Yellowstone hiker, 17, suffers horrific thermal burns after his foot broke through geyser crust
The teen, whose identity has not been released, was 'off-trail' exploring a thermal area southeast of Old Faithful when his foot broke through the thin surface crust, plunging into scalding water below.
He sustained 'significant thermal burns' to his lower extremity, according to the National Park Service.
Emergency medical staff treated him on site before transporting him to a hospital for further care, a Facebook post by Yellowstone National Park reads.
The incident is under investigation, and no further details have been made public.
The Monday incident marks the first reported thermal injury at Yellowstone in 2025.
The last occurred in September 2024, when a 60-year-old woman suffered second- and third-degree burns after stepping off a trail near the Mallard Lake trailhead and breaking through the crust.
Though a marked trail leads to the piping hot geyser, thermal areas like it are deceptively dangerous - beneath what appears to be solid ground often lies boiling or acidic water, weakened soil, and volatile geothermal conditions
The Lone Star Geyser area, located about five miles from Old Faithful, features a 12-foot cone geyser that shoots steam up to 45 feet into the air, according to Live Science.
Though a marked trail leads to the piping hot geyser, thermal areas like it are deceptively dangerous. Beneath what appears to be solid ground often lies boiling or acidic water, weakened soil, and volatile geothermal conditions.
'Boardwalks and trails protect visitors and delicate thermal formations,' Yellowstone officials wrote following the incident.
'Water in hot springs can cause severe or fatal burns, and scalding water underlies most of the thin, breakable crust around hot springs.'
More than 20 people have died in Yellowstone's history after entering or falling into hot springs, and dozens more have suffered serious injuries.
Park officials continue to emphasize the importance of staying on marked trails and boardwalks, keeping children close, and never touching or entering hydrothermal features. Pictured: Visitors record the Fountain Geyser in the Yellowstone Lower Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming on July 6
In 2016, a man died after stepping off a boardwalk and falling into a spring while attempting to check its temperature. Earlier this year, park visitors watched in horror as a bison fell into a hot spring and died near the Grand Prismatic Spring, according to Live Science.
The danger of the piping hot springs comes not just from the heat - often exceeding 200°F - but also from the chemistry. According to the American Chemical Society, underground water in Yellowstone often carries dissolved volcanic gases such as hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide, which can be transformed by microbes into substances like sulfuric acid, making the water both boiling hot and highly corrosive.
'It's crucial to heed warnings and stay on trails at Yellowstone, because you can't tell which pools are deadly hot just by looking at them,' the ACS warns.
This year's incident comes amid increased concern about visitor behavior in thermal areas.
More than 20 people have died in Yellowstone's history after entering or falling into hot springs, and dozens more have suffered serious injuries. Pictured: Tourists watching the Old Faithful erupting in Yellowstone National Park
Park officials continue to emphasize the importance of staying on marked trails and boardwalks, keeping children close, and never touching or entering hydrothermal features.
Even when geysers and pools look calm or walkable, Mike Poland of the U.S. Geological Survey reminded visitors that appearances can be deceiving.
'The delicate crust can easily give way and send you into scalding waters just below the surface,' he told USA TODAY.
Park officials say the teen's injuries are a sobering reminder of the extreme dangers in Yellowstone's thermal areas and the critical importance of following all safety regulations.
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