Accidental Genesis
Located on private land in Nevada's Black Rock Desert, Fly Geyser is a small geothermal geyser created as a result of human error combined with geothermal pressure. In 1964, a geothermal power company drilled an exploratory well at the location.
While the well was later capped, the seal failed to hold against underground geothermal water pressures. Dissolved calcium carbonate began accumulating around the outlet, forming towering travertine cones that continue to expand at a rate of several inches per year.
The vivid, alien colors covering Fly Geyser's terraced exterior are not mineral stains—they are alive. Extremophilic cyanobacteria and algae thrive in the hot, mineral-rich runoff pools, tinting the rock face with vibrant shades of fiery red, orange, emerald green, and gold.
Terraced Pools & Ongoing Growth
Fly Geyser continually spews hot water up to 1.5 meters into the air, feeding over 30 to 40 terraces spread across a 74-acre area. Today, the main travertine mound stands over 1.8 meters high and continues to grow into ever-shifting organic forms.