Butte Springs
Butte Springs discharges water at 187 degrees Fahrenheit, making it one of Yellowstone's hotter thermal features accessible via a short 269-meter walk from the East Entrance Road. At 7,959 feet elevation in the park's eastern sector, this National Park Service-managed spring heats water 152 degrees above the area's frigid 35-degree annual average temperature.
The spring sits in high-elevation terrain near Yellowstone's eastern boundary, where the landscape receives 27 inches of annual precipitation and 144 inches of snow. The surrounding environment reflects typical subalpine conditions at nearly 8,000 feet, with coniferous forest giving way to thermally influenced zones where steam and mineral deposits mark the geothermal activity. The East Entrance Road provides the primary access corridor through this section of Gallatin County.
Visit during summer months when the East Entrance Road is reliably open and snow has cleared from the short access trail. Winter closures typically extend from November through April. The 269-meter walk from roadside parking requires sturdy footwear for uneven terrain. Threemile Campground, located 26 kilometers away just outside the park's east entrance, provides the nearest reservable overnight option.
The name derives from the butte-like topography characteristic of this portion of Yellowstone's eastern plateau. Historical documentation of this specific spring is limited in published records, though it sits within lands long recognized for geothermal activity by Indigenous peoples and later by park surveyors cataloging thermal features during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
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Overview Threemile Campground is located just three miles from the east entrance of Yellowstone National Park, and 50 miles from the full service gateway community of Cody, in northwestern Wyoming. The area is an ideal destination for a family getaway, with many opportunities for outdoor recreation. Hard-sided camp trailers and RVs are required.Recreation Great opportunities for hiking, fishing, scenic driving and wildlife viewing are available around the campground. The North Fork of the Sho...
Butte Springs sits at 7,959 feet above sea level, way above the mile-high mark. You may not feel the altitude strongly, but hot water still dehydrates you faster at elevation. UV is about 32% stronger than at sea level, so bring sunscreen and drink more water than you normally would.
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Butte Springs is road-accessible, so you can bring more gear. The water is dangerously hot — bring water shoes and test pools carefully. Cold air temperatures make a changing robe or warm layers essential.
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