A 60-year-old woman from Windsor, New Hampshire, sustained severe burns after hiking off-trail near a thermal area in Yellowstone National Park.
According to the National Park Service (NPS), the incident occurred on Monday afternoon near the Mallard Lake Trailhead, close to the Old Faithful geyser.
The woman, accompanied by her husband and their leashed dog, broke through a thin crust of ground and fell into scalding water. She suffered second- and third-degree burns on her lower leg and was airlifted to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center for treatment. The park officials have not disclosed her name, and the incident is currently under investigation.
The NPS emphasizes the importance of staying on designated trails and boardwalks in hydrothermal areas due to the fragile nature of the ground and the dangerously hot water below the surface. Pets are allowed in some parts of the park but are prohibited from thermal areas, boardwalks, trails, and the backcountry.
This incident is the first reported thermal injury at Yellowstone National Park this year. The park, which spans parts of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, features over 900 miles of hiking trails and 15 miles of boardwalks around its geothermal features.
Since its establishment in 1872, Yellowstone has witnessed 22 fatalities due to burns from hot springs, according to the United States Geological Survey. Hot springs are the leading cause of injury and death related to natural features within the park, surpassing wildlife encounters.
Earlier this year, a tourist faced legal consequences after crossing a fence to approach Steamboat Geyser, resulting in a jail sentence and a two-year ban from the park for “thermal trespass.”
The park continues to advise visitors to adhere to safety guidelines to prevent similar accidents.
With input from the New York Times, Newsweek, and Wyoming Public Media.
