Watch: Yellowstone hot spring erupts twice in 2 days
The back-to-back eruptions at Black Diamond Pool marked the most significant activity at the site since a far more powerful explosion rocked the area in July 2024.
Mud and water sprayed a camera at the Black Diamond Pool at Yellowstone National Park during the first eruption at the site since 2024.
A Yellowstone National Park hot spring erupted twice in two days this week, with the second and larger event sending muddy water and steam surging toward a nearby camera.
Black Diamond Pool erupted on Tuesday, April 28, and again on Wednesday, April 29, according to the USGS. The Wednesday eruption was the more dramatic of the two, but it was not nearly as large as the eruption on July 23, 2024, that sent visitors running and damaged wooden walkways in the area.
Black Diamond Pool erupting in Yellowstone National Park on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (USGS Volcanoes)
Black Diamond Pool is a large, murky, blue hot spring with an average temperature of 148.5°F. It has a history of sporadic eruptions, including a 2006 event triggered by an earthquake, according to the National Park Service.
Hydrothermal features like Black Diamond Pool are common throughout Yellowstone, which sits atop one of the world's most active volcanic systems. It is located about 2 miles away from the world-famous Old Faithful geyser.
Hot springs form when superheated water rises to the surface, cools and is replaced by even hotter water from below. When that circulation is disrupted, pressure can build, sometimes resulting in the kind of eruption captured on video this week.
The unpredictable nature and scalding temperatures of the hydrothermal areas are some of the reasons why the National Park Service has designated trails and boardwalks to keep visitors safe.
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