Teen Burned After Foot Punches Through Ground at Yellowstone

A 17-year-old boy is recovering from serious burns at Yellowstone after the ground literally gave way beneath him near a geyser Sunday.

The teenager was hiking near Lone Star Geyser when his foot broke through the thin crust and plunged into scalding water below. Park medics treated burns to his foot and ankle before he was rushed to a hospital.

It's the first thermal injury at Yellowstone this year, but definitely not the first time someone's learned these warning signs exist for a reason.

The Ground Isn't Always Solid

Here's what tourists don't get: those pretty thermal features are basically sitting on top of boiling water covered by crust as thin as ice on a pond. Except instead of cold water underneath, it's 212-degree liquid that will literally cook you.

Last September, a woman got third-degree burns doing the same thing—walking where she shouldn't near Old Faithful. Back in 2016, an Oregon man actually died after falling into a hot spring. He'd left the boardwalk to check how hot the water was. Sadly it was hot enough to kill.

At least 20 people have died from burns in Yellowstone's hot springs. Yet, people still wander off the paths.

Even Buffalo Know Better (Usually)

Earlier this year, tourists watched a huge bison fall into Grand Prismatic Spring. The animal thrashed around in water near 200 degrees before dying. Its body floated there for a while, a massive reminder of why you stick to the boardwalks.

Mike Poland from the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory put it bluntly: ground that looks solid might just be a thin shell over scalding water. One wrong step and you're done.

The Rules Aren't Complicated

Yellowstone posts these everywhere:

• Walk on boardwalks and marked trails only

• Keep your kids close

• Don't touch anything thermal

• Don't swim in hot springs (it's illegal and you'll die)

• Leave pets at camp

• Don't throw stuff in the springs

• Feel sick? Get out—toxic gases build up

That last one surprises people. These features release hydrogen sulfide and other nasty stuff. Beautiful to look at, poisonous to breathe too much of.

Why This Keeps Happening

Every year, someone thinks they're smarter than the park rangers. They want that perfect photo. They think the warnings are overblown. They forget Yellowstone sits on top of a supervolcano that's very much active.

The kid was hiking Lone Star Geyser trail, about 5 miles from Old Faithful. Popular spot. Clearly marked path. One step off that path and he got a hospital trip with burns that'll probably scar him for life.

What Really Happens

When you break through that crust, you're not easing into a hot tub. The water instantly destroys your skin, causing blistering, peeling, horrific pain. And it's not just about people getting hurt. Every time someone goes off-trail, they destroy formations that took thousands of years to develop. Those Instagram-worthy colors are actually from bacteria that die when you stomp through.

The Takeaway

Four million people visit Yellowstone every year. Most follow the rules. They stay on paths, take their photos, and go home happy. But there's always someone who thinks rules don't apply to them.

This teenager's burnt foot is this year's first reminder that Yellowstone plays by its own rules so strict parameters must be in place. The boardwalks aren't there to ruin your adventure. They're there because the alternative is too terrifying to tempt.

So next time you're at Yellowstone thinking about stepping off the path for a better angle, picture this kid and dozens more who have suffered the consequences. Then stay on the boardwalk.

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