17-Year-Old Sustains Thermal Burns on Yellowstone Park Hike

Officials said a 17-year-old male sustained “significant” thermal burns to his foot and ankle area while hiking in Yellowstone National Park earlier this week. 

The National Park Service (NPS) said in a news release that the incident happened on the morning of Monday, July 28, in the vicinity of Lone Star Geyser near Old Faithful.

According to authorities, the teen was hiking in the thermal area when his foot broke through a thin crust, resulting in the burns.

“Emergency medical staff responded and transported the patient to a hospital for further treatment,” the news release stated. 

“This incident is under investigation and there is no additional information to share,” the release continued. 

The NPS said that this is the first known thermal injury at the park this year, adding that a similar case was last reported in September 2024. 

In the prior incident, a 60-year-old female Yellowstone visitor from New Hampshire was walking off-trail with her husband and leashed dog in a thermal area when she also broke through a thin crust, the NPS said at the time.  

The victim reportedly suffered second- and third-degree burns to her lower leg, officials added, and was transported by helicopter for further medical treatment. Her husband and dog were unharmed. 

The NPS encouraged visitors to stay safe in thermal areas of the park, stating that walking on  boardwalks and designated trails offers protection. 

“Water in hot springs can cause severe or fatal burns, and scalding water underlies most of the thin, breakable crust around hot springs,” the NPS said in their release about the injured 17-year-old. 

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In addition to staying on the boardwalk and trails, park officials recommend visitors avoid touching thermal areas or runoff, and avoid throwing objects into hot springs. They added that swimming or soaking in the hot springs is prohibited, as is bringing pets to the thermal areas. 

According to the NPS, the Lone Star Geyser “erupts up to 45 feet from a 12-foot cone approximately every three hours.” Hiking the Lone Star Geyser trail takes between two and three hours.