Page:A Guide to the National Parks of America (1915).djvu/79

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52
The National Parks of America

ters group of springs, and shortly afterwards joins the main road a couple of hundred yards or so north of Old Faithful Inn.

The path that leaves the road at the Grotto Geyser leads first to the shattered cone of the Giant Geyser, the greatest geyser of them all but rather uncertain in its periods. At the right of the Giant are the Bijou and Mastiff, two small geysers that are playing most of the time. On the opposite side of the river east of the Giant are three pools, normally quiet but apparently connected with the Giant, as the surface of their water lowers each time their big neighbor erupts. A short distance farther is the crater of the Oblong Geyser, beautiful to look at either while quiet or in action. Crossing the river on a footbridge and continuing, the path passes Chromatic and Beauty Springs and on to the Economic Geyser. For many years this small and active geyser played every three minutes, using the same water over and over again. But lately its action has been erratic and sometimes months pass without it being seen in action.

A quarter mile farther to the south, at the base of a rock-covered hill, is one of the finest