They could be pictures of another planet or the set of a science fiction movie.
But it is in fact an amazing phenomenon created by accident in the middle of the Nevada Desert.
The otherworldly images show Fly Geyser, a little-known attraction described as one of the most beautiful sights in the state.
Stunning: Fly Geyser in Nevada is a little-known phenomenon but these surreal photographs show a geyser that is unlike any other
Located 20 miles north of Gerlach, in Washoe County, it was accidentally created in 1916 during well drilling.
The geothermically heated pack of water found a weak spot in the wall in the 1960s and began escaping, creating a geyser.
Over the years, dissolved minerals created the mound that water now spews up to five metres from.
The geyser contains several terraces discharging water into 30 to 40 pools over an area of 30 hectares (74 acres).
Multi-coloured: The rainbow effect is created by minerals in the water reacting with oxygen in the air
Spout: The geothermically heated pack of water found a weak spot in the wall in the 1960s and began escaping, creating a geyserThese ponds are forming an ecosystem, with small fish and birds such as swans and mallards enjoying the geyser.
Its rainbow colouration comes from the various minerals that are in the water reacting with oxygen in the air.
It is covered with thermophilic algae which as a heat tolerant microorganism thrives in this sort of hot environment
David Jamison, who gives tours to the geyser said: ‘I’d like to see more people be able to enjoy it.
Smooth: Its rainbow colouration comes from the various minerals that are in the water reacting with oxygen in the air
Natural: The pools created by the geyser have formed an ecosystem with algae, small fish and birds enjoying the landscape
‘The colours they change constantly depending on the season and how much water is on them
‘When I saw it for the first time it wasn’t this big. This whole area’s kind of magic, there’s no aeroplanes here or cars. It’s just peaceful and quiet, all these beautiful mountains around. And the sound of the water.’
Fly Geyser is located on private land and is locked behind a closed gate and a fence topped with barbed wire.
It is rarely open to the public but can be viewed from the road.
Weak spot: The landscape has been moulded by the continuously gushing geyser. It formed in the 1960s when it found a weak spot in the land
Other-worldly: Fly Geyser is not even known to many Nevada residents but is considered one of the most beautiful attractions in the state
There are two additional geysers in the area that were created in a way similar to Fly Geyser. The first geyser is approximately three feet high and is shaped like a miniature volcano.
The second geyser is cone-shaped and is of the same approximate size as Fly Geyser. Like Fly Geyser, these geysers are continually growing.
The multiple spouts mean that a single cone of enormous site has not been able to develop. Yet the alien looking mound is something quite extraordinary, especially with its myriad of colors. The other factor in the strange coloration of the mound is the fact that.
