this spring shifts with the seasons as temperature patterns and mineral deposits change throughout the year. These color variations reveal the constantly shifting balance of minerals and microorganisms happening beneath the surface.