Fountain Paint Pot

Fountain Paint Pot
Fountain Paint Pot, 1899
Location	Lower Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park
Coordinates	44°33′02″N 110°48′22″W / 44.550578°N 110.8062419°WCoordinates: 44°33′02″N 110°48′22″W / 44.550578°N 110.8062419°W[1]
Elevation	7,306 feet (2,227 m) [2]
Type	Mud pot
Fountain Paint Pot

The Fountain Paint Pot is a mud pot located in Lower Geyser basin in Yellowstone National Park.

The Fountain Paint Pot is named for the reds, yellows and browns of the mud in this area. The differing colors are derived from oxidation states of the iron in the mud.^[3] As with all hot springs, the heat in the caldera forces pressurized water up through the ground, which is expelled here. Also, rising gasses cause the bubbling action. The bubble action in the mud varies with the seasons. In the early summer, the mud is watery from the high water table due to rain and snow melt. By the end of summer, the mud is much thicker as the water table drops.^[4]

References

1. "Fountain Paint Pot". Yellowstone Geothermal Features Database. Montana State University.
2. "Fountain Paint Pot". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
3. "Fountain Paint Pots". Historic 3-D Geology Tour of Yellowstone National Park. Archived from the original on 2005-09-02.
4. "Fountain Paint Pot". Fountain Paint Pot Nature Trail Tour.

Gallery

20-second video of the area  Closeup of a mudpot  Two large mudpots  Overflow of Silex Springs