Yellowstone visitor suffers burns while hiking near geyser
A 17-year-old was hospitalized after breaking through the fragile crust near a geyser in Yellowstone.
The Lone Star Geyser erupting at Yellowstone National Park. (NPS / Jacob W. Frank)
A 17-year-old was taken to a hospital after burning his foot in a thermal area in Yellowstone National Park on Monday, July 28.
"The juvenile was on a hike in the thermal area when his foot broke through the thin crust and he suffered burns to a lower extremity," the National Park Service (NPS) said in a press release. The incident is under investigation and marks the first reported thermal-related injury in the park this year.
It happened near the Lone Star Geyser, which erupts about once every three hours, sending water up to 45 feet into the air. The geyser is located roughly 3 miles south of Old Faithful.
Yellowstone’s thermal zones may appear solid, but the ground in some areas is extremely thin and unstable. To help prevent accidents, the park has constructed designated boardwalks and trails that guide visitors through these volatile landscapes.
"Water in hot springs can cause severe or fatal burns, and scalding water underlies most of the thin, breakable crust around hot springs," the NPS said.
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