There are approximately 50 hot springs in the Mammoth Hot Springs area. These springs deposit great amounts of calcium carbonate in their runoff areas. This calcium carbonate is deposited on the terraces as travertine. Fresh travertine is pure white in color. If the hot spring becomes inactive, the travertine will, in time, become grey in color and start to crumble. While the hot aprings are active, they are very colorful. The colors are the results of living bacteria. These bacteria are different colors, orange, pink, yellow, green and brown, depending on the temperature of the water discharged from the hot spring. The colors indicate the temperature of the water.

Mammoth is also the headquarters of Yellowstone National Park. The US Cavalry administered Yellowstone National Park from 1886 until 1916, when the National Park Service was created. Mammoth sits on the site of old Fort Yellowstone. The row of stone buildings in Mammoth was built in 1909 as quarters for the officers of Fort Yellowstone. These buildings now house the administrative functions of the park.

This is a virtual tour of both the Mammoth Hot Spring Terraces and old Fort Yellowstone.