Fly Geyser, also known as Fly Ranch Geyser is a small geothermal geyser located on private land in Washoe County, Nevada, about 32 km north of Gerlach. Fly Geyser is located near the edge of Fly Reservoir in the Hualapai Geothermal Flats. Also known as the “Rainbow Geyser”, this accidentally-man-made wonder beckons visitors to get a closer look at its technicolor structure.

The first geyser on the site began to form in 1916 when residents were seeking irrigation water and drilled a well. This well was quickly abandoned when it was discovered that the water inside was too hot, and so began the development of the first geyser. Similarly, the main geyser was created accidentally in 1964 after a geothermal power company drilled a test well at the site. According to later newspaper reports, the well was either left uncapped or was improperly plugged. In either case, the scalding hot water shot from the well hole and calcium carbonate deposits began to form, growing several inches each year.

Geysers are fascinating, to begin with since it’s not every day someone has the chance to witness scalding water exploding into the sky in a cloud of mist. However, the Fly Geyser has drawn so much attention due to its unique structure and shape, and it’s one that’s been constructed by nature herself over the last 50+ years. Due to the minerals in the geyser’s water stream, the moisture that rains back down on the opening of the geyser has gradually created various tunnels and tubes, each sporting a vibrant color.

All of these minerals, over time, have become stacked and created the intriguing walls out of which the geyser’s water stream shoots out of. The geyser itself is roughly 30 feet tall, and its awesome coloring comes from the thermophilic algae that live on its surface.

Fly Geyser is located on private land and is not currently open to the public, but if you would like to get an up-close view of Fly Geyser, Fly Ranch is in partnership with Friends of Nevada Black Rock High Rock which offer three-hour guided tours of Fly Ranch. The nature walks explore a large portion of the property, including the Fly Geyser and hot springs.

According to Wikipedia/ atlasobscura