What Is It?
Sprouting 6 feet out of Nevada’s Hualapai Geothermal Flats, the kaleidoscopic Fly Geyser sprays hot water due to of drilling 60 years ago.
They Are Old
More than a century ago, settlers drilled a well, hoping for water that would let them farm the flats. They found water hotter than 200 F, unusable for farming. This well became the Wizard, one of three geysers on site. Due to the emergence of Fly Geyser decades later, the Wizard has less water pressure and is much less active.
Oops, I Did It Again
In 1964, a geo-thermal energy company hoped to use the flats’ hot water to generate energy, but the water wasn’t hot enough. However, the seal on their well did not hold, creating the new Fly Geyser. Over the years, minerals from the water have built up, making the geyser’s shape. Minerals and algae in the water give the geyser its green and red colors.
How Do Geysers Work?
Geysers are similar to a teapot on a stove. Water underneath the Earth’s surface gets heated by magma. As the water heats up and begins to boil, it converts to steam. When there is an opening for the steam to escape, it rushes upward and erupts into the air until either all the water has escaped or the temperature drops below boiling.
More Information
Fly Geyser is on private land in northwestern Nevada owned by Burning Man Project. Tours typically are available from March through October, depending on staffing. Tickets are $40 for adults, and free for kids younger than 12. For more information, visit blackrockdesert.org/fly-geyser.