Adventure
Boiling River
Yellowstone National Park
Discover the story of one of Yellowstone’s rare thermal river features near Mammoth Hot Springs, where hot spring water once mixed with the cool Gardner River.
Experience Style
Historic, scenic, geothermal, educational, and Yellowstone-focused
Best For
Yellowstone visitors, geology lovers, history seekers, photographers, and Mammoth Hot Springs explorers
Location
North Entrance Area near Mammoth Hot Springs and the Montana/Wyoming border
Current Status
No swimming or soaking is currently allowed at Boiling River due to impacts from the 2022 floods.
Tour Overview
A Historic Thermal Feature
Near Mammoth Hot Springs
A Historic Thermal Feature Near Mammoth Hot Springs
The Boiling River was once one of Yellowstone’s rare thermal swimming areas, located near Mammoth Hot Springs where hot spring water flowed into the cooler Gardner River. Visitors used to follow an easy trail near the 45th Parallel sign and soak where the warm and cool waters mixed.
Before the 2022 floods, the Boiling River offered one of Yellowstone’s most unusual visitor experiences. A six-foot-wide stream of hot water cascaded over travertine into the Gardner River, creating a place where extremely hot spring water blended with the colder river current.
Today, the area is best understood as a historic and geothermal point of interest rather than an active soaking destination. The National Park Service currently states that swimming is not possible at Boiling River because of flood-related impacts.
Rare Thermal Feature
Boiling River was one of the few places in Yellowstone where thermal water and river water created a soaking area.
Mammoth Hot Springs
The site sits near Mammoth Hot Springs, one of Yellowstone’s most iconic geothermal regions.
Yellowstone History
Boiling River remains part of the park’s visitor history, shaped by changing water, geology, and flood impacts.
Geothermal Learning
The area offers a way to understand how Yellowstone’s heat, minerals, rivers, and landscape interact.
What to Expect
A Boiling River-focused stop is no longer about swimming or soaking. Instead, it can be included as part of a broader Yellowstone experience around Mammoth Hot Springs, the North Entrance area, the Gardner River corridor, and nearby geothermal features.
Visitors interested in Boiling River should check current park guidance before planning around the area. Conditions, access, rules, and closures can change, and Yellowstone’s thermal areas require caution and respect.
This experience works best as a storytelling stop: a chance to learn what the Boiling River once was, how Yellowstone’s 2022 floods changed the landscape, and why the park’s geothermal features are both beautiful and powerful.
Historic Soaking Area
Learn about the place where visitors once soaked in warm water where a hot spring met the Gardner River.
Gardner River Corridor
Explore the river landscape near Mammoth Hot Springs and Yellowstone’s North Entrance.
Mammoth Hot Springs Nearby
Pair the story of Boiling River with Mammoth’s terraces, thermal activity, and striking mineral formations.
45th Parallel Area
Learn about the trailhead area near the Montana/Wyoming border and the 45th Parallel sign.
Flood-Shaped Landscape
Understand how the 2022 floods changed northern Yellowstone and affected Boiling River access.
Yellowstone Safety Context
Gain a deeper appreciation for thermal-area safety, park rules, and changing natural conditions.
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