The World's Tallest Geyser Is In Yellowstone National Park (And It's Not Old Faithful)

Located in America's Yellowstone National Park, the title of world's tallest active geyser goes not to the famous Old Faithful, but instead Steamboat Geyser. Part of the Norris Geyser Basin and situated within the Wyoming section of Yellowstone, Steamboat is an active geyser capable of producing steamy water eruptions that reach heights of over 300 feet. In contrast, Old Faithful (found about an hour south of Steamboat) hits a max height of just 184 feet. Knowing this, Steamboat's superlative is especially impressive, but don't be fooled into thinking this geyser is the tallest in documented history.

Before this Yellowstone treasure earned its title, there was the Waimangu Geyser. Bursting forth from a schism in Oceania's Waimangu Volcanic Valley, this geyser jettisoned water over 1,476 feet into the air during its heyday. Now long extinct (eruptions here stopped by 1908), Waimangu Geyser has since relinquished the "world's tallest" honor to Steamboat. Ideally placed within Yellowstone National Park, home to the planet's largest concentration of geysers, this natural beauty can be seen by millions of annual visitors. However, catching Steamboat in action is a treat not all parkgoers will get to see. This is because the geyser's eruptions occur at erratic intervals and rarely more than 40 times a year.

Per National Park Service (NPS) data, Steamboat Geyser's record for most eruptions in a year sits at 48, which it reached in both 2019 and 2020. Before 2019, the geyser's previous yearly high was 32 eruptions in 2018. This momentous occasion was all the more exciting due to how few eruptions Steamboat recorded in the preceding 34 years. Between 1984 through 2017, the geyser failed to hit double digits and regularly didn't even reach more than one eruption a year. In fact, NPR reports that zero occurred between 2015 and 2017. So, when the geyser began its historic 2018 year with an event on March 15, it had been a total of three years and 193 days since Steamboat had any eruptions. From that day until the summer of 2021, this site never went more than 35 days without another upsurge of geothermal activity (and that's one of the bizarre Yellowstone facts you probably didn't know).

Since then, the magic of Steamboat Geyser has ebbed. In 2022, only 11 eruptions took place, and intervals between them grew longer. Numbers fell further between 2023 and 2025, going from nine to six to just three in 2025. While this may be frustrating for Yellowstone visitors hoping to see some eye-catching flashes of steam and water, historical perspective may help people practice their patience. Specifically, it's worth remembering that this geyser's longest recorded wait between eruptions lasted 50 years, spanning from 1911 to 1961.

During dry spells, it's also important to keep in mind that Yellowstone's geysers do a lot more than just attract tourists. Alongside geographic features such as the area's famous hot springs, these geothermal wonders have molded the incredible landscapes of America's first national park.