Yellowstone Tourists Charged With ‘Thermal Trespassing’ After Walking Dangerously Close to Old Faithful
OutdoorHub Reporters 09.18.19
Step aside ‘Florida man’, Yellowstone tourists are making a name for themselves lately.. and not in a good way.
Two men visiting Yellowstone National Park were caught on security cameras earlier this week walking dangerously close to the iconic (and explosive) Old Faithful Geyser. In the meantime, another visitor snapped photos of the incident to share with park officials and then posted them to a Facebook page called “Yellowstone National Park: Invasion of The Idiots!”
Information on the two men’s identity has not yet been released.
Both men are facing charges of thermal trespassing and are due in court in December.
The Yellowstone National Park website offers the following information regarding safety around geysers and other “thermal features” found in the park:
“Burns from thermal features are a common cause of serious injury and death in the park. Check at a ranger station before you go exploring. Foot travel in all thermal areas must be confined to boardwalks or maintained trails that are marked by official signs. Don’t approach or shortcut through geyser basins after dark when there is greater danger of stepping into a hot spring. For your safety and for the protection of thermal features in Yellowstone, it is illegal to swim or bathe in any water that is entirely of thermal origin. Hot springs contain algae, bacteria, and fungi found nowhere else in the world: soaking or wading in springs can destroy these life forms. Throwing objects like rocks or sticks into thermal features is prohibited since doing so can clog vents and alter the flow and temperature of the water. Food and smoking are not allowed in thermal areas.”
