Black Warrior Group, Shelf Spring
Black Warrior Group's Shelf Spring discharges water at 205°F in Yellowstone's Lower Geyser Basin, ranking among the park's hottest thermal features at 169.3 degrees above ambient air temperature. Located 105.5 meters from Firehole Lake Drive at 7,360 feet elevation, this short-walk spring sits within the Black Warrior thermal complex in Gallatin County. OpenStreetMap identifies this location as Hot Lake, suggesting a substantial thermal pool within the feature group.
The spring flows at 7,360 feet in Lower Geyser Basin, where dozens of thermal features spread across a broad, forested volcanic plain bisected by the Firehole River. Rhyolitic lava flows and hydrothermal alteration create bare thermal ground surrounded by lodgepole pine forests and thermal meadows. The basin receives 28.2 inches of annual precipitation and 140.9 inches of snow, creating extensive winter snowpack. Firehole Lake Drive provides access through thermal areas featuring geysers, hot springs, and fumaroles. The landscape sits within the Yellowstone caldera, where volcanic heat drives vigorous subsurface circulation.
Black Warrior Group appears in systematic Yellowstone thermal inventories compiled during late 19th and early 20th century USGS surveys. The name's origin remains undocumented in readily available sources. Shelf Spring likely refers to sinter terracing created by mineralized thermal discharge. Indigenous peoples including Shoshone, Bannock, and Crow traveled through the Firehole basin for thousands of years. Park designation in 1872 established federal protection, with National Park Service management maintaining the spring's natural state and regulating visitor access through designated roads and boardwalks.
Visit between late May and October when Firehole Lake Drive opens for the season. The one-way loop road closes in winter when snowfall exceeds plowing capacity. The 105-meter walk from parking areas to thermal features requires sturdy footwear and caution on uneven terrain. The spring's extreme 205°F temperature prevents any contact with thermal water. Lower Geyser Basin's dispersed thermal features create fewer crowds than Upper Geyser Basin. Combine with Great Fountain Geyser and Firehole Lake thermal area tours.
Is Black Warrior Group, Shelf Spring worth visiting?
Best for
- Viewing dramatic geothermal features
- Overnight camping trips
- Winter soaking with dramatic temperature contrast
Not ideal for
- Swimming or soaking
Overview Big Springs Group Area is located 22 miles south of West Yellowstone, Montana in beautiful Island Park, Idaho at an approximate elevation of 6,300 feet. Visitors love Island Park for its world-class fishing and outstanding scenery and wildlife viewing opportunities.Recreation Big Springs is the headwaters of Henry's Fork and is one of the largest springs in the country. Henry's Fork is considered one of the best fly-fishing streams in the nation. Fishermen cast for rainbow and brook...