N orris Geyser Basin is the hottest, oldest, and most dynamic of Yellowstone's thermal areas. Norris shows evidence of having had thermal features for at least 115,000 years. The features in the basin change daily, with frequent disturbances from seismic activity and water fluctuations. The vast majority of the waters at Norris are acidic, including acid geysers which are very rare. One Hundred Springs Plain is an off-trail section of the Norris Geyser Basin that is very acidic, hollow, and dangerous.
Travel is discouraged without the guidance of knowledgeable staff members.
The area was named after Philetus W. Norris, the second superintendent of Yellowstone, who provided the first detailed information about the thermal features. The canyon contains just two of the many waterfalls found in Yellowstone, but they are the largest. The best time of year to photograph the Canyon is the first two weeks of October. The sun has set far enough on the horizon that it highlights one side of the canyon in light and shades the opposite side. The North rim is better photographed in early morning in Oct. and the South rim in the afternoon.