A New Hampshire woman found out the hard way why you don't go off-trail while hiking at Yellowstone National Park. She ended up with severe burns on her leg.
The woman went off trail while hiking at Yellowstone. She ended up falling into scalding water near a thermal area. The end result went about as you would expect. The incident happened near the Old Faithful geyser, according to park officials.
The woman was 60-year-old and heralds from Windsor, New Hampshire. She was visiting Yellowstone with her husband. The two went off trail with their dog near the Mallard Lake Trailhead. The incident happened on Monday afternoon. The ground in the area was thin. She ended up breaking through the thin crust in the area. Her foot went straight into boiling hot water. As a result, she suffered both second and third-degree burns. Fortunately, neither her husband nor her dog also experienced any injuries.
Yellowstone Park Burns
Authorities came to the woman's aid. They ended up flying the woman to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls, Idaho. At this time, we do not know how she's doing. Authorities also didn't release her name.
Officials remind tourists and visitors to stay on the boardwalks and trails for good reason. They warn visitors for their own safety. The ground in thermal areas is very thin and can give way at the slightest pressure. What's worse, there's scalding water waiting underneath for any foolish tourists. To protect pets, Yellowstone also limits pets in the park. They aren't allowed on boardwalks, thermal areas, or hiking trails. The woman likely faces some legal troubles for bringing her dog into the thermal area.
Authorities are investigating the incident. While this may be the first injury of 2024 at Yellowstone, it's not the first time a tourist got hurt at the park. With 3.5 million visitors a year, there's room for accidents. People have died by falling into the thermal pools and hot springs at Yellowstone. In total, 22 people died in the park dating back to 1890.
