White Dome Geyser - Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
Posted by: 
Volcanoguy
N 44° 32.343 W 110° 48.159
12T E 515678 N 4931765
The White Dome Geyser along Firehole Lake Drive in Yellowstone National Park.
Waymark Code: WMDPV7
Location: United States
Date Posted: 02/11/2012
Views: 16
White Dome Geyser is a cone-type geyser with a 20 foot high cone. The eruptions occur through a small opening about 6 inches in diameter and reach heights of up to 30 feet. The eruptions last about 2 minutes. The interval between eruptions range from 15 minutes to 3 hours and are very erratic.
Information sources: The Geyser Observation and Study Association (
visit link) and Yellowstone National Park.com (
visit link)
Text of sign at White Dome Geyser:
“White Dome Geyser’s beautifully shaped cone is many centuries old, and is still growing with each eruption. For hundreds of years, thermal water has been building the cone that you see today -- one of the largest in Yellowstone.
Formation of a Cone
Splashing and spraying during each eruption, thermal water is still building White Dome. After traveling underground through silica-rich volcanic rhyolite, the water deposits silica as it splashes over the cone, forming spiny, bulbous masses of geyserite. More and more bumps form on this gnarly, ancient cone as White Dome grows older and more massive.
*Inside this immense cone is a narrow vent. Each time thermal water bursts through this small passageway, silica is deposited on its walls. Very gradually, White Dome’s vent is growing narrower.
Fountain or Cone?
Fountain Geysers -- Fountain geysers, like Great Fountain Geyser behind you, erupt through a large vent with a wide opening that can look like a hot spring. Water bursts in many directions.
Cone Geysers -- White Dome and other cone geysers erupt in a narrow jet of water through a slim vent, usually from a cone-shaped formation.”