Steamboat Geyser is a part of the larger Norris Geyser Basin, and is the tallest active geyser in the world, shooting powerful jets of steam more than 300 ft (91 m) into the blue skies of Yellowstone National Park in a 3 to 40 minute show. The major and minor eruptions of Steamboat Geyser are entirely unpredictable, unlike the more popular and famous geyser, Old Faithful.

Only two geysers in the park have ever overshadowed Steamboat’s stream, Excelsior Geyser in the Midway Geyser Basin, and Sapphire Pool in the Biscuit Basin. Excelsior only erupted for a period of ten years, ending in 1888, and erupted once more in 1985. Sapphire Pool shot a series of eruptions after the Hebgen Lake Earthquake shook the area in August 1959.

Minor eruptions are much more common for the geyser, with short, frequent bursts of water reaching 10 to 40 feet.

The first documented sighting of a major eruption in the geyser was in 1878, with at least two eruptions recorded. Since then, 166 major eruptions have been recorded with intervals between sightings ranging from 4 days to 50 years. Other major eruptions may have occurred during these intervals, but were not seen or recorded due to a lack of inhabitants in the immediate area.

During the early to mid-2000s, the geyser experienced major eruptions several times, the first being on May 2, 2000, ending an 8-year 212-day gap. The geyser erupted twice in 2002, three times in 2003, and once on May 23, 2005, marking the last known time the geyser experienced a major eruption.

Researched, written, and narrated by University of West Florida Public History Student Hayley Benton.