A Hydrothermal Explosion Closes Part of Yellowstone National Park

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A massive hydrothermal explosion rocked the popular Biscuit Basin area of Yellowstone National Park on Tuesday morning.

According to the National Park Service, the eruption occurred at approximately 10:19 A.M. local time, and it occurred near the Sapphire Pool, just north of Old Faithful. Nobody was hurt, but officials closed the entire area—including the boardwalks—for safety reasons.

An unusually large eruption of one of Yellowstone’s geysers occurred at Biscuit Basin moments ago. pic.twitter.com/b8Ya4iW1H3

— Colin McCarthy (@US_Stormwatch) July 23, 2024

A California woman named Vlada March captured video of the massive blast and uploaded the clip to Facebook. According to Jackson Hole News and Guide, March said she and her family were on a trip to the national park when they noticed steam rising from Sapphire Pool. March began filming the area and caught images of tourists walking near the pool shortly before it exploded, showering the area in water, rocks, and mud.

You can hear March yelling “run run run!” to her loved ones in the clip.

The debris destroyed much of the walkway around Sapphire Pool and Black Diamond Pool, another thermal feature in the area.

“No other monitoring data show changes in the Yellowstone region,” said the NPS in their statement. “Today’s explosion does not reflect a change in the volcanic system, which remains at normal background levels of activity.”

The explosion comes just days after another eruption in the park—according to Cowboy State Daily the Steamboat Geyser recently erupted and showered nearby cars in silica residue. Park staff and the USGS will monitor the area and determine when Biscuit Basin is safe to reopen.

This is an ongoing story, and Outside will update it as more news becomes available.