Spud Drive-In Potato in Driggs, Idaho. Photo by Kathy Alexander.
Soda Springs Geyser
Soda Springs Geyser.
In Soda Springs, Idaho, you can see the only captive geyser in the world. The city accidentally discovered the geyser while searching for a hot-water source for a swimming pool. On November 30, 1937, while drilling to a depth of about 315 feet, water from an underground chamber was suddenly released into the air.
The extreme pressure of the water is caused by carbon dioxide mixing with water in the earth’s depths below. Staying at an almost constant temperature of 72 degrees, the water has now been “harnessed” by a timer and erupts every hour.
The geyser regularly reaches heights of 100 feet, sometimes more, on windless days. Entertaining visitors from around the world, these sparkling waters have been featured in Ripley’s “Believe It or Not.”
The Visitor Center, housed in a renovated historic building, welcomes tourists with two rooms featuring large interpretive signs that reveal the area’s natural wonders and history.
Group arrangements are available with prior notice.
More information: Geyser Park, Soda Springs, Idaho
©Kathy Alexander/Legends of America, updated March 2026.
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