A crowd watches Old Faithful erupt with hot water.

You wouldn’t want to play in Old Faithful’s water. It’s boiling hot!

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A Landmark Anniversary

One hundred and fifty years ago this week, explorers traveling in Wyoming saw something amazing. Water shot from the ground, rocketing 125 feet into the air. It happened again and again—about once every hour! The men named the landmark Old Faithful. It’s now a famous sight in Yellowstone National Park.

Old Faithful is a geyser (GYE-zuhr). A geyser begins underground, where hot rock heats up water. The water boils as it does in a kettle. It bubbles to the surface and bursts out. As more water heats, the process begins again.

In 1872, Yellowstone National Park was created to protect Old Faithful and other wonders. The park has many geysers, but Old Faithful is one of the most predictable. It rarely goes more than 110 minutes without erupting.

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