A woman who illegally entered Yellowstone National Park fell into a thermal feature on Tuesday and suffered burns, according to a report from CNN. The trespasser told park rangers that she was attempting to take photos of the Old Faithful Geyser when she lost balance and fell into the hot water. Yellowstone National Park has been closed to the public since March 24 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Photo: Boyd Hendrikse/Shutterstock
Woman Suffers Burns After Trespassing in Yellowstone National Park
After exiting the feature, the woman entered her car and proceeded to drive through the park, where park rangers contacted her. Upon learning of her burns, the rangers contacted Flight for Life, and the woman was flown to the Burn Center at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center. Authorities have not released the woman’s name nor her current condition.
No repercussions have yet been announced for the woman, but the National Park Service has plenty to build a case for punishment on. Trespassing near the Old Faithful Geyser is an ongoing problem at the park. Two men who illegally trespassed to the cone of the Old Faithful Geyser earlier this year were arrested, jailed for 10 days, and ordered to pay a $540 restitution. They were also given five years of probation and banned from the park for the same amount of time.
“Visitors must realize that walking on thermal features is dangerous, damages the resource, and illegal,” said Park Chief Ranger Sarah Davis in a statement about the sentencing in January. “Law enforcement officers take this violation seriously. Yellowstone National Park also appreciates the court for recognizing the impact thermal trespass can have on these amazing features.” 