- A teenager suffered significant thermal burns near Lone Star Geyser in Yellowstone.
- Park officials emphasize the importance of staying on trails after the first thermal injury since September 2024.
- Yellowstone's hot springs can reach lethal temperatures, highlighting the danger of venturing off paths.
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. — Park rangers are reminding Yellowstone National Park visitors to remain on all boardwalks and designated trails after a teenager suffered "significant" thermal burns to his foot and ankle near a popular geyser.
Emergency crews responded to a report of the injury on Monday, park officials said Tuesday. Rangers said a 17-year-old boy had ventured into the thermal area by Lone Star Geyser, located southeast of Old Faithful within the Wyoming side of the park, when his foot broke through the area's thin crust, causing the injury.
The boy was taken to a hospital for further treatment. His name and condition were not released. Park officials declined to provide any other details about the incident, adding that it remains under investigation.
Monday's incident was the first known thermal injury at the park since September 2024, when a 60-year-old New Hampshire woman suffered second- and third-degree burns to her lower leg while walking in a thermal area near Old Faithful. About two dozen people are known to have died from either jumping or falling into the park's hot springs, as well.
Park officials say the recent incidents underscore the importance of staying on designated trails, especially near thermal areas.
Yellowstone is home to many hot springs and thermal pools, which can range in water temperature based on different factors, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Water at a spring located approximately 20 miles north of Lone Star Geyser was measured at 140 degrees Fahrenheit, while springs by the deepest part of Yellowstone Lake, located west of the geyser, can reach 345 degrees Fahrenheit.
On top of staying on trails and boardwalks, park officials say people should keep their children close and not let them run on boardwalks. Visitors should not try to touch any of the thermal features or runoff, either. Swimming or soaking in hot springs is not allowed.
People are also urged not to throw objects into hot springs or other hydrothermal features.
