Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what’s in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience.Generate Key Takeaways
There are several reasons why Yellowstone and other national parks have strict rules about where visitors are permitted to hike.
The Instagram page Tourons of Yellowstone (@touronsofyellowstone) is dedicated to covering “tourons” (a portmanteau of “tourists” and “morons”) and their instances of dangerous behavior at the site.
The account shared a report from the park of a hiker who suffered severe burns after walking in an off-limits area.
The 17-year-old was on a hike around the Lone Star Geyser near Old Faithful when “his foot broke through the thin crust and he suffered burns to a lower extremity,” according to the release.
Emergency services responded to the scene, and he was transported to and treated at a hospital. Yellowstone also noted the incident remained under investigation.
The report came with reminders that tourists should stick to designated boardwalks and trails near hot springs and geysers due to the risk of “severe or fatal burns” as “scalding water underlies most of the thin, breakable crust around hot springs.”
It also noted that 20 people have died in Yellowstone from burns suffered after entering or falling into the park’s hot springs. Ignoring warning signs can lead to fatalities, as the report cautioned, as well as damage to natural surroundings.
Disregard for the rules also poses a massive risk to wildlife — far too often, visitors will test park boundaries in pursuit of photo ops. These encounters can result in injury to people and animals, and after serious incidents, provoked animals perceived as dangerous have been euthanized.
People in the post’s comments took a harsh stance toward the rule-breaking teen’s actions.
“Stay on the trails. May this be a lesson to others,” one person said.
“He should receive a hefty fine,” a second added.
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don’t miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.