Yellowstone’s Hot Springs Kill More People than Bears Do
You might think features like pools of bubbling acid and hidden booby traps are safely relegated to the imaginary world of Indiana Jones. But in Yellowstone, they’re real. And they’re taking out tourists at a pretty astonishing rate. Just this week, a park visitor suffered third-degree burns after the ground gave way beneath her, dropping her into a pool of scalding-hot water hidden just beneath the surface.
The visitor, a 60-year-old woman from New Hampshire, was hiking off-trail near Old Faithful, the iconic geyser famous for its sky-tickling jet of 350°F steam. She was accompanied by her husband and dog. They didn’t realize how thin the ground was—or what was lurking beneath the delicate crust.
With one misstep, the hiker punched through the thin ground, falling and plunging one leg into the near-boiling water beneath. Her husband and dog remained uninjured. The group was able to self-evacuate to a nearby medical clinic, but the woman was ultimately airlifted to a hospital for further treatment. A press release from the National Park Service stated that incident remains under investigation. In the meantime, park officials remind all visitors to stay on designated trails and boardwalks.
While this is Yellowstone’s first hydrothermal injury of 2024, it’s not the year’s first close call. Earlier this summer, five visitors accidentally drove their car into a geyser and had to be rescued. Just two weeks after that, a sudden hydrothermal explosion sent hot water and rocks raining from the sky and left panicked visitors running for cover. Some of the stones were up to three feet across and weighed 100 pounds—enough to seriously damage boardwalks in the area.
A typical summer crowd at Old Faithful in Yellowstone. (Photo: Kellyvandellen/Getty)
According to the National Park Service, more people have been injured by Yellowstone’s hydrothermal springs than any of the park’s other natural threats. Hot springs-related injuries currently number in the hundreds, and at least 22 people have been killed by the scalding water. That’s nearly three times as many deaths as those attributed to bear attacks—only eight over the park’s recorded history. Bison attacks happen from time to time, but only two bison-related deaths have been recorded.
In fact, the USGS has called the park’s geothermal springs “Yellowstone’s gravest threat to visitors.” However, the park points out that not all burns or deaths are the result of accidents. On more than one occasion, an off-leash dog has taken a flying leap into a pool, and its owners have plunged into the near-boiling water to attempt a rescue. Other visitors ignore posted signage to get closer to the water for photo-ops—only to be surprised by a burst of steam.
While burns certainly make memorable souvenirs, the park tends to recommend a distanced selfie instead.
The post Yellowstone’s Hot Springs Kill More People than Bears Do appeared first on Outside Online.
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