A Yellowstone National Park hot spring is probably not the best place for a dog bath, but some tourists figured it would be worth the try.
According to Whiskey Riff, signs warning guests of entering the thermal springs were first placed in the park in 1888. Today's signs are reportedly large, and have the thermal spring warnings written in five different languages. Notably, the signs do explain - quite thoroughly - where guests can view the springs from. Apparently, a boardwalk pathway provides ample opportunity to view the springs.
Regardless of the viewing area and warnings to stay out of the springs, guests still find their way to break Yellowstone's rules. Perhaps one of the most egregious moments of the past several years at Yellowstone came about in 2021.
A visitor was captured on video bathing his dog in the Yellowstone hot springs. The video went viral, after being shared on Instagram. While entering the springs is enough to cause trouble, the bathing of the dog is even more of a head scratcher. Bringing a pet into Yellowstone National Park is not outlawed, but some strict rules do accompany such an activity.
Pets in the park must be physically controlled at all times. Moreover, leashes must be shorter than 6 feet in length. Likewise, pets must remain within 100 feet of roads, parking areas and campgrounds.
With such strict restrictions on pets themselves, as well as the thermal springs within the park, the tourist's choice to bathe a dog in a hot spring is truly mind-boggling.
Viral Video Shows Tourist Break Park Rules At Yellowstone
Yellowstone National Park seems to always be in the news. Earlier this year, the park caught plenty of the internet's attention when she was burned in a hot spring. The woman was visiting from the park from New Hampshire. The burns were of the third-degree, and while that is certainly unfortunate, the worst potential outcome was avoided.
Maybe it is surprising, but at least 22 people have burned to death in Yellowstone's hot springs since 1890.
With all that said, let us hope that 2025 does not bring on any additional accidents in the Yellowstone hot springs.
