Old Faithful, in the Upper Geyser Basin, is one of nearly 500 geysers in Yellowstone National Park, which was established in 1872; the National Park Service says the geyser currently erupts every 90 minutes, give or take 10 minutes, from a viewing area less than a quarter-mile from the Old Faithful Visitor Education Center, where the next predicted eruption time is posted. Entry for a private vehicle is $35* and is valid for seven consecutive days; non-US residents aged 16 and over pay an additional $100* per person unless they hold an annual or America the Beautiful pass, and vehicle reservations are not required. The park lists the Old Faithful Visitor Education Center as open through October 31, 2026 and typically closed from early November through mid-December, and projects that the roads to the Old Faithful area close to regular vehicles after October 31, 2026, with all dates subject to weather. As of October 14, 2026 the park lists Biscuit Basin, north of Old Faithful, as closed to all travel until further notice; current alerts are on the park's Current Conditions page.
*Fees subject to change, please check nps.gov for updated information.
Nearest Airports
Straight-line distance from Yellowstone National Park, not drive time.
- Yellowstone (WYS) — 21 miles
- Jackson Hole (JAC) — 59 miles
- Mission Field (LVM) — 88 miles
Live Conditions
Wildlife Spotted Nearby
We checked fees, reservations, opening hours, seasonal opening, closures and operating status on 2026-10-14. These change without notice — confirm with nps.gov the week you travel.
Sources — 8 claims, 8 checked against the source
| Claim | Source | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Private vehicle entrance pass is $35.00, unlimited entry for one vehicle and all passengers for seven consecutive days; non-US residents 16 and over pay an additional $100 per person unless admitted with an annual or America the Beautiful pass (checked 2026-10-14) | NPS Yellowstone — Fees & Passes | Checked monitored · 2026-10-14 |
| Vehicle reservations are not needed to enter the park; an entrance pass is required and can be bought at any entrance station (checked 2026-10-14) | NPS Yellowstone — Fees & Passes | Checked monitored · 2026-10-14 |
| Old Faithful Visitor Education Center is listed open April 17 to October 31 for summer 2026; operating dates are subject to change without advance notice (checked 2026-10-14) | NPS Yellowstone — Operating Dates | Checked monitored · 2026-10-14 |
| Eruption predictions are not available when the Old Faithful Visitor Education Center is closed, typically early November through mid-December and mid-March through mid-April (checked 2026-10-14) | NPS Yellowstone — Old Faithful | Checked monitored · 2026-10-14 |
| Projected 2026 regular-vehicle dates: West Entrance to Madison and Madison to Old Faithful open April 17 to October 31; South Entrance to West Thumb and West Thumb to Old Faithful open May 8 to October 31; all dates subject to change with weather (checked 2026-10-14) | NPS Yellowstone — Park Roads | Checked monitored · 2026-10-14 |
| Alert: the parking lot, boardwalk and Firehole River at Biscuit Basin, north of Old Faithful, are closed to all travel until further notice (read in a browser 2026-10-14; alerts load by script) | NPS Yellowstone — Current Conditions (alerts) | Checked monitored · 2026-10-14 |
| Old Faithful currently erupts every 90 minutes, plus or minus 10 minutes; the viewing area is less than a quarter-mile from the Old Faithful Visitor Education Center; one of nearly 500 geysers in the park (checked 2026-10-14; NPS page last updated November 2024) | NPS — Watch Old Faithful Geyser Erupt | Checked monitored · 2026-10-14 |
| Designated an All-American Road by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation; 68.7 miles in MT, WY; FHWA suggests: Two hours to drive or three hours to experience the entire byway (checked 2026-10-29) | Federal Highway Administration: Beartooth Highway | Checked |